Serious Reservations With My Provider's Contract

[countrymom]

I think it all sounds normal too. I never, ever, ever close for illness. I can be too sick to make lunch for the kids, but I don't close. There is no way we can close for every illness we or our kids have. It wouldn't be fair to the parents. Most of the time, I don't even call the parents to tell them. If I know i'm contagious, and I know I didn't catch it from the kids, I MIGHT close. But, I doubt it.

Yet, I don't want someone else's child in my home when that child is sick. (I take them with normal illnesses, but miserable, vomiting, or diarrhea, nope)

We love these daycare kids...really we do. But we aren't going to spend a full day rocking a sick miserable child. It's not even really possible to rock our own sick child during daycare...so, if your child is sick, you are expected to keep them home and do all those mommy/daddy things for them. We honestly just can't do it.

Yet, we are willing to work when we are sick so you don't have to take time off. So, I think having "a problem" with it is at the very least overreacting. It's not like we are out to make your life harder...we make our own lives harder to make yours easier.

Do you know when we go to the doctor for ourselves? Almost never. We can't take an hour off work, or go on a long lunch hour to go to the doctor. Our kids miss well checks, our kids miss routine dental appointments...but, the daycare parents don't notice that. Not that mine don't appreciate everything. (I have awesome parents) But, they don't notice, because it's not their problem.

The next time you take some extra time to get your teeth cleaned, imagine how hard it is to find a dentist that works after hours so your provider can always be working for her clients.

The next time you set up a well child visit for your kids, imagine when we find time to do that for our own kids.

I want to add that "do you really think your sick kid is going to want me all day" NO, they want to be home with you in their own home. ALSO YOU ARE MISSING THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, IF YOUR CHILD IS SICK AND INFECTS ALL THE OTHER KIDS THEN "I" WILL LOSE INCOME, so I can lose several hundreds of dollars for the week because you were to ignorant to take care of your child at home. Really, its called respect.

[crazydaycarelady]

I agree that her contract is pretty standard, she just doesn't have it worded well or explain it very well.

[tenderhearts]

I also think it's pretty standard, but in MY contract, I have to give someone a 2 week notice just like they do me, but there are a few things I can do immediate termination for such as behind in payments .
I also will give my daycare parents the option to bring their child or not if one of my kids is sick, unless of course it was chicken pox but my kids were secluded from the others if someone decided to bring their child. IF they chose not to bring their child they were NOT charged, if I did close they were NOT charged as I do not get paid any days I am sick.
Back when my son was 3, he got strep throat about every 4 - 6 weeks through kindergarten, my parents had the choice to bring their child or not and all did ( I had about 6 families) knowing they were taking a risk, I know this is not always the case but NO ONE ever got it in all those years, not even any of us his family memebers. But my parents knew the risk but all had jobs so that was their choice.

[JenNJ]

I can see how it is off putting, but if I am sick, I can cover my coughs/sneezes and use a tissue. I don't put toys in my mouth and hand them to the person next to me. I don't slobber on my friends and I don't use the carpet to wipe snot off my face. I wash my hand and clean surfaces that may be infected. A sick child cannot do this. So that is why I am open when I am sick. Unless I cannot physically get out of bed, I stay open for my clients.

When my kids are sick, my husband or a family member can help out. But my kids are at the age where a day in bed is reasonable while I check in once and a while. I give parents the same option -- come or don't, but I am open. They ALWAYS come.

When a daycare child is ill, I cannot separate them (against the law) so the spread of germs is inevitable. I must exclude from care in order to do what is best for the group.

But I do agree with you on the termination policy. I think if a provider terminates immediately, all excess/prepaid funds should be refunded unless there was damages.

[renodeb]

To be honest I dont like the way she worded the part about the parent taking a chance on still bringing there child if the provider is sick. If she is contagious then she should close, I have remained open plenty of times while my own kids were sick but they are old enough to handle it and stay away from the dc kids. Other than that it sounds pretty normal. Did you sign it yet?
Debbie