What If...

[My Lil' Monkeys]

What if you had to close for the day because your own child was sick and you ran out of meds. and needed to run to Target/Rite Aid..etc. Your only choice was to take your child with you. Then you run into a daycare parent.. would you feel bad?

My son is sick today with high fever last night so I called and notified parents last night that I was closed. I need to run to the store and get medicine, juice, and popsicles. I've already called his doc and they said there is a nasty cold going around and they don't want to see him as it's was a fever last night and now just a sore throat (no white spots or fever). I have a more expensive med store in town and I prefer to go to somewhere else cheaper if I can.

But I'm afraid that I might run into a daycare parent -- as I did 2 weeks ago when my son had croupe and Target is located right behind his doc's office (we had just left docs and stopped for supplies)...but I was open that day and my husband watched the dcg that was in care. The dcp I ran into at Target wasn't her week to have her child and dcd decided to take the child somewhere else for care.

I know many of you have back - up subs or family. I'm not located near any family nor do I have a sub to help out. My husband can only take so many days off to help. Trust me I would LOVE to have someone close to help out!!

Would you just go and what do you do if you run into a dcp?

[blueclouds29]

i am in the same situation as you as far as help. I just moved to MO 3 years ago and my family is all in NJ. My husbands family all works, so i have no subs except for my husband which can't take off of work much. I would have to close too just like you and if i ran into a parent i'm sure they would understand if not tuff toddles!! LOL
I'm worried about when i have a second what to about maternity leave or such cause i don't have family/subs to help out! What to do, what to do!!
I think you made the right choice!

[daycare]

I honestly dont think that it is any of their business, but I would just be honest.
Tell them just got out of doc appt and stocking up on cleaning supplies to sanatize and meds for my kids.... We are only human as are our children. We get sick and if parