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lovemykidstoo 06:58 PM 05-08-2017
So after 16 years I finally got hit. A daycare girl has lice. Mom texted me this morning and said she was at work and a bug dropped out of her hair. She asked if any of my other kids had lice and is said no. I jumped up and looked at her daughter who is 1 1/2 yrs old and oh my God! I took a pic of her head and sent it to mom who said she would "try" to get out of work. I said you need to come NOW! I packed the kids up and went outside immediately. Called all other parents and they all came to pick up. I checked all other kids and didn't see anything. Told her she couldn't come back until 7 days and 2 treatments and a doctors all clear note. I haven't heard back from her on that text. Question for those that have had a dck with lice. Did all other kids get it? Did you or your family get it? I treated me and my 2 teenage kids and husband.
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e.j. 08:25 PM 05-08-2017
I had one dcg who arrived with lice in her hair but I didn't notice until after nap time. I called her dad who picked her up right away. No one else got lice from her but I also cleaned like crazy after everyone left for the day. It took weeks before she was lice free.

My dd also came home with lice we believe she got from a friend/classmate at school. That was about 15 years ago so I don't remember for sure but I don't think any of us in the family got it. (I do remember feeling very itchy and not quite trusting my husband's eyesight but I don't think I actually had lice. I did treat myself twice just in case, though!) I do know for sure none of the dc kids got lice from her. We family members were treated and I cleaned like crazy then, too. Again, it took weeks of nightly combing and picking before she was finally clear of lice. Definitely check your dcg's hair before you allow her back into your home - even with a doctor's note. I had to turn my dcg away at the door two or three times before she was finally clear.
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flying_babyb 09:55 PM 05-08-2017
had a family with 3 kids get it, sent them home, Had a family with 4 kids (two infants) who got it too the same week. So far we have only had one unrelated case! We got that lice spray and ran around with it after hours
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lovemykidstoo 09:18 AM 05-09-2017
So the mom of the child that has lice still has not responded to my 5 text messages since yesterday. A co-worker of hers that brings her son here told me that she was pissed because I said one week and that she said that schools let them back after 24 hours. I talked to my friend that is a principal at our local school and he says that they're weaker than other districts that he's worked at. This district has a no live lice rule. Others he has worked at has no live or nits at all, so she can suck it. I guess she's so pissed that she may pull.I texted her husband and he responded and said that they both have it too and that the dcg is doing good and she had the hair treatment and that seh should be good to go in 24 to 48 hours. He also said it happened at the worst possible time since they're so busy at work. He said it's stressful but we will get through it. He said he hopes that me and the kids are all doing good. So he sounds like voice of reason and she's being a complete bitch.
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Mike 10:18 AM 05-09-2017
Originally Posted by lovemykidstoo:
So the mom of the child that has lice still has not responded to my 5 text messages since yesterday. A co-worker of hers that brings her son here told me that she was pissed because I said one week and that she said that schools let them back after 24 hours. I talked to my friend that is a principal at our local school and he says that they're weaker than other districts that he's worked at. This district has a no live lice rule. Others he has worked at has no live or nits at all, so she can suck it. I guess she's so pissed that she may pull.I texted her husband and he responded and said that they both have it too and that the dcg is doing good and she had the hair treatment and that seh should be good to go in 24 to 48 hours. He also said it happened at the worst possible time since they're so busy at work. He said it's stressful but we will get through it. He said he hopes that me and the kids are all doing good. So he sounds like voice of reason and she's being a complete bitch.
Good cop. Bad cop.
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BlueChairBlessings 11:32 AM 05-09-2017
I have not run into this yet (knock on wood), but as a new provider, curious how you'd handle payment on this case for the days you asked to stay home? How will you handle if she pulls - do you require two weeks notice? Thanks!
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e.j. 12:08 PM 05-09-2017
Originally Posted by lovemykidstoo:
So the mom of the child that has lice still has not responded to my 5 text messages since yesterday. A co-worker of hers that brings her son here told me that she was pissed because I said one week
I thought you were being pretty lenient to give her a one week time frame - although I wouldn't even give a time frame at all. She may be surprised at how long it can take to totally get rid of the eggs/lice.

