What Would You Have Done?? (Sorry Long!)

[mac60]

I dont know how you can stay in business being so harsh. I mean, its throw up. He didnt spew acid all over the car. I had to deal with it and move on with my life. We work with children, people!!

Excuse me! Harsh, what the hell is harsh here. Gees.

[kimsdaycare]

If they offered to pick up that is different I don't know if I'd accept the offer, but make it very clear that in either case you feel like you are letting them down or your son down and it is a hard decision to make when the first concern is that you have a very sick boy there and you have no way to know if he is car-sick ill or sicky-kid ill. Even if they were on their way, it would be in his best interest to get out of that car in the heat and just sitting there wouldn't be an option. Honestly though, if he was that ill, I'd be going back home (angry of course - but I'd try to hide it) and then update my memory bank of lessons learned in dc. Never assume a child travels well, be sure to ask first. Parents make mistakes and forget these things, and we all suffer. But I've made mistakes-a-plenty too, so I'm quite forgiving with these things.

You have every right to ask for your car to be detailed and I doubt they'd give you a hard time. If I cleaned it myself, I'd soooo be reminding them of that come Christmastime !

[nannyde]

I was so back and forth on this. The mom asked me to ask him if he was just car sick like before or if he felt like he didn't feel good and he said he didn't feel good at all. So she even thought that it might be something other.

If he would have got more puke on my car then he did and I did have to get it cleaned (other then what i could do) I would have most likely asked the parents to cover it.

They are to show up at anytime now and I'm nervous about what to do.

Personally I did not say that you must come an hour and half to pick him up...she offered it. But I was not willing to sit it in a parking lot for that long.

It's a tough call. My experience tells me that parents almost always attribute an illness symptom to something that isn't contagious. Saying it was car sickness IS the one out they have to get the kid back into day care the next day. I've had this happen hundreds of times in my career. Allergies, ear infection, teething, blocked tear ducts etc make up 95 percent of the parents diagnosis of exludable illness symptoms.

I would be leary about a "car sickness" diagnosis because it is really the only thing they CAN say to keep the door open for the rest of the day and the next. With a five year old you should be able to ask if he gets car sick. The Mom saying it's only on trips more than two hours is suspicious too. If she knew it was 1.5 hour drive then saying it only happens on 2 plus hour trips excuses her from having to tell you about it in the first place.

All that is a little fishy. The truth could be that the child was sick before you even left and the parents knew it but thought a few hours of him not puking were worth the risk (your risk) so that he wouldn't miss the zoo. The fact that the Dad drove THAT far to come get him when they KNEW it was merely car sickness is a little odd too. Fishy.

I don't transport kids so I've never had a car sick kid in my car. I would not do activities that require three hours in one day to be in a vehichle. My parents would not go for something like that. I also wouldn't want to be physically that far away from the parents with any day care kid.

Live and learn.

[Persephone]

Mom seemed okay with it when she dropped him off. We talked about getting some kind of meds. She's going to look because next weekend they are going on vacation and it's almost 3 our trip there. So she wants to get something now.

But I'm not too happy because they've been getting picked up at noon on fridays. (She told me it would be noon or two when they started but it's been noon and then today as she's leaving I say "So at noon today?" and she says no not tell two.

I had plans for the afternoon. She said they knew on Wed. They should have told me already. I told her that she needed to let me know from now on that it's different as soon as they know.

And while I'm on rants...they bought food from home today for Breakfast. I didn't say anything this morning since we were talking about the sickness and time and stuff. But I will be leaving a note...since dad can't seem to make sure mom knows things I tell him in the evenings. But my son has food allergies and the foods that they have were both items that my son can not have. While he didn't care that they ate it,because he knows that he can't have it, I don't like that chance of him having a reaction because they had it.

[momofboys]

Mom seemed okay with it when she dropped him off. We talked about getting some kind of meds. She's going to look because next weekend they are going on vacation and it's almost 3 our trip there. So she wants to get something now.

But I'm not too happy because they've been getting picked up at noon on fridays. (She told me it would be noon or two when they started but it's been noon and then today as she's leaving I say "So at noon today?" and she says no not tell two.

I had plans for the afternoon. She said they knew on Wed. They should have told me already. I told her that she needed to let me know from now on that it's different as soon as they know.

