Furious - Dose and Drop. Help!

[midaycare]

Yesterday I had a post about dcg throwing up and dcm blaming constipation. Today dcm dropped off and dcg was listless, didn't eat breakfast, has been crying ...

On a hunch I texted dcm and asked if she had any medication this morning because of the above. Dcm said yes she did, and she will pick dcg up when she is done with essential work duties.

This is grounds for automatic termination in my contract. I'm trying to think reasonably. I know dcm has a new promotion with new responsibility, but you can't dose and drop. Dcm has been so good to me, but seriously!!!!

Anybody have any advice on what to say in a calm manner?

[nannyde]

Just for future... ask at the door not after she leaves.

Tell her to come right now and pick her up.

[permanentvacation]

You could simply hand her a termination letter when she arrives and remind her that your contract states that dosing and dropping receives an immediate termination.

You could not terminate immediately, but firmly remind her about your dose and drop policy and tell her that as a daycare provider, you are quite able to tell when a parent has given the child medicine before daycare and if this happens again, you will terminate the next time.

You could remind her of the policy and tell her that when they dose and drop, the child is not able to participate in normal activities because of not feeling well and being medicated. If your supervisor/specialist pops in and he's not participating in the activities and just laying around, you will get in trouble for allowing him to lay around.

You could try to get her to care about her child'd feelings more by telling her he was crying/fussing and wanted to be held and just wanted Mommy. And when children feel that bad, they really need their parents to comfort them, not be dropped of to daycare where the daycare provider has to try to make them participate in activities when they just want to be held and comforted by Mommy.

[TheGoodLife]

I am always wary of dose-and-drops; you rely on a parent being honest. She was honest this time, but you can bet that she won't ever admit again after she got caught and "gets in trouble." I would be furious that she left a child with a potentially serious medical problem in care under undisclosed medication! Did you have the discussion about what throwing up and constipation could mean? Previous "good parent" or not, that would be immediate termination- she put her essential work duties ahead of her responsibilities as a parent and left you in a potentially serious situation. What if something happened and you didn't know to tell a doctor or paramedic that she had medicine in her system? Not OK with me!

[craftymissbeth]

If it's your policy to immediately term, then I'd tem. She was honest this time, but if you give her the talk about drug and dropping then she could just be sneakier next time, imo.

[Play Care]

Wow. She went against a policy and is telling YOU when she will get there?!
I can't even say the words going through my head right now.

[hope]

At the very least she needs to pick up right away. As pps stated yesterday, this can be serious and you do not need that at your home with other children to care for. Call her, do not text, and demand that she picks up immediately or you will call emergency contacts. At oick up let her know you need yo think and will talk later.

[therov]

In addition to agreeing with others' suggestions for immediate action, I'd also call and let your local licensing office know about her actions. With a contentious relationship that could end angrily, she may call them up trying to accuse you of something. Report the interaction and termination to your licensing office so that they have your story on file, in the event she calls with a different version of events.

Good luck.

[midaycare]

Ugh. I ended up terming. Next call is to licensing. Dcm begged me to reconsider. Right now, no way.

[craftymissbeth]

Ugh. I ended up terming. Next call is to licensing. Dcm begged me to reconsider. Right now, no way.

That stinks you had to term, but it was a good decision. :hug:

[Leigh]

Ugh. I ended up terming. Next call is to licensing. Dcm begged me to reconsider. Right now, no way.

It ****s to term. You lose money and a relationship. The thing is, once they realize that you don't enforce your policies for them, they think they're special and don't have to abide by any of your policies. It takes a lot of guts to term, but sometimes it needs to be done. Good luck to you-hope you fill that spot today!

[hope]

This dcm found work more essential than her listless crying child. Terming was needed. Hopefully she will take the dcg to the doctor now.

[midaycare]

Thank you everyone! I think I would have been a total wuss if I hadn't read your feedback this morning. :hug:lovethis

[Play Care]

Ugh. I ended up terming. Next call is to licensing. Dcm begged me to reconsider. Right now, no way.

Don't reconsider! As you know the mom is only asking this to buy more time. If you accept her back into care, know that she is looking to be able to be the one who "fires" you

[craftymissbeth]

Don't reconsider! As you know the mom is only asking this to buy more time. If you accept her back into care, know that she is looking to be able to be the one who "fires" you

Yep. At this point she will just want to stay in your care until she can find someone new.