Originally Posted by lovemykidstoo:
and that she said that schools let them back after 24 hours.
That's because the decision to allow kids back after 24 hours is made by a person who doesn't have to deal with it in his/her home or be exposed to it in the classroom.

Having gone through it twice, my thought would be that dcm can be as pissed as she wants to be but until her dd's hair is clear of all lice and eggs, she would not be allowed to step foot in my home. I also feel bad for any new provider who might take her on not knowing her child has lice!
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lovemykidstoo 01:02 PM 05-09-2017
Originally Posted by BlueChairBlessings:
I have not run into this yet (knock on wood), but as a new provider, curious how you'd handle payment on this case for the days you asked to stay home? How will you handle if she pulls - do you require two weeks notice? Thanks!
The days that she keeps her home she has to pay for. I have a policy that states unlesss it's me that is sick or on vacation, they pay. If she does decide to leave, I doubt she'll pay me and I won't pursue it. I doubt highly that she'll leave. Not to be mean, but it takes more work to find a new daycare than I think she's willing to do, so she may be pissed now, but doubt she'll actually leave.
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lovemykidstoo 01:03 PM 05-09-2017
Originally Posted by e.j.:
I thought you were being pretty lenient to give her a one week time frame - although I wouldn't even give a time frame at all. She may be surprised at how long it can take to totally get rid of the eggs/lice.



That's because the decision to allow kids back after 24 hours is made by a person who doesn't have to deal with it in his/her home or be exposed to it in the classroom.

Having gone through it twice, my thought would be that dcm can be as pissed as she wants to be but until her dd's hair is clear of all lice and eggs, she would not be allowed to step foot in my home. I also feel bad for any new provider who might take her on not knowing her child has lice!

Exactly! Totally different to be in a school setting where they're not jumping on my furniture, on my carpet, using blankets etc and also hugging their friends. I may have phrased it differently here, but in my text I sent her it was a minimum of 7 days. She is not coming back with any sort of bug issue. I don't care how mad she gets. I'm not the one that started the bug issue, she is.
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Unregistered 06:57 PM 05-09-2017
I had one child so full of lice I had never seen anything like it. He was treated but the lice popped up again. I'm not sure if siblings were checked and treated.

Out of all that only one other child ended up with lice.

When I taught preschool and also owned a group center there were a few incidences but never an all out epidemic. Never seemed to spread.

Good luck!
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hwichlaz 06:31 AM 05-10-2017
I don't put a time on it. They can come back if they can pass my inspection, bug and nit free. Some parents manage it in one day...by staying up all night treating and combing. During an outbreak I don't allow backpacks or outerwear inside, they hang on hooks outside, not touching eachother. I inspect EVERYONE's heads at the door for about a month after outbreak.
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lovemykidstoo 06:57 AM 05-14-2017
So dcg is coming back tomorrow. She went to the doctor to get checked on Friday and mom and dad have been doing daily checking and combing. She does have a note and I will be checking her at the door.

In the meantime I got a message last night that another dcb has it and his brother who doesn't come here, he's in school has it too. I about died! She's been checking him ever single day multiple times a day and last night was the first time she saw anything. So through treatment he goes. He hasn't been here since last Thursday. So question, can you get lice if all he had was eggs or do they have to be live to get it from him? My sheet from the local health dept says incubation period is 6 to 10 days, so I figure the initial dcg had it the Thursday before the Monday we realized she had it and he was with her that day. My husband did yet another check on me last night and knock on wood, I still don't have it, thank God. If you can't get it from the eggs, then I'm less worried.
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EntropyControlSpecialist 05:59 AM 05-15-2017
Originally Posted by lovemykidstoo:
So dcg is coming back tomorrow. She went to the doctor to get checked on Friday and mom and dad have been doing daily checking and combing. She does have a note and I will be checking her at the door.

