Good Way to Re-Enforce/Remind Sick Policy? Somewhat Rant. LOL!

[KristinsHomeCC]

PTer came in yesterday at 2pm with "runny nose that DCP have been keeping an eye on". Not sure when it started but by 2:30 she had green goop in both eyes. I find it a littttttle hard to believe it just started when she got to my house. I wiped it and it came back within 20 mins, so I'm thinking DCD wiped before drop off. Maybe they thought she was getting a cold and it was part of it. My policy strictly states eye discharge = immediate pick up.

I called both parents and it took 45 mins for a response. I was 15 mins away from calling emergency contact. Keep in mind, this is a great DC family who always pays on time and I absolutely love DCG (18 months).

I kept her isolated in her pack N play/high chair for the 2 hours that she was here. She didn't play with any toys except for play dough to keep her occupied.

DCD texts me today saying she has pink eye and strep throat

How do I re-enforce my sick policy? Big notice on the door to remind parents? Slip to go home? What should it say?

Never have been so frustrated at the lack of common sense that people have at times. I get sick = DAYCARE CLOSED! By that time, your kids going to feel better and you'll have no where to take them -- leaving me to be the bad guy. When you could have just. kept. them. HOME!

[Controlled Chaos]

I send home a sick policy reminder every fall. I print out the part from the handbook about the illness policy and maybe a few extra sentences if I think they need more info. I attach it to a baggie filled with a tiny hand sanitizer, tissues, EmergenC packet and whatever cold related thing in the dollar bin at the grocery store. I have the kids decorate the bag we put it in and send it home. I do the little bit of extra since its a tradition, you could easily just send home a note as a "Flue season reminder!" Hope no one else gets sick. Make sure you throw out that playdoh!

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I just issued a policy reminder. It's a half sheet of paper stating that they need to monitor their child, refer back to the page on illness, etc.

When I send home a child with illness I always staple a copy of the illness policy page to the illness sheet. I also exclude for 48 hours if I send home so that stops MOST families from bringing them in ill or "possibly" ill.

[KristinsHomeCC]

I send home a sick policy reminder every fall. I print out the part from the handbook about the illness policy and maybe a few extra sentences if I think they need more info. I attach it to a baggie filled with a tiny hand sanitizer, tissues, EmergenC packet and whatever cold related thing in the dollar bin at the grocery store. I have the kids decorate the bag we put it in and send it home. I do the little bit of extra since its a tradition, you could easily just send home a note as a "Flue season reminder!" Hope no one else gets sick. Make sure you throw out that playdoh!

I *LOVE* this idea and I'm so stealing it and doing this tonight, sending home tomorrow. I think adding the extras will make the issue resonate in their minds a little better than just a notice. Thank you, thank you! Genius!

[MarinaVanessa]

My policy is like yours except that ...
If they keep them home they can return 24 hours when symptom free
If I send them home it's 48 hours

[Controlled Chaos]

I *LOVE* this idea and I'm so stealing it and doing this tonight, sending home tomorrow. I think adding the extras will make the issue resonate in their minds a little better than just a notice. Thank you, thank you! Genius!

I feel like I stole that idea from someone else on here several years ago So shout out to whoever I stole it from

My DCFs all get self conscious when I send out reminders in the newsletter "Is it me?" "I'm sorry!" They are funny, so since they are such a good group I don't mind doing something a little special to take the embarrassment out of it.

[Ariana]

I am not as fancy as ECS But I also send home an illness policy reminder in an email and then confirm that parents read it face to face.

In this case I would add a little blurb to the illness policy reminding parents that dropping kids off who are sick is grounds for immediate termination so it is not worth it.

[Heart12]

CC that idea IS GENIUS!!!

What do you write in your friendly reminders? Just something saying, "With cold & flu weather approaching..."

[TBird]

I print my sick policy out & have my parents sign it at the beginning of every cold & flu season as well. This year I added a two page Q&A sheet. For example...

Question: "My child has a contagious illness. Did she get it from Becky in your daycare?"

Answer: "With hundreds of other possibilities (older siblings, play dates, shopping carts, birthday parties, the air....) we have no interest in wrongfully assuming where your child acquired an illness. What we are most concerned about is keeping this a well-child facility & keeping us all well & working this cold & flu season.

In other words, please don't accuse us or ask us any silly questions. We don't want sick kids here coughing in our faces any more than you do. Keep your kids home when they are sick & all will stay right with the world.

[Blackcat31]

I print my sick policy out & have my parents sign it at the beginning of every cold & flu season as well. This year I added a two page Q&A sheet. For example...

Question: "My child has a contagious illness. Did she get it from Becky in your daycare?"

Answer: "With hundreds of other possibilities (older siblings, play dates, shopping carts, birthday parties, the air....) we have no interest in wrongfully assuming where your child acquired an illness. What we are most concerned about is keeping this a well-child facility & keeping us all well & working this cold & flu season.

In other words, please don't accuse us or ask us any silly questions. We don't want sick kids here coughing in our faces any more than you do. Keep your kids home when they are sick & all will stay right with the world.

I send home a reminder letter with a copy of my illness policy and I have a statement in the reminder about not playing the "blame game" as far as pointing fingers at who gave who what. I hate when parents try to do that... I fail to see the point. :confused:

I also explain to parents that what they view as "a little under the weather" or "not feeling 100%" is a much bigger deal at daycare than it is at home.

[thrivingchildcarecom]

I wish I could tell you this is rare. It's not! I think parents try to live in denial whenever it's convenient for them to. Anyway, check out this post I wrote about parents not following your policies.

http://thrivingchildcare.com/2016/10/05/parents-arent-your-following-policies/

(Admin: no link farming allowed on this forum. I want searchable content here. I'll let this link stay.)

[AmyKidsCo]

I send home a sick policy reminder every fall. I print out the part from the handbook about the illness policy and maybe a few extra sentences if I think they need more info. I attach it to a baggie filled with a tiny hand sanitizer, tissues, EmergenC packet and whatever cold related thing in the dollar bin at the grocery store. I have the kids decorate the bag we put it in and send it home. I do the little bit of extra since its a tradition, you could easily just send home a note as a "Flue season reminder!" Hope no one else gets sick. Make sure you throw out that playdoh!

I do something like this too. I call it a Sickness Survival Kit and along with the goodies I include a copy of my illness policy. Last fall was fairly healthy so I didn't send it out until February when there were tons of things going around.

[Controlled Chaos]

My goodie bag was Game of Thrones themed this year

I had a meme of "Brace Yourself...Cold and Flu Season is coming" and then the following text -

As the cold and flu season descends down
upon us like a swarm of nightwalkers –

I will be sanitizing and disinfecting
everything possible as much as humanly
possible. We are drinking extra water and
washing hands like crazy.

For when that isn’t enough – a friendly
reminder of when a child is too ill attend
daycare:
-Fever (100 or higher)
-Vomiting
- Diarrhea that cannot be contained in
diapers or potty trained child is having accidents
-Unexplained rash
- Child is lethargic or not able to participate
in activities
- Any of these in the last 24 hours

Thanks for always being so proactive in
keeping your children home when they aren’t
well.

[Controlled Chaos]

I do something like this too. I call it a Sickness Survival Kit and along with the goodies I include a copy of my illness policy. Last fall was fairly healthy so I didn't send it out until February when there were tons of things going around.

I like the name!
If you posted about this 2 years ago then it was YOU I stole it from! Thanks!