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[momofboys]

i guess i'm too sympthetic, but if a parent brought their child and came to pick them up after a couple of hours - i would think that they DO care about their child not feeling well, and must have been in a really desperate spot.

if it meant mom or dad losing their job or me keeping a sedated suzy for a couple of hours until they can work out leaving with the boss - i'd rather keep her. i'm sure if they could've just stayed at home they would've rather done that instead of getting dck ready, dropping her off, going to work, getting out of work, and picking her back up.

that was one of the benefits of not being licensed. i told parents if their child had a fever (assuming they weren't puking and in need of medical attention) that i could keep them. i told them if i was keeping a child who wasn't feeling well and their own child wasn't ill - i would keep the ill child separated, but i would do the same thing FOR them when the time came. they loved it.

i know it's different if you're licensed and you can't keep children with a fever, but in this case, the child didn't have a fever during the time they were in care, and the parents picked up after a couple of hours.

I'm sympathetic also but not when it means their child could possibly make my own or others in my care ill. What's the point of an illness policy if the parent won't follow it? Having a 103 degree temp is a sign of some sort of serious situation. I definitely wouldn't want to expose myself or my kids to that. To me that is what being a parent is about, taking responsibility, not bringing your doped up kid to daycare where the provider is unaware of your child's situation. And this is a perfect example as to why it is important for families to have back-up care available. What I am curious about is sure your parents loved the fact that you could watch an ill child but how did the other families in your care feel about it? I know I would not have been pleased if it was my child.

[momofboys]

When they pick them up early it isn't because they are doing right by the kid. It's to protect the next day of day care. If they leave the child there long enough the medicine will wear off. If the kid gets a fever in your care they can't come the next day.

They are better off to dope the kid in the morning and do the early pick up and then dope them again the next day in the morning.

No matter what it buys them half days of day care instead of no days.

Very very common.

When parents come early on kids who are acting sick but don't have exclusionary symptoms there is a VERY high liklihood that they have masked the illness and are making sure they get the kid picked up before the fever comes back so they can still bring the kid the next day.

Another trick is to come get the kid for "lunch" or an "appointment" before nap and then want to bring them back. When you have this with a kid that doesn't look right to you there is a REALLY good chance they are going to dose them up and bring them back.

Another trick is when they are bringing premade bottles and they tell you the SPECIFIC bottle they want at the nap time. Buyer beware it's not spiked with fever reducing meds.

When parents are masking fevers with meds they pretty much all do the same thing and have the same non verbal behavior. They believe they are the first ones to ever think of it. They don't think it's ever been done to you before... specially not hundreds of times before. What they don't realize is that any seasoned provider has seen that behavior before SO many times and that they are doing the same exact things the parents that came before them did.

Sounds perfectly logical to me. Amazing what some parents will do.

[QualiTcare]

i guess i'm too sympthetic, but if a parent brought their child and came to pick them up after a couple of hours - i would think that they DO care about their child not feeling well, and must have been in a really desperate spot.

if it meant mom or dad losing their job or me keeping a sedated suzy for a couple of hours until they can work out leaving with the boss - i'd rather keep her. i'm sure if they could've just stayed at home they would've rather done that instead of getting dck ready, dropping her off, going to work, getting out of work, and picking her back up.

that was one of the benefits of not being licensed. i told parents if their child had a fever (assuming they weren't puking and in need of medical attention) that i could keep them. i told them if i was keeping a child who wasn't feeling well and their own child wasn't ill - i would keep the ill child separated, but i would do the same thing FOR them when the time came. they loved it.

i know it's different if you're licensed and you can't keep children with a fever, but in this case, the child didn't have a fever during the time they were in care, and the parents picked up after a couple of hours.

jana - that's what i did as much as possible of course. i don't think any parent would expect to be the exception. when my daughter is sick, my son still has to be around her. it happens and sometimes he ends up sick, sometimes he doesn't. the peace of mind of knowing you don't have to call in or you can have a couple of hours to set up an appointment is worth it to some people.

[Crystal]

QualiTCare, I TOTALLY agree about helping out the parents. I HAVE kept sick kids. BUT, Mom and Dad were honest with me about it and I was then able to keep the child isolated from the other children and prevent it from spreading.

Medicating and not divulging that information puts other children at risk, and then what about the OTHER parents who might lose ther job if they miss work again - what if then THEY hide it and it becomes a vicious cycle of ALL of the children getting sick?

NOT COOL. Be straight with me and I'll help you if I am able. Lie to me and you can leave.

[missnikki]

QualiTCare, I TOTALLY agree about helping out the parents. I HAVE kept sick kids. BUT, Mom and Dad were honest with me about it and I was then able to keep the child isolated from the other children and prevent it from spreading.

Medicating and not divulging that information puts other children at risk, and then what about the OTHER parents who might lose ther job if they miss work again - what if then THEY hide it and it becomes a vicious cycle of ALL of the children getting sick?

NOT COOL. Be straight with me and I'll help you if I am able. Lie to me and you can leave.

Exactly my thoughts. This isn't so much about sick kids in your program, it's about dishonesty and devisiveness, and selfish risk- taking.

[Blackcat31]

NOT COOL. Be straight with me and I'll help you if I am able. Lie to me and you can leave.

Not too much to ask. I 100% agree.

[nannyde]

Be straight with me and I'll help you if I am able. Lie to me and you can leave.

The only reason parents would lie is so that you would keep the kid sick. If you keep the kid sick then it's in their best interest to tell you the truth. The only time it wouldn't be would be if once you know the truth they are your version of "too sick". If the parent thinks that you may say no because you think their are too sick they are either not going to be honest or they are going to minimize it when they describe it. Minimize it so that you KNOW the kid is sick so the kid will get the special special they need but NOT sick enough for Mom and Dad to miss work.

It all comes down to one thing. You are going to keep the kid sick. You can keep the kid sick knowing it or not knowing it but either way you are going to keep the kid sick.

[Crystal]

Well, Nan, I can say I am fairly certain my families do not dope and run. I cannot remember the last time a child sprouted a fever mid-morning or mid-day, and the number of times parents have kept their kids due to illness ( many times only a cold or a slight fever and they STILL took off work and kept them) over the years indicates to me that they don't dope and run, or else their kids were sick an awful lot!

I can also say they RARELY ask me to keep their ill children. Probably happened 10 times at the most in almost 14 years. They stay home with their kids, unless they absolutley cannot. They save the "favor" for when they absolutely cannot miss work. They don't take advantage of it. They do know I will keep their child if there is fever with cough or other symptoms, as long as there is no vomiting or diarrhea. Pretty sure no one has tried to hide that from me either, because the last time a child vomited or had diarrhea here has been ages! I have been lucky....it seems to always start at home and the parents know to not even try

What it comes down to is mutual respect. You respect my policies and the other children and families in care, and I will respect you and assist you as I am able. Me and my families work that way....we scratch each other's backs, so to speak

[Unregistered]

Illness policy

I just terminated a family because the mom lied to me about her daughter's illnesses one too many times. I'm a pretty understanding person and I'm not unreasonable, but when a parent is purposely deceptive, then I'm not inclined to keep them as clients. I gave her the notice and she's finished now and I wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

A cold is one thing, but what this girl had went way beyond that and the mom knew it! She was a school age kid and she was here 3rd shift so that added the element of not knowing what she was exposed to during the day and I couldn't justify keeping her in my care when the mom was lying about her health all the time.

My illness policies are very rigid but as a result, I have a very healthy group of kids.