In the meantime I got a message last night that another dcb has it and his brother who doesn't come here, he's in school has it too. I about died! She's been checking him ever single day multiple times a day and last night was the first time she saw anything. So through treatment he goes. He hasn't been here since last Thursday. So question, can you get lice if all he had was eggs or do they have to be live to get it from him? My sheet from the local health dept says incubation period is 6 to 10 days, so I figure the initial dcg had it the Thursday before the Monday we realized she had it and he was with her that day. My husband did yet another check on me last night and knock on wood, I still don't have it, thank God. If you can't get it from the eggs, then I'm less worried.
It's my understanding that the eggs can fall off and hatch other places? Maybe I am incorrect? I hope so.

I have had a case of lice here. It spread through winter coats. I required proof of treatment and if I sent home with lice or nits they couldn't return for a full 24 hours I believe. I re-checked daily for WEEKS. It was actually quite exhausting so I am sorry you're going through that.
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Blackcat31 06:29 AM 05-15-2017
Originally Posted by lovemykidstoo:
The days that she keeps her home she has to pay for. I have a policy that states unlesss it's me that is sick or on vacation, they pay. If she does decide to leave, I doubt she'll pay me and I won't pursue it. I doubt highly that she'll leave. Not to be mean, but it takes more work to find a new daycare than I think she's willing to do, so she may be pissed now, but doubt she'll actually leave.
This really stuck out to me.
Why have a policy if you aren't going to enforce it?
If you have reasons for not enforcing it, then why not just get rid of the policy all together?

Not having it comes across as flexible and compromising.
Having a policy and not enforcing it comes across as being a pushover and that parents can dictate what policies they want to adhere to and which they simply ignore. (Or have an adult tantrum and not have to follow. )
That's not very fair to you at all.....

Schools here don't really exclude for nits (only live bugs) because the kids in school don't come in close contact and "share" things like kids in child care do. Same with pink eye. The exclusionary policies are much different for kids that understand how to keep hands out of their mouths and not be all over each other like kids in the under 5 crowd are.
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Blackcat31 06:32 AM 05-15-2017
Some great info here:

http://www.headlice.org/
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hwichlaz 08:48 AM 05-15-2017
Originally Posted by EntropyControlSpecialist:
It's my understanding that the eggs can fall off and hatch other places? Maybe I am incorrect? I hope so.

I have had a case of lice here. It spread through winter coats. I required proof of treatment and if I sent home with lice or nits they couldn't return for a full 24 hours I believe. I re-checked daily for WEEKS. It was actually quite exhausting so I am sorry you're going through that.
The eggs are glued to the hair shaft, so very unlikely.
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lovemykidstoo 03:19 PM 05-15-2017
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
This really stuck out to me.
Why have a policy if you aren't going to enforce it?
If you have reasons for not enforcing it, then why not just get rid of the policy all together?

Not having it comes across as flexible and compromising.
Having a policy and not enforcing it comes across as being a pushover and that parents can dictate what policies they want to adhere to and which they simply ignore. (Or have an adult tantrum and not have to follow. )
That's not very fair to you at all.....

