I Know There Is Nothing You Can Do, But...

[blandino]

DCB came in Monday morning, and DCM said "his older sister had a stomach bug this weekend, so please call me of he seems sick at all today". Which obviously put me off, but I know she wouldn't keep a non sick child home. Fast forward to today, and right as I am putting lunch out - DCB vomits on the indoor slide. I send all the kids to the table to eat, and clean him and the slide up (oh and some of the vomit got on another DCB's pant leg). Cleaned him up, sprayed Clorox anywhere all over the playroom (good timing, since it could dry while the kids were eating). And put him in a chair to wait for mom. Right as I hear mom pull in the driveway, round two of vomit starts. So I wipe his face off, and strt to clean the vomit off the floor - and let mom clean him up. I'm sure I looked cold, but my first priority was to clean the vomit and get rid of the germs for the other kids.

I know I can't expect her to keep him home when he isn't sick, but we all knew it was coming... Just frustrating because all my kids were exposed yesterday and if it has a two day incubation then they will be getting sick this Wednesday & Thursday and be sick right up until Christmas. Plus, I am traveling this Friday and really hope I am not sick for vacation.

[Mom&Provider]

GREAT! Totally nothing you can/could do, if the child was showing no symptoms you can't not include him or not allow him into care. I totally dred this kind of stuff and whenever something happens I simply remind myself that my own son could get something from someone at school or at the grocery store for that matter. It helps to tell myself that sometimes this crap happens and there is nothing I can do and you can't do much else now.

I wouldn't feel badly for how you reacted when Mom came, I would have done the same thing. By the time Mom walked in I would have literally handed off the child and went about cleaning what was then my priority now that DCB was looked after...the daycare and my home!!

[nanglgrl]

I'm in a similar boat. I have a school-ager with 2 siblings out with what is probably the flu. She came yesterday before school and told me not to get her breakfast because her neck hurt. I took her temp and called mom because she had a low grade fever and there was no way I was sending her off to school. The child is at home with the grandparents today so mom can work. At least I hope mom didn't stay home from work and bring the others here since it's state pay, I don't think she would but I've had parents do it in the past. Both of the siblings still put toys in their mouths and they are probably just asymptomatic and will be sick in the next few days since they are around their sick sister all night. My children were sick last Christmas Eve and Christmas with vomiting and fevers that a daycare child had suffered from the week before. We had already went to Christmas Eve celebrations and later my son started vomiting. My whole family became sick..in fact a lot of my extended family (that were at Christmas Eve) became sick within 24 hours. I was so mad. There was no excitement for presents or Santa because everyone was sick. If that happens again this year I'm going to have to make some changes.

[SunshineMama]

Whenever I get news like that, I immediately go into hand wash overdrive, and we make it an easy, laid back day. AKA, a day where I can keep the kids away from each other without too much exclusion. Maybe a movie/coloring type of day. Then, I give the sick child a bowl, incase they feel like they are going to vomit. Fortunately, I have only had to do that with my own kids- I have not had a non-baby daycare kid vomit at my house (knock on wood).

[cheerfuldom]

I know that is frustrating but you did not seem cold at all. One time a kid puked all over my porch as mom tried to drop off. I let her come in long enough to clean him up but I did not help as I had the others to care for. Then I got her out the door as quickly as possible! What would a mom expect to happen if others in the family are sick?

[Sunshine74]

I feel your pain. We had a couple cases of the stomach bug (diarrhea mostly) last week, and then a couple children were vomiting over the weekend. My coworker and I were talking yesterday about how this week is not going to end well. And then I ended up with the bug. I am just glad I don't have it for Christmas.

[Scout]

Aw. I really hope the kids that do catch it are feeling better by Christmas! I would hate to think of them sick for that!