Snow Day !

[blandino]

We have a pretty yucky winter storm coming through currently. Lots of snow, but more importantly super cold temperatures that will turn all of the snow/slush to ice. The schools closed, as well as most commercial daycares. So tonight I sent out a text, asking if any parents were still planning on coming tomorrow, so we could get an idea and plan times. Out of 12 kids, 11 said they were staying home, 1 parent said both she and her husband had to work. Neither are essential personnel at critical jobs, but she said they had no choice.

In complete honesty, I didn't want to be open tomorrow, especially with just one child. But my desire for a snow day is not important, it was the condition of the roads and our liability, as well as not having any means of "emergency transportation" for this child in case something happened (our driveway is iced over). So we agonized about how to articulate it to the mom, who "had no choice". Finally told her that we weren't comfortable having DCG here, if we couldn't transport her in case of emergency. DCM replied with "No problem, I will bring her to work with me".

It was a prime example of someone who really does have other options, but won't use them until they have to because they might be slightly inconvenient to them. I thought it was just a lesson in something that I think happens to providers in many situations. We were agonizing over the decision, and the DCP was just fine with it, and really was capable of working something else out.

[Josiegirl]

Happy long weekend to you! Now be careful walking on that ice and enjoy a little extra snooze time!
Right now, it's raining here. We've lost what little snow we had and my backyard is a skating rink. Unless the sun magically appears and makes it all go away, looks like an inside day with 6 little girls today!

[Shell]

I can totally relate to this post. Where I live, we get lots of snowstorms, and I am always shocked at some parents that are willing to bring their kids out in terrible and dangerous road conditions just to go to work (non-essential workers). Often times, their work winds up shutting down entirely, or early, but it drives me insane debating whether to stay open, or shut down. I think about all the liability, how much I am going to have to shovel tons and tons of snow multiple times a day (I happened to be pregnant last winter), just to stay open for one person, that I know really doesn't NEED to go to work. I do like your answer about how you couldn't get the child out in an emergency- I might use that one going forward- it's a really good point. Anyway, you know the parent can explore other options, but chooses to put you in the awkward position of having to tell them no- drives me crazy!

[Naptime yet?]

I stupidly put in my handbook that I would remain open during inclement weather unless a state of emergency was declared, but that parents' needed to " use their best judgement". Ha! But if the power goes out, that's another story. I never thought about the transportation part if there was an emergency...have a great weekend!

[Patches]

Glad you have the day off. I still don't know. I just doesn't an hour shoveling and de- icing my steps and driveway. I have gotten an email from one parent dating they are staying home. That makes 2 that I know aren't coming. 6 more to go. Enjoy your 3 day weekend

[MotherNature]

Enjoy the day off with some cocoa! I still haven't heard back from one of my families after texting them last night that my son was vomiting..and we just got a wintry mix-filled storm last night plus 4 inches of snow.

[Unregistered]

Do you wake up before parents get here to shovel and put ice melt down? I have never done that. If it is ice then I will put ice melt down just not shovel.

[Blackcat31]

I can totally relate to this post. Where I live, we get lots of snowstorms, and I am always shocked at some parents that are willing to bring their kids out in terrible and dangerous road conditions just to go to work (non-essential workers). Often times, their work winds up shutting down entirely, or early, but it drives me insane debating whether to stay open, or shut down. I think about all the liability, how much I am going to have to shovel tons and tons of snow multiple times a day (I happened to be pregnant last winter), just to stay open for one person, that I know really doesn't NEED to go to work. I do like your answer about how you couldn't get the child out in an emergency- I might use that one going forward- it's a really good point. Anyway, you know the parent can explore other options, but
chooses to put you in the awkward position of having to tell them no- drives me crazy!

Ain't that the truth sometimes. Usually during our worst weather, I will have parents all dropping off earlier than normal and picking up later than normal. Seems no one is concerned about traveling safely.

