Do You All Close?

[Luke25]

Do you all close when your own children are sick?
I feel like that's my biggest challenge with this business is feeling guilty for closing last minute for personal reasons.
But, I just want to be able to and give my kids the TLC they need and not have to separate them and only just check in on them occasionally.
It's just hard because I know what a bind it puts parents in if I close last minute.

[Cat Herder]

Can your spouse/other parent alternate sick days as they would if you worked out of the home? :confused:

[Snowmom]

Do you all close when your own children are sick?
I feel like that's my biggest challenge with this business is feeling guilty for closing last minute for personal reasons.
But, I just want to be able to and give my kids the TLC they need and not have to separate them and only just check in on them occasionally.
It's just hard because I know what a bind it puts parents in if I close last minute.

I did when my children were really small and needed one on one attention. When they got to be around 5, they were able to stay upstairs, away from daycare, so I didn't close.
Sometimes I just gave people a heads up and let them decide if they wanted to come.

[Luke25]

Can your spouse/other parent alternate sick days as they would if you worked out of the home? :confused:

Well that would be fine but my 2 year old who is really the one I'm referring to (my 6 year old would be ok) would scream for me all day if I was here and dad was trying to take care of him. He loves his dad but if he doesn't feel well and he knows I'm here He won't hardly let let him touch him. Which stinks because I know it hurts his feelings.

[finsup]

I follow my own sick policy with my kids. If they meet exclusion requirments, I need to take the time off just as they would. I used to do "come at your own risk" but the their child would get sick, and they'd try and argue that since they got it here, and my kids already had it, they should be able to come Yeah, no sick care, for ANY reason. It didn't stop the arguments youth. Plus the times they were really sick and I had to divide my attention between them and the daycare kids, i felt too guilty. It wasn't fair to them. So now, simple, follow my own rules

[Sumshine]

Make a standard plan and let all parents know

Do you all close when your own children are sick?
I feel like that's my biggest challenge with this business is feeling guilty for closing last minute for personal reasons.
But, I just want to be able to and give my kids the TLC they need and not have to separate them and only just check in on them occasionally.
It's just hard because I know what a bind it puts parents in if I close last minute.

I told all parents worst case scenario if either I or my son get really sick we shut down for the day and you don't have to pay me for that day. I said unless if it's something severe for me I will let you know my symptoms and how I am feeling and allow kids to come under the parents discretion. I also tell them we will be mainly free playing and watching TV (in exception to the trouble makers or babies no thanks when I'm sick!) If my son is super sick I told them as well it is going to vary on the symptoms if he is so sick that he needs my one-on-one attention because he is only 3 then I will close but if he is able to just relax in the general daycare area away from the other kids I again will allow kids to come under parents discretion of the symptoms. I told them I would try my best to see if Grandma would ever take him on sick days but she is a nurse and her schedule varies some weeks she has 3-4 days off and other weeks she doesn't. I make it very clear that I am an in-home daycare which means there is only one of me I am not an entire center with a staff and they have to understand that and that there are benefits to both sides of a center and an in home. I tell them that I take pride in my business and I try to be accommodating but my ultimate goal here is to do what's best for all children and sometimes that will mean me closing due to illness for my son or myself and I also make it clear that they must have somebody in mind for backup care on days like these or if I'm off/closed for personal days/vacation. If they do not have anybody that can help unortunately they will just have to take the day off hence why I don't charge them for these days due to the inconvenience

[Luke25]

I did when my children were really small and needed one on one attention. When they got to be around 5, they were able to stay upstairs, away from daycare, so I didn't close.
Sometimes I just gave people a heads up and let them decide if they wanted to come.

Yeah that's what I was thinking. Just wanted to see what everyone else did and maybe just vent .

[Luke25]

Thanks for the advice everyone!! I appreciate it! I love being able to come here to see how other people handle different situations.

[Jupadia]

I have my husband stay at home with the kids ory MIL. If they can't and kids realy sick then I'll close. Baby had a fever for a couple days though this year and I did not do any of the above but since he was like 8 months I was able to keep him seperated. When the kids are 5+ (depending on maturity) I'll just have them stay upstairs in their rooms or the living room or our family room next to the daycare room. I don't have any regulations that say I have to be in sa me room or floor so I'll just keep the monitors on and bring down the recivers. But if I do close I credit the parents for the day. So far I've been open 3 years and had one sick closure when I was hospitalallied overnight for a scare while I was pregnant with my youngest. So I've been lucky and so have the parents. But the kids I have stay preaty healthy and mostly just get a few colds. Also my boys tend to fall sick on the weekend a lot when they do get sick.

[childcaremom]

When my own children were 'in' daycare, I followed my sickness policy with them.

Once they were school aged, they were able to stay in their rooms, segregated from the dcks, and I would stay open.

I still close if one of mine has the stomach flue, influenza, or anything else that may require me to be available for my own on an as need basis.

[CityGarden]

I did when my children were really small and needed one on one attention. When they got to be around 5, they were able to stay upstairs, away from daycare, so I didn't close.
Sometimes I just gave people a heads up and let them decide if they wanted to come.

This is what I was thinking as well.... not even sure if I would inform parent though. My dd is 10 years old so she would not be calling me all day pulling me away from the children in my care.... also our home set up my dd's room in an upstairs loft so other than food (which I would bring up to her) she would be fine up stairs.

Having an assistant would help and being open shorter days would also help (both things I am hoping my program will allow as it grows)

[Ariana]

I close if it is something serious like really high fever or barfing a lot. Everything else I remain open but call and give a heads up in case they decide not to expose their kids. 99.9% of the time they still bring their kids so I HAVE to close if the illness is bad.

Most of the time my husband can come home to help but even just lying a cot or a few blankets and pillows in the play room would be enough.