Schools here don't really exclude for nits (only live bugs) because the kids in school don't come in close contact and "share" things like kids in child care do. Same with pink eye. The exclusionary policies are much different for kids that understand how to keep hands out of their mouths and not be all over each other like kids in the under 5 crowd are.
If she pulls her child and leaves, I will not take her to small claims court. If she stays (which she's back today, so she is), she will pay me for the days she was off.
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lovemykidstoo 02:53 PM 05-18-2017
The never ending lice problem. So tomorrow is payday (bi-weekly) and dad of initial child that had lice says that mom wants to know if they have to pay for last week. I found out the child had lice on Monday, so I told her she couldn't come back for a minimum of 1 week. She got doctors note on Friday, so she came back on Monday and has been clear. She's a 5 day a week person. My policy states that if they are not here for illness or their vacation that they pay and that's what I told dad. Do any of you have that policy and would you allow for any type of a discount for this type of situation? Then I have another dcb that obviously got it from her that has been gone this week too (3 days) and I'm waiting for her to ask the same question. I desperately need their funds and can't have them pull, but I feel if I bend on this, then every little thing they'll be wanting me to bend on it too.
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Mike 05:30 PM 05-18-2017
Originally Posted by lovemykidstoo:
The never ending lice problem. So tomorrow is payday (bi-weekly) and dad of initial child that had lice says that mom wants to know if they have to pay for last week. I found out the child had lice on Monday, so I told her she couldn't come back for a minimum of 1 week. She got doctors note on Friday, so she came back on Monday and has been clear. She's a 5 day a week person. My policy states that if they are not here for illness or their vacation that they pay and that's what I told dad. Do any of you have that policy and would you allow for any type of a discount for this type of situation? Then I have another dcb that obviously got it from her that has been gone this week too (3 days) and I'm waiting for her to ask the same question. I desperately need their funds and can't have them pull, but I feel if I bend on this, then every little thing they'll be wanting me to bend on it too.
Your policy states that they still pay and that's how most providers here do it. Many have also talked about the give an inch and they take a mile saying.

Tough choice. You said "desperately need their funds". Do you mean this weeks funds, or long term? If you think charging normal rate may make them leave, how about a discount, a ONE TIME discount. 50%, 20%, whatever you feel will make them happy enough without giving up too much of your income. To many people, even a 10% discount looks good.
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lovemykidstoo 05:57 PM 05-18-2017
Originally Posted by Mike:
Your policy states that they still pay and that's how most providers here do it. Many have also talked about the give an inch and they take a mile saying.

Tough choice. You said "desperately need their funds". Do you mean this weeks funds, or long term? If you think charging normal rate may make them leave, how about a discount, a ONE TIME discount. 50%, 20%, whatever you feel will make them happy enough without giving up too much of your income. To many people, even a 10% discount looks good.
It's a tough thing. I need their funds both long term and short term. They're 1 of 2 full time people. She's already pissed at me because I told her she had to be gone a week. Like I'm supposed to let her stay after 24 hours and infect everyone else. As it is, we got lucky so far and only 1 other child got them. They also left for 1 week. I see it as no different than having a fever and being told they can't come really and the only reason I'm considering something else is that she's ready to pull. having said that, I hate to start a new thing with her by giving a discount. Maybe I'll feel the husband out tomorrow and see how mad she is. If I do that for her, then I have to do it for the other one that was gone a week. I don't know why she's being such a you know what.
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e.j. 06:06 PM 05-18-2017
Originally Posted by lovemykidstoo:
The never ending lice problem. So tomorrow is payday (bi-weekly) and dad of initial child that had lice says that mom wants to know if they have to pay for last week. I found out the child had lice on Monday, so I told her she couldn't come back for a minimum of 1 week. She got doctors note on Friday, so she came back on Monday and has been clear. She's a 5 day a week person. My policy states that if they are not here for illness or their vacation that they pay and that's what I told dad. Do any of you have that policy and would you allow for any type of a discount for this type of situation? Then I have another dcb that obviously got it from her that has been gone this week too (3 days) and I'm waiting for her to ask the same question. I desperately need their funds and can't have them pull, but I feel if I bend on this, then every little thing they'll be wanting me to bend on it too.
My policy states that tuition is due regardless of attendance. When my dcg was out for weeks because of lice, her parents still paid their full tuition rate. You have to do what's best for you, though. If you're afraid they'll pull and can't afford to take that chance, then maybe offer to deduct what you think is fair. I would definitely let them know this is a one time exception if you decide to give them a break.
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Mike 06:36 PM 05-18-2017
A 10, 20, or even 50% discount, if it means losing them otherwise, is more money in the end. I would probably tell the husband how the contract goes by the space, not the attendance, but you will give them 20% off this one time and see how he reacts to that. Hopefully, just knowing you are giving in a bit will make them happy.
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childcaremom 03:04 AM 05-19-2017
I would not bend but that's me. It sounds like she is the type to expect it again going forward so I wouldn't want to set the precedence.

