Closures Due to Cold

[Kabob]

So dcm picked up today and paid me in full for next week and then added that her kids wouldn't be here Monday due to the fact that the governor closed all schools and such due to the extreme cold (-30 to -60 below around here is expected with wind chill). Apparently her workplace was part of the closures. It was nice though that she wasn't going to try to venture out with her little ones (3 month old and 2 yr old) even though she was still paying for the day and she only is about 5 minutes away and works 15 minutes away.

However, this got me thinking...would you close daycare for extreme cold, especially since all schools in the state apparently are closed due to the cold?

I just would feel silly telling the only other family attending on Monday not to come since they live 3 minutes away, however they work 20 to 40 minutes away so if they have car trouble...it would be a long day.

I know if I don't close, these parents will bring their kids (illness, surgery, and other issues have never stopped them).

Do you think I would be compromising the safety of their children by staying open Monday? It's such a weird thought. I didn't consider closing until the other dcm expressed surprise that I was still going to be open Monday...

It's just weird because...I never thought about this scenario...never thought I'd see local businesses and school closing from cold...they rarely even close for snow! Snow just makes more sense since I can see the physical danger of it for traveling...cold...not so much...

[e.j.]

Unless the weather threatens my ability to care for the kids safely, I stay open for business. To me, it's up to the parents to decide if it's worth the potential risk to them and their kids to drive here. I remind them that my closing time remains the same and that they need to have a back-up plan in case they can't get here in time. I've never experienced wind chill temperatures as low as -30 to -60 though! Holy cow! Why would anyone want to go out in that?!!!

[Unregistered]

So dcm picked up today and paid me in full for next week and then added that her kids wouldn't be here Monday due to the fact that the governor closed all schools and such due to the extreme cold (-30 to -60 below around here is expected with wind chill). Apparently her workplace was part of the closures. It was nice though that she wasn't going to try to venture out with her little ones (3 month old and 2 yr old) even though she was still paying for the day and she only is about 5 minutes away and works 15 minutes away.

However, this got me thinking...would you close daycare for extreme cold, especially since all schools in the state apparently are closed due to the cold?

I just would feel silly telling the only other family attending on Monday not to come since they live 3 minutes away, however they work 20 to 40 minutes away so if they have car trouble...it would be a long day.

I know if I don't close, these parents will bring their kids (illness, surgery, and other issues have never stopped them).

Do you think I would be compromising the safety of their children by staying open Monday? It's such a weird thought. I didn't consider closing until the other dcm expressed surprise that I was still going to be open Monday...

It's just weird because...I never thought about this scenario...never thought I'd see local businesses and school closing from cold...they rarely even close for snow! Snow just makes more sense since I can see the physical danger of it for traveling...cold...not so much...

IDK because I'm in a state where we have had days on end with temps in the negatives where schools do not close. Usually, it's just an "indoor" day. We've only closed in very extreme circumstances and most of us here KNOW how to layer up and dress for the weather, so it's a non-issue. Now, that said, just because WE have figured out how to stay warm does not mean my little old van likes to start up nicely in negative temps!

[GKJNIGMN]

I'm originally from the area where they have the school closures going on (North Dakota on the Minnesota border) so I understand the cold you are talking about to some degree.

With that being said, I don't think you are personally risking the child's safety because when I was working up there, my job closed for nothing which meant that if my daycare provider were to close I would have just ended up taking my kids to a family member somewhere. Either way they would have to be outside at some point. For me it would have potentially meant driving my kids half an hour to my mother's house in another city which would have been more dangerous.

[Kabob]

Yeah I never even considered closing until dcm brought it up. I just figured we would be inside.

However I just felt bad because the only reason those kids will be going outside in the cold is because I'm open. Their mom or babysitter will be home with their school aged siblings because the schools will be closed. These parents have sent their kids here even when their school aged kids were home puking with mom and the younger kids (unbeknownst to me until everyone got sick) were just getting over the same illness from the weekend. Fun.

But anyway I thought it was a weird scenario worth discussing. I mean...you hear of snow closures all the time but this is ridiculous! I will never again complain about the cold if it is above zero. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to follow suit since generally the daycares in this area close if the schools are closed (except me apparently...).

[GKJNIGMN]

I didn't realize someone would be at home to watch the child anyway. In that case, I would see nothing wrong with closing if that's what you would like to do. It wouldn't be unreasonable at all.

Schools where I am at closed yesterday because it was only 13 degrees out All my parents except one thought it was dangerous to take their kids out and kept them home. Inside I was laughing because I remember real cold and my own kids were out playing in the snow.

Be safe and stay warm next week.

[melilley]

Unless the weather threatens my ability to care for the kids safely, I stay open for business. To me, it's up to the parents to decide if it's worth the potential risk to them and their kids to drive here. I remind them that my closing time remains the same and that they need to have a back-up plan in case they can't get here in time. I've never experienced wind chill temperatures as low as -30 to -60 though! Holy cow! Why would anyone want to go out in that?!!!

Same here.

[Naptime yet?]

I think that would be a personal decision on your part, also. I received a wind chill advisory from my licensing person reminding everyone that kids need to be really bundled up because of the extreme cold, but this was more for the kids waiting for the school bus. I wouldn't close due to cold, unless my power was out.

But as Blackcat had reminded me in another post, sometimes you have to make the decision for the parents because they don't always use their best judgement when it comes to weather.

