What To Do When My Own Kid Is Sick?

[hsdcmama]

My son developed a fever of about 100.4 this afternoon; I put him to bed & texted my dc parents to let them know. Now at 8:30pm he is complaining of a headache and his fever is up to 102. My husband thinks I should still open tomorrow, but I think I should close. My thinking is, if one of my dc kids showed up like this, I would send them home; so why would I stay open when one of my own kids is sick? Obviosly I would much rather stay open & get paid, but I don't want to risk getting the other kids sick. What would you do?

[sahm1225]

How old is your ds? If you are able to close, I would. I have assistants so I usually take the day off or my dh stays with our sick child.

[hsdcmama]

My son is 4. I don't have an assistant, it's just me (small in-home daycare).

[Cradle2crayons]

My son is 4. I don't have an assistant, it's just me (small in-home daycare).

At that age, I wouldn't close unless it was an illness where I couldn't leave their side like breathing issues etc.

I always inform parents when my own are sick.

Then I isolate them in their bed, allowing them to potty only. I serve their meals in there and they get to watch tv etc for entertainment and to keep them calm in bed.

Of course, this depends on the illness itself, the severity, the age of the child, the ability to isolate them etc.

I always let parents know my kid is sick and what symptoms they are displaying and give them the option depending on the above factors.

If my kid were a year old and was vomiting or something that requires my constant attention, I would close.

[Play Care]

When my kids were that age and ill, I closed. They were too little to be confined upstairs by themselves all day, and it enabled me to truly devote time to their care (it was also nice if their symptoms changed and we needed to get to the doc ASAP - no scrambling!). With my new regs, I wouldn't be able to keep them upstairs anyway at that age...
As they've gotten older I'm open more when they are mildly sick - and honestly both have expressed annoyance with the fact they are sick and trying to rest and the house is filled with noisey kids...

[DaveA]

If it's mildly sick I just have them stay in there rooms & let parents know one of my kids is home sick. If it's something I could see having to take them to doctors for, I close.

[hsdcmama]

Thanks guys! I did end up closing.

[kendallina]

I would have closed too, especially since your DS is 4 years old. Now that my daughter is 5 and we're in a house where she can be isolated but on the same level as us (her in livingroom watching tv and me with kids in the playroom), I stay open unless she's vomiting or something.