I stupidly put in my handbook that I would remain open during inclement weather unless a state of emergency was declared, but that parents' needed to "use their best judgement". Ha! But if the power goes out, that's another story. I never thought about the transportation part if there was an emergency...have a great weekend!

:: :: ::

Yeah, you might want to re-word that.

[Blackcat31]

Do you wake up before parents get here to shovel and put ice melt down? I have never done that. If it is ice then I will put ice melt down just not shovel.

I come into work sometimes up to an hour before my first scheduled child just to shovel, clear the driveway and put down ice melt.

[Cradle2crayons]

It rarely snows here but we do get ice. I had a parent last year, even though she had other options, decide to bring her child... Even after I warned her the more than 45 degree grade at the end of the driveway was iced.... Yep... She never made it up the hill... She skidded back down the hill and texted to stay she'd keep the child home for the day.... YA THINK?

[Sunchimes]

I got an unexpected paid snow day today. Schools were suppose to open at 10. It was raining and 32º right before drop off time. Then, temps dropped below freezing, the rain turned to sleet, and it is suppose to get worse for a couple of hours before the sleet stops, but temps aren't going back up. So, school closed and 1 dcm's work closed. Other was suppose to go in but her office lost power. Yea for free days!

[butterfly]

I've got one parent right now that still brings their child when their work has closed due to weather. She'll leave him open to close and isn't even working!! Why wouldn't you just stay home with him? They live in the country about 20 minutes away. You think it would be easier to save the drive and have a pj day at home. But I suppose they figure they are paying me anyways.

[BabyLuver2]

We get snow/ice and - temperatures so often, that if we closed each time, no one would be able to go to work in winter. Schools here stay open too. Yesterday it was -8 in the morning, and so there was a delay but then it was -2 then finally got up to 6 degrees and today it's back to 4 degrees. They would have still had school today (except it's Saturday!). I guess I don't really see a big deal since we're used to it. I had a customer in Alaska tell me their weather gets below zero by 20+ degrees and they still all have to work and drive in those conditions. It's a matter of being safe. I hear East Coast closes for EVERY snow storm or weather under 20 degrees. I always feel like these friends would never survive in the Rockies!

I would take the DCK's and we'd do fun stuff outside in 20+ degrees. If 20-10 degrees we'd go out for 10 minutes and if lower than 10 we'd stay inside. Everyone just dresses for the weather and we even double socks and gloves. It must be that we're just used to how things are done. I only once ever closed for a snow day and that was when the STATE called a state of emergency due to an unexpected storm that rammed through and the roads were pure ice. All predicted storms, we have trucks ready to go with sand and so it's generally not an issue.

[kelsey's kids]

I also don't close unless we are required to my the state police. This has only happened twice in 4 years. There were both blizzard conditions with lots of ice.

[blandino]

We get snow/ice and - temperatures so often, that if we closed each time, no one would be able to go to work in winter. Schools here stay open too. Yesterday it was -8 in the morning, and so there was a delay but then it was -2 then finally got up to 6 degrees and today it's back to 4 degrees. They would have still had school today (except it's Saturday!). I guess I don't really see a big deal since we're used to it. I had a customer in Alaska tell me their weather gets below zero by 20+ degrees and they still all have to work and drive in those conditions. It's a matter of being safe. I hear East Coast closes for EVERY snow storm or weather under 20 degrees. I always feel like these friends would never survive in the Rockies!

I would take the DCK's and we'd do fun stuff outside in 20+ degrees. If 20-10 degrees we'd go out for 10 minutes and if lower than 10 we'd stay inside. Everyone just dresses for the weather and we even double socks and gloves. It must be that we're just used to how things are done. I only once ever closed for a snow day and that was when the STATE called a state of emergency due to an unexpected storm that rammed through and the roads were pure ice. All predicted storms, we have trucks ready to go with sand and so it's generally not an issue.

See the problem here, is that we aren't used to it at all. We get snow maybe 1-2 times a winter. So we aren't prepared with how to remove it. It doesn't happen often enough for the city to have an army of snow plows to remove it. So basically everything just shuts down 1-2x a winter.