Forced Vomiting, Ugh!!

[daycare]

I have a few DCK who are forcing themselves to vomit so that they don't have to eat at meal time.

I am so baffled by this and not too sure what to do. I have talked to all of the parents, but of course, they are all claiming this is only an issue here. Wait, actually one said DCK does it at home too.

So it started with only one kid doing it. I call him Mac Donalds Mike, because this is all that the kid will eat. I am on the food program and of course all I serve here is healthy foods. No junk of any kind.

Well Now that MAC MIKE is doing it, two other kids have joined him. As soon as I tell them it is time to eat and set them at the table, it's barf time. Yup! It starts with one and within 15 minutes 2-3 more kids have either tried to vomit or have. It's spreading like a wildfire and I don't know what to do to stop it.

I am so sick of cleaning puke off my floor every day! btw. it happens with each child at least one time a day, not at every meal. Other meals they will just scream and cry.

I also do not send home after one episode of vomiting. Maybe I should, but do you think that this is even something that the parents can make them stop doing??

[Blackcat31]

I also do not send home after one episode of vomiting. Maybe I should, but do you think that this is even something that the parents can make them stop doing??

I would send home for ANY vomiting. No matter the cause.

Is it something a parent can stop making them do? Absolutely the parent can talk to their child and let them know they need to stop.

I would consider having a sit down meeting with the parents AND child and let them know EXACTLY how meal time goes at your house. Let them know the child needs to have the food offered to them but they can choose not to eat. I don't know if you have your kiddos stay seated until everyone is done or if they can get up if they don't want to eat, but I would talk with parents about it and they can talk with their child.

I think this would work for you because you only take preschool age children and they are perfectly capable of understanding the self-induced vomiting is NOT going to solve their issue for them.

[daycare]

I would send home for ANY vomiting. No matter the cause.

Is it something a parent can stop making them do? Absolutely the parent can talk to their child and let them know they need to stop.

I would consider having a sit down meeting with the parents AND child and let them know EXACTLY how meal time goes at your house. Let them know the child needs to have the food offered to them but they can choose not to eat. I don't know if you have your kiddos stay seated until everyone is done or if they can get up if they don't want to eat, but I would talk with parents about it and they can talk with their child.

I think this would work for you because you only take preschool age children and they are perfectly capable of understanding the self-induced vomiting is NOT going to solve their issue for them.

so the kids that are doing it are all 2. I think 2 of them are very aware of what they are doing and the other 2 do not.

Do you send home for only one vomit episode??

[Blackcat31]

so the kids that are doing it are all 2. I think 2 of them are very aware of what they are doing and the other 2 do not.

Do you send home for only one vomit episode??

Yep. I don't do ANY kind of vomit.

I just can't.

The other end, I can deal with. Hate but can deal with. Vomit, I can NOT.

Once = bye bye.

[Meeko]

Calling their parents to pick up may make it worse, as most kids would love going home early with Mom and Dad.

I would get the parents on board with this plan.......call the parents to let them know it happened again, but don't have them pick up. That way you cover yourself if the child says they threw up and the parent is upset you didn't let them know.

Every time they do it, they get to lie down for the rest of the day because they're "sick". No crafts, no music time....just lay still and do nothing.

As they protest and say they're not sick, remind them that they vomited, so they must be ill and therefore need to rest.

I think the novelty of vomiting and the associated chaos will soon wear off.

[littlemissmuffet]

I send home after two espisodes. However, I would be letting the parents know TODAY that if this keeps ups (i.e. happens again tomorow) the child WILL be sent home after doing it once. This is a disgusting behvaiour and I wouldn't have anything to do with it. Mac Mike being the instigator would be put on a 2 week probationary period - if the behvaiour doesn't cease, termination would result.

[MamaBearCanada]

The two that aren't aware might be doing it because their gag reflex is triggered by the sound/smell of the others doing it. I know if I hear/smell vomit I start too so they may not be at fault... Just something to consider when you address it with parents. It's not fair to be upset with them if it's out of their control. Could you get the ringleader picked up before lunch & see if you can regroup the others then just deal with Mike later? I would get kids picked up for even 1 episode.

[littlemissmuffet]

Calling their parents to pick up may make it worse, as most kids would love going home early with Mom and Dad.

I would get the parents on board with this plan.......call the parents to let them know it happened again, but don't have them pick up. That way you cover yourself if the child says they threw up and the parent is upset you didn't let them know.