[Blackcat31]

So dcm picked up today and paid me in full for next week and then added that her kids wouldn't be here Monday due to the fact that the governor closed all schools and such due to the extreme cold (-30 to -60 below around here is expected with wind chill). Apparently her workplace was part of the closures. It was nice though that she wasn't going to try to venture out with her little ones (3 month old and 2 yr old) even though she was still paying for the day and she only is about 5 minutes away and works 15 minutes away.

However, this got me thinking...would you close daycare for extreme cold, especially since all schools in the state apparently are closed due to the cold?

I just would feel silly telling the only other family attending on Monday not to come since they live 3 minutes away, however they work 20 to 40 minutes away so if they have car trouble...it would be a long day.

I know if I don't close, these parents will bring their kids (illness, surgery, and other issues have never stopped them).

Do you think I would be compromising the safety of their children by staying open Monday? It's such a weird thought. I didn't consider closing until the other dcm expressed surprise that I was still going to be open Monday...

It's just weird because...I never thought about this scenario...never thought I'd see local businesses and school closing from cold...they rarely even close for snow! Snow just makes more sense since I can see the physical danger of it for traveling...cold...not so much...

I am in the waaaay northern part of the same state you are in and since the Governor closed ALL public schools in the state, I closed too.

NOT because I am personally worried about the cold because living here, we all know it is simply part of life, HOWEVER, since experience tells me that a majority of parents these days do NOT put the safety of their child ahead of their need to travel, work etc.... I KNOW that many would still risk traveling and bring their child so I decided to make that call for them and simply closed.

My licensor "strongly" suggested we be the educated decision maker and close so that no parent unnecessarily brings their little ones out in such extreme cold.

Since the cold has been going on for days now, it is even more dangerous than just being cold for a day...kwim?

I serve children under age 5 only and no one that little needs to be put at risk.

[Blackcat31]

But as Blackcat had reminded me in another post, sometimes you have to make the decision for the parents because they don't always use their best judgement when it comes to weather.

LOL! I was typing this same thought as you posted.

Most my parents are pretty good about it but how many times have you shaken your head at the way a kid is dressed (improperly) for the weather, forgotten their hats or gloves etc?

I have so many parents that just think :the car is warm, so it's all good" ...kwim?

So, I just made the executive decision and closed. I want NO part of a parent's choice to expose their child to such extreme temps.

[Kabob]

LOL! I was typing this same thought as you posted.

Most my parents are pretty good about it but how many times have you shaken your head at the way a kid is dressed (improperly) for the weather, forgotten their hats or gloves etc?

I have so many parents that just think :the car is warm, so it's all good" ...kwim?

So, I just made the executive decision and closed. I want NO part of a parent's choice to expose their child to such extreme temps.

Makes good sense. I just felt bad since this family lives so close to me...so I know they will be angry even though they will be home anyway. But on the other hand, they have never made good decisions for their children...this is the family that I posted about sending their son here the day after he had surgery and didn't tell me he had surgery. I sent him home.

This family also had a bad habit of allowing their 2 (now 3) yr old son bolt out the front door without any supervision, boots, jacket, etc. They only stopped him after I stopped him and then told them absolutely never to let that happen again. They also only started making him wear a jacket because I said he needed it even though he had a short walk to the car...they didn't "forget" his winter gear...they just chose not to fight with him and carried him inside every morning even though he never put up a fight with me when we gear up for outside. So he comes in the morning in tears because he also has to go across his apartment complex parking lot with no winter gear so by the time he gets here his hands and body are freezing. I mean...it has been below zero for a while...no reason why I should have to tell them to bring a jacket for him let alone tell them to make him wear it...their car is a pile of junk (no offense) that has caused them to be late before. Soooo...I thought I was just being selfish in not wanting to deal with that mess.

Anyway. I digress.

I definitely got some good insight into this. Seriously, thanks you guys!

[Crazy8]

Unless the weather threatens my ability to care for the kids safely, I stay open for business. To me, it's up to the parents to decide if it's worth the potential risk to them and their kids to drive here. I remind them that my closing time remains the same and that they need to have a back-up plan in case they can't get here in time. I've never experienced wind chill temperatures as low as -30 to -60 though! Holy cow! Why would anyone want to go out in that?!!!

same here. Just went over this with parents with our snow storm this week - my commute is not an issue, I live here but they are the ones who have to decide if they want to risk it.

[Maria2013]

I have it in my contract that I follow the school closing, however I will take the kids if parents assume All responsibility in getting the kids to and from my home, and are ok with driveway and steps not being shoveled

[Heidi]

I will let my dcp's use their judgment as well. One of my kiddos lives in an older trailer. The water was already frozen once this week. I think he's safer and more comfortable here than at home, quite frankly. If I closed, mom would still have to work, but find someone to come to the house and watch him.

I am a little concerned about her driving around at all in her old klunker, though. My other dcp's all have new vehicles, so I would be less worried about them.

[mema]

I'll still be open. I know one of my parents can work from home (and probably will), but has also been with them for the last 2 weeks so I am sure they will be here . The other family I have now will be a toss up. Dcm is very protective, but has also missed a lot of work in the last month or so. I will be telling them tomorrow when they let me know if they will be here or not, that if they are coming, to just keep them in some nice warm jammies! It's going to be a movie (super rare!), book, and cuddling day. Stay warm-next weekend we'll all be wearing shorts when it's 25*::!