I would also continue to check her head as the eggs take 7-10 days to hatch.... and can still hatch after treatment as they burrow into the scalp.

Good luck. I know it's hard dealing with dcps like that. I would be putting up an ad as a 'just in case'.
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lovemykidstoo 04:45 AM 05-19-2017
I think I'm going to wait it out and see how he is today. I figured it out and the day I realized that she had lice, I sent everyone home. That was my decision, so I did prorate everyone's pay for that day. So that was $85 out of my pocket that day. Then I had a little boy that was going to pick up an extra day and didn't because of this, so that's another $35. So total already out of my pocket because of her daughters problem $120. Add onto that hours of cleaning and purchasing of products, cleaning my families hair etc. Then if I do that for her, then I have to do it for the other family that's out last week because he got it from her. That's another $105. So tonight at pickup I'm going to relay all of that to dad and give him a better perspective of where I stand. She was PMing me about her mothers day gift last night, so if he told her, I guess she's ok with it. We shall see. If I get the feeling that they're going to pull, I may give them a 20% discount, but I"m going to really feel them out today to see first.
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Mike 06:39 AM 05-19-2017
Sounds like a good plan. I hope it goes well.
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BumbleBee 04:25 PM 05-20-2017
Stick to your guns on nit and lice free before returning, and check the kid(s) yourself.

I had a sibling set recently with lice, thankfully they weren't hear because mom was on maternity leave and the kids were home. They went to the Dr on a Thursday for other reasons and mom asked for a head check while they were there. They got the all clear, even got the Dr's note that says they're lice free. Mom did one more treatment that evening just to be safe---and found 6 dead bugs in one child's hair and 6 nits in the other child's hair.

They were supposed to come Friday and I said no. Depending on the weekend they may be allowed to come back Monday.

I have a no nit policy, child must be completely free of lice and nits to return. The local school system only has a no live lice policy. It's not my problem, my house my rules. She can do whatever she wants as far as school goes, but my house is no nits no lice to return.
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lovemykidstoo 06:28 PM 05-20-2017
Originally Posted by BumbleBee:
Stick to your guns on nit and lice free before returning, and check the kid(s) yourself.

I had a sibling set recently with lice, thankfully they weren't hear because mom was on maternity leave and the kids were home. They went to the Dr on a Thursday for other reasons and mom asked for a head check while they were there. They got the all clear, even got the Dr's note that says they're lice free. Mom did one more treatment that evening just to be safe---and found 6 dead bugs in one child's hair and 6 nits in the other child's hair.

They were supposed to come Friday and I said no. Depending on the weekend they may be allowed to come back Monday.

I have a no nit policy, child must be completely free of lice and nits to return. The local school system only has a no live lice policy. It's not my problem, my house my rules. She can do whatever she wants as far as school goes, but my house is no nits no lice to return.
I definitely stuck to my guns on this issue and mom was mad but I think she's getting over it. I have my other kids and my family to think about. I just read your post, must be the season for lice huh?
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BumbleBee 06:33 PM 05-20-2017
Originally Posted by lovemykidstoo:
I definitely stuck to my guns on this issue and mom was mad but I think she's getting over it. I have my other kids and my family to think about. I just read your post, must be the season for lice huh?
Yeah. Dcm is basically in tears at this point. Granted a lot of it has to do with having recently given birth and hormones (her words not mine) but it's really stressing her out.
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lovemykidstoo 10:12 AM 05-21-2017
Originally Posted by BumbleBee:
Yeah. Dcm is basically in tears at this point. Granted a lot of it has to do with having recently given birth and hormones (her words not mine) but it's really stressing her out.
I can't imagine having a brand new baby and having to deal with this. Poor lady.
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