And while I'm on rants...they bought food from home today for Breakfast. I didn't say anything this morning since we were talking about the sickness and time and stuff. But I will be leaving a note...since dad can't seem to make sure mom knows things I tell him in the evenings. But my son has food allergies and the foods that they have were both items that my son can not have. While he didn't care that they ate it,because he knows that he can't have it, I don't like that chance of him having a reaction because they had it.

I think what you did was fine. The parent knew & approved the field trip. I think it was great that the parent offered to come pick the child up. If it were me I probably would have felt so bad that I would have driven him back home. I would be irked if the parent told you noon & then changes it to 2:00, there is a good chance I would have made plans or an appointment. Sorry you had to deal with all that vomit in your car. The mere thought grosses me out!

[mismatchedsocks]

I agree vomit is grosser when its a kid not yours. I personally dont take extra clothes for kids who are way beyond potty training age. Also how can you get car sickness on car trips only longer then 2.5 hours? I think its a fib, and she is trying to cover that he is sick or she forgot to tell you about car sickness. My son gets car sick, but it varies when he does, could be on a 5 minute trip, and then he would be fine on a long ride.I still would tell the provider.

I wouldnt charge the family for clean up, thats part of the business. I would be lysoling and maybe even getting detailed myself. Then if that boy goes in car again I would make sure he had medicine for car sickness and make him sit on plastic and hold a bag. Just to be safe.

I wonder why mom would want him to go to daycare with lots of field trips, IF she knew he was car sick and the field trips would entail some car rides?

Also, I dont know how I feel about the parents picking up, but he did and like poster said he was still not himself on the field trip, probably dehydrated. Poor kid, poor you!

[Lianne]

I did clean the belt, seat and floor last night with soapy water and left the back vents open to air out. I did not smell anything too bad last night. The thought of puke smell this summer in a hot van makes me sick myself.

If the soapy water didn't kill the smell try spraying vinegar and water onto the areas and leaving them to dry. You could also try the odor neutralizers they have for pets or smoke.

[Lianne]

Mom seemed okay with it when she dropped him off. We talked about getting some kind of meds. She's going to look because next weekend they are going on vacation and it's almost 3 our trip there. So she wants to get something now.

They make anti nausea wristbands, too. Those may help. They're for going on cruises, etc.

[Persephone]

They make anti nausea wristbands, too. Those may help. They're for going on cruises, etc.

I told her about that too.

I looked on the Dramamine site and children 2 and older can take it. So there really is no reason that he could use it. They even make chewable ones

[Greenshadow]

The little girl that I watched took Dramamine for our long trips. My son owns a pair of the motion sickness wrist bands. They do well for cruises, airplane trips, roads that are very curvy, those sorts of things. They didnt seem to help him on regular trips like on freeways and stuff.

[Janet]

Carsickness

I can see both sides, but I would have made the choice to call the parents, too. It's absolutely miserable to be out and about when you have travel sickness. I know this because I get carsick, seasick, and airsick. My daughter does too, and when she or myself get sick from traveling, we want nothing more than just to lay down and wait for the sickness to subside.

Also, how is a provider to know that puking is from carsickness if the parents don't mention it? Maybe the kid could be sick, maybe not. Who can say? I'd rather err on the side of caution.

[Unregistered]

As you all know

aside from the kids that tend to get car sick

ANY kid can get sick in a car from time to time

so if you plan on taking trips, always plan for it no matter what.

[melissa ann]

First, I would have called the parents to tell them their child got sick. I would have taken their word that it was car sickness. I would have waited in the car for a little, 20 mins or so till boy felt better. Then continued on our day.
My daughter is 5 1/2 and when we go to an amusement park, or another day trip, we take an extra outfit. Maybe I'm just different. But I like to prepared.
I would not charge to clean my car. When a kid throws up at my house, I don't charge the parents to clean the carpet, sofa or whatever. It just goes with the job.
I get carsick. IT was worse when I was kid because I had to sit in the back seat. I'm better in the front but still get carsick. Sometimes it can happen after 30 mins other times, it's over an hour. I just like to rest, for a spell. Usually less than 30 mins. and drink a sprite or something and then I'm better.