Every time they do it, they get to lie down for the rest of the day because they're "sick". No crafts, no music time....just lay still and do nothing.

As they protest and say they're not sick, remind them that they vomited, so they must be ill and therefore need to rest.

I think the novelty of vomiting and the associated chaos will soon wear off.

I like this plan. Alot.

But I do disagree with the sending home w/ mom and dad will make the problem worse. Most parents would be livid having to continually leave work to pick up and tend to a child that is not even sick... and the kids are going to pick up on this and realize that they're not spedning quality time w/ mom or dad so it was better being at daycare!

[daycare]

Calling their parents to pick up may make it worse, as most kids would love going home early with Mom and Dad.

I would get the parents on board with this plan.......call the parents to let them know it happened again, but don't have them pick up. That way you cover yourself if the child says they threw up and the parent is upset you didn't let them know.

Every time they do it, they get to lie down for the rest of the day because they're "sick". No crafts, no music time....just lay still and do nothing.

As they protest and say they're not sick, remind them that they vomited, so they must be ill and therefore need to rest.

I think the novelty of vomiting and the associated chaos will soon wear off.

this is a very good point, and one that I did not think about... You are right in saying that sending them home would be a reward.

I do like your plan of action, the only thing that I may have to think through, is that if I tell them they are ill and other children hear this, then they will go home and say mom macdonald mike was at daycare sick today..

I think that the parents would be either calling me to ask why I had an ill child here or would think that they can send their ill child here.

I have all preschoolers, so they talk non-stop. no such thing as confidently here at all when it comes to the kids doing things.

[Blackcat31]

I like this plan. Alot.

But I do disagree with the sending home w/ mom and dad will make the problem worse. Most parents would be livid having to continually leave work to pick up and tend to a child that is not even sick... and the kids are going to pick up on this and realize that they're not spedning quality time w/ mom or dad so it was better being at daycare!

I like Meekos plan too but I would still be tempted to send home. It isn't MY problem that the child has such poor eating habits that I should have to deal with it. I honestly don't care if the child starts relating throwing up to being able to go home because eventually the parent will have to correct or address the issue and the issue is more than likely caused by them in the first place by not setting up healthy eating habits at home.

If it starts because of behavior at home, then the behavior can be dealt with at home.

Ask me this same questions 10 years ago and I would probably have had a different answer but I am so beyond fixing issues parents create.

[daycare]

The two that aren't aware might be doing it because their gag reflex is triggered by the sound/smell of the others doing it. I know if I hear/smell vomit I start too so they may not be at fault... Just something to consider when you address it with parents. It's not fair to be upset with them if it's out of their control. Could you get the ringleader picked up before lunch & see if you can regroup the others then just deal with Mike later? I would get kids picked up for even 1 episode.

the thing is, even though mac donald mike is the instigator of starting it, he's more like the teacher of it.. sometimes the other kids will be the first ones to do it on a particular day. So while it could be the case when several do it at one meal, but it is different kids doing it at different meals.

Its like they all take turns..sooo frustrating...

[Zoe]

the thing is, even though mac donald mike is the instigator of starting it, he's more like the teacher of it.. sometimes the other kids will be the first ones to do it on a particular day. So while it could be the case when several do it at one meal, but it is different kids doing it at different meals.

Its like they all take turns..sooo frustrating...

I think no matter what you do you write a letter or verbally tell all of the parents of your new plan so that there's no confusion if jr. comes home and tells their parents of what you did. They will understand that you are trying to solve the problem and not allowing "sick" kids at your daycare.

[countrymom]

Yep. I don't do ANY kind of vomit.

I just can't.

The other end, I can deal with. Hate but can deal with. Vomit, I can NOT.

Once = bye bye.

me either, I even bought a rug shampooer but it doesn't help.

[countrymom]

their actions need consequences.
you can get the kids to assist you in cleaning it up, there is nothing wrong when puking is done on purpose.

you can send them to the naughty corner, because thats bad manners and you don't need to put up with it.

don't send them to play, its a reward, calling home is a reward. You need to do something that is a hard consequence.

and micki d's mike, gets to sit at the table wether he eats or not.

[rhymia1]

Ugh. I had to let kids go because they would sit and gag at the table rather than eat. I remember thinking "God, please throw up!" so I could send them home. They never did

I also agree about sending them home every single time. My own child was a frequent flier at the school nurse until I nipped it in the bud. But you would need the parents on board.