Working when sick

[trippingontoys]

Should I have closed down today? I have a raging head cold, sinus headache, cough, body aches, etc. No stomach issues, but did have a fever yesterday. I have lysoled everything repeatedly and use hand sanitizer every time I turn around. Its an easy day with only two kids and one is my nephew. And both of them are already sick. I feel horribly guilty for not telling the one parent I'm sick but I don't think she had another option anyway today, she had jury duty. My sister brings her boy even if she knows I'm sick. I can't afford to take a day off right now but should I have told parents I was sick?

[momofsix]

When I'm sick, I usually let the parents know but no one has ever not brought their kids!

[saved4always]

Sounds alot like flu. I probably would have closed if I was that sick. If I didn't want to close, I would have told the parents that I was sick and give them the opportunity to make an informed choice about sending thier children and exposing them. Also, you could end up with more time off in the end if the kids do get it and miss daycare later this week. Do you charge parents when thier kids do not come if they are sick? I didn't so I would have been out a lot of money if all the kids I watched got something like that from me.

I hope that you feel better soon and that no one else gets it!

[trippingontoys]

Parents are charged for days scheduled, not days attended. Unless I close for illness. I try not to close unless I have something like a stomach virus. I am always afraid that if I take too much time off, parents will find someplace else to take their kids. (I really don't think my parents would do that, but its a fear I can't get rid of) And I am taking a day off next week for my son's kindergarten orientation. And it happens to be one of the days that today's little girl was scheduled. This is the part about babysitting that I do not like. When I worked in an office I could schedule a few hours or a day off when I needed it. Now I feel like if its not a scheduled holiday or vacation I shouldn't take a day off.

My only issue with giving parents the option is most of my parents would take the kids to a grandparent if i told them I was sick. Because I have to say, for the most part, I have the best bunch of parents I could ask for. I live in a very small town and know all of my parents personally. And I can't financially afford for them to be thinking of me right now. :-)

Now that I am up and moving and the day-quill has kicked in I am feeling a little better. I am just being extra careful not to get too close to the kids. :-)

[MaritimeMummy]

My procedure is to evaluate the severity of how I am feeling.

If it's a matter of just physically not being able to care for the kids, I don't give the parents an option.

If I have a head cold or something contagious like a throat infection (for example), and IF I still feel good enough to care for the kids, I call the parents to let them know ASAP and give them the option. If they send their kids, that's their choice. If they chose not to, I still charge for that day since I am remaining open but it is their choice not to send their kids.

If *I* close, I don't charge.

I think you really should look at your symptoms...if you feel like you could keep up, then remain open.

With a fever though, I don't mess around. basically, anything that I would not allow a child to attend over (fevers, diarrhea, vomiting, pink eye, etc), is what I would close over, and nothing less.