Do You Ever Fake It?

[Soupyszoo]

Has anyone ever faked being sick and closed for a day or two just to get a break??

I'm not going to lie... The thought has crossed my mind, but I've never actually done it. I get too paranoid about karma and stuff! Like saying, "sorry dcfs, DD is sick so I have to close." then next thing you know she actually does get sick.

Just wondering if anyone else has actually gone through with it

[SunshineMama]

Has anyone ever faked being sick and closed for a day or two just to get a break??

I'm not going to lie... The thought has crossed my mind, but I've never actually done it. I get too paranoid about karma and stuff! Like saying, "sorry dcfs, DD is sick so I have to close." then next thing you know she actually does get sick.

Just wondering if anyone else has actually gone through with it

I was hung-over once (yes... tisk tisk tisk) and I had such a bad headache that I called off.

That was the shadiest I have ever done- but hey- I was legitimately sick ::

I have closed 2 times in the past year, so I would not do that just because I would need to save that time off; dont want to close too many times.

But to answer your question honestly (if I didnt have to use any days before): Yes. I don't have "personal" days, and I feel that we all need a mental health day now and then. There is not a single one of my dcp' who have NOT taken time off from work, brought their kid to me, and took several mental health days for themselves. I am human and I deserve to as well.

When I would do sick days when I worked at the office I NEVER used my kids as an excuse, just for karma's sake. It was always me being sick.

[nannyde]

Naw
I haven't missed a day of work in 17 years... almost 18

[Zoe]

The thought has crossed my mind, but I haven't done it just because I don't want to inconvenience the parents (I have great ones though, if they weren't so great....).

If you feel you really do need a day off, then take a personal day! Give the parents an adequate amount of notice and just do it. You don't even need to tell them why. Just say you're taking a personal day.

This topic has come up before and it was very heated as I recall. But either way people respond, I say that there is nothing wrong with admitting you need some time and honestly taking it. Go for it!

[Unregistered]

Haven't taken a sick day in 17 years of being in business. Did have a family emergency once and had to close for 2 days, but that's it! I pride myself in being reliable and I work through everything. I do get 15 days of paid vacation a year though in addition to my paid holidays.

I have worked through everything, even when my own kids are sick. I always tell the parents, but no one seems to mind having them here being as they were most often the ones that brought it in!

[kathiemarie]

Don't lie. Just take a personal day. Be up front about it. You'll feel better and be able to enjoy the day.

[Ariana]

No I haven't. When I need a sick day I'm pretty sick. I just took one 2 days ago because of a bad head cold and a fever.

[Mary Poppins]

Is being sick of a particular dck a technicality? Before I termed my last one I considered taking a day off or three from HER, but I lovethis the other kids too much and would've missed them so I didn't.

[lil angels]

I have thought about it but never have. My neighbor does daycare and she goes drincking and calls her parents. Oh I have to take a sick day. I don't agree with it.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Naw
I haven't missed a day of work in 17 years... almost 18

Ditto this. Six years. Screened and trained subs are very expensive. And so are mad parents.

[GrannyJ]

I would feel so guilty that I wouldn't be able to enjoy the day! I say give them notice and take a personal day. Do something for yourself, we all need that once in a while and I know all our parents do it all the time so why can't we?

[Heidi]

well, the last time I took a sick day, I was really sick the night before. I had chills, fever, etc. It had been progressing all afternoon, but I made it through the day (yeah naptime), and warned my dc parents for the next day.

At about 8pm I decided to call off dc for the following day. I slept in a little, and when I woke up at 8:30, I was fine. So I got a LOT of work done, and since it was Friday, had a nice work-free weekend.

I felt guilty, but only a little. I wasn't going to call of a sick day after it'd already started.

BTW: When I read "do you ever fake it?" I thought this was and OFF subject post!

[SimpleMom]

I take the time off when I need it. I get 5 paid personal days and paid Holidays/ per yr (Most Fed. Holidays). Anyway, I am reliable as I give the parents' two weeks plus for personal days. I have had to call in sick for my kiddos and one day for myself--plus a half a day once (both times I was beyond sick). Been doing the out of my home for 6.5 yrs.

Personal time is good. Keeps everyone fresh. I just make sure parent's are aware that I have them and that they have adaquate back-up. I used to get my own Subs, but because, yes, good subs are very hard to find and then to have them trained and screened, etc. I no longer can afford it.

It works here. I wouldn't lie about a sick day though. But I have to admit I get a little envious when I hear parent's tell me they are doing just that and then drop their kids off with me

[Meeko]

I started day care when my 27 year old son was an infant. In all those years I have taken 3 days as sick leave due to a hospital stay.

[dEHmom]

in the years i've been doing daycare, I've only had 2 sick days. One was because mom thought she had food poisoning, but turned out to be flu!

The other was a few weeks ago, because I spent the day at the hospital. Thought I was dying, but turned out to be kidney stones.


I did get lucky one friday though, where on the thursday kids were sick, throwing up, diarrhea, so i sent one home, and the other 2 ended up sick too, so i got the friday off.

I don't think I'd FAKE being sick, not worth the lie. But If you needed to take a day last minute for doctor appointment or something, that's understandable. If it were just 1 daycare family, it would be alot easier to just phone and say sorry, gotta close today. But with multiple families, that would be tough.