DCM Not Being Honest About Kids' Illnesses

[Mom2Two]

Sorry for the run of posts here...I'm thinking as I post stuff. The thing is that for a parent to treat me this way: there aren't enough fees in the world to cover it. It's like the relationship has really been violated and I just need to talk to mom. Or maybe i'll email and express my feelings about the importance of respect and trust in daycare. If I don't respect a family, I have a hard time wanting them here at all.

[childcaremom]

I know, right? We're going camping in two weeks. We have saved up to rent a house boat for one day and rent jet ski another day--non refundable when it gets close. This is a big deal to us! I really dont' want to do a six hour drive with my daughter sick, and she catches stuff easily (former preemie).

This is my daughter as well. I have a very strict illness policy and (now) have developed a pretty great backbone at enforcing it. I do not care for ill children. Period.

I exclude for symptoms. Not diagnosis. Allergies as an excuse would be just that. An excuse. What are the symptoms? Continuous runny nose? Home. Hacking cough? Home.

I have a 24/48 rule. If a parent keeps the child home when ill, the child can return 24 hours after symptoms subside. If I send a child home from care ill, the child can return 48 hours after symptoms subside. Puts the responsibility back on the parents for determining if the child is well enough for care. All of my parents are required to have a back up plan. They all have local family or flexible work places. I do not take clients who don't.

I have a set criteria before sending home but tell parents that I am very aware of how children act when they are well vs feeling under the weather. So that even if they don't meet x,y,z that I will send home if I suspect that they are ill. Or if an older child complains of being unwell.

When they call off, I remind them of the 24 hour period before return. When I send home, I remind them of the 48 hour period before return. I also tell them when the earliest would be that I would expect them back.

This was one part of the job I hated. But since changing to the 24/48 rule, it has been a lot better. 99% of my parents have been great. The other 1% don't last here.

[Blackcat31]

Can you post your 24/48 hour rule for me? I dont' hang out here often enough to remember it.

https://www.daycare.com/forum/tags.php?tag=24%2F48

[Mom2Two]

I exclude for symptoms. Not diagnosis. Allergies as an excuse would be just that. An excuse. What are the symptoms? Continuous runny nose? Home. Hacking cough? Home.

I have a 24/48 rule. If a parent keeps the child home when ill, the child can return 24 hours after symptoms subside. If I send a child home from care ill, the child can return 48 hours after symptoms subside. Puts the responsibility back on the parents for determining if the child is well enough for care. All of my parents are required to have a back up plan. They all have local family or flexible work places. I do not take clients who don't.

I have a set criteria before sending home but tell parents that I am very aware of how children act when they are well vs feeling under the weather. So that even if they don't meet x,y,z that I will send home if I suspect that they are ill. Or if an older child complains of being unwell.

When they call off, I remind them of the 24 hour period before return. When I send home, I remind them of the 48 hour period before return. I also tell them when the earliest would be that I would expect them back.

This was one part of the job I hated. But since changing to the 24/48 rule, it has been a lot better. 99% of my parents have been great. The other 1% don't last here.

Love. it.

[HHdaycare12]

Some parents will dope and drop as we call it here on the forum! It seems odd to me though that they seem to be sick so often. Did I read it correctly? Do you have a policy in your handbook about the "dope and drop"? I put one in mine after reading about it so much here.

This made me LOL. I have one DCM who has repeatedly given her daughter Zofran and sent her to me, meds wear off and she vomits.. Grandma comes a picks up child and tells me the real deal.....nothing surprises me anymore

[LysesKids]

This made me LOL. I have one DCM who has repeatedly given her daughter Zofran and sent her to me, meds wear off and she vomits.. Grandma comes a picks up child and tells me the real deal.....nothing surprises me anymore

or the parent that blames the GI problems of older child... due to Gluten issues but then my whole childcare gets a Stomach virus; yes the DR told her , the baby has stomach virus, but because she thought older issues were due to allergies we are now all down with illnesses because she decided not to disinfect until the younger child got ill... btw, I am closed on Tuesday due to my own stomach issues. Not happy that I have to credit $$ because a parent had no clue a virus was rampant
(the school was sending kids home)