Do You Open Without Power?

[greenhouse]

So,due to the severe storm up here in the northeast- we have no power, no heat, no running water, no way to cook, etc. etc. I have one DCM who still wants me to watch her child and I'm just not up to it. Please tell me I'm not being unreasonable.If it were summer and could take the kids outside and grill maybe... Am I being too picky or is it reasonable to close until power is restored? WWYD
Thanks

[Heidi]

Not allowed here....If you are regulated, you cannot provide care without essential services.

Now, if the power goes out for 15 minutes in the middle of the day, that's one thing...but you guys may be out for a while. Tell her to STAY HOME!

[MsMe]

it has never happened to me but I would not be open if there was no power....

I am almost positive that it is common to close when you don't have power....

it my even be in your regs taht you CAN NOT be open with out power!

[greenhouse]

That's what I was thinking- I know temperature alone is a reg. it's 49 in here now!

[wdmmom]

Can't here either. No power, no daycare.

[Cat Herder]

I open, but I planned for outages before I opened. It is part of the regs, here. (Emergency Preparedness Plan)

Outages are very common here (in the woods). We are typically without 2 weeks a year.

[KEG123]

Ugh I would not.

[daycare]

I am not sure if it is part of my regs or not, but I do have in my PHB that should we loss power, water, heat (winter time) and a/c (during summer) for more than an hour, I will not open or I will send kids home.

[nannyde]

No

I have to have power to operate.

[Michelle]

Does not paying your electric bill on purpose to just get a day off count?
::::::

I have had days where it's tempting

[rbmom]

If we are out of power in mornings or the power is off during the day for more than an hour I close.

[SilverSabre25]

In the winter, in the cold, I will close if we lose power for long enough to make conditions unfavorable for the kids--i.e. too cold, which you definitely are!

Running water is certainly a must for daycare, IMO.

Summer without power is doable, winter, not so much. I would tell the dcm to get a life and keep her kid with her. Well, I'd say it more nicely than that. Probably. Some people get under my skin

Stay warm!

[2ndFamilyDC]

Is this mom nuts?! Without the essential things like heat and electricity why would she even want her child there.
I would definitely not be open.

[melissa ann]

In Sept, due to Tropical Storm Lee, we were w/o power for 24 hours. It went out at 1:30 in the morning. I callled my families. One family lives in the same little town as me so they were w/o power also. They had no problems with me closing for the day. Now my another family,who lives in another town, mom was upset that I closed. There was also flooding issues as well. We had to conserve water. I called her in the evening of the same day and told her we were still w/o power. She was annoyed at the thought of me closing again on Friday. The power came back on around 1:30 Friday morning so I called her around 7 to tell her that I will be open. Honestly, I swear some parents think we do these things on purpose.

[Country Kids]

No, legally we are not allowed to. Now, when calling parents I would just say per state regulations I'm not allowed to open due to power outages. Then give them the local number to your CCR&R and have them talk to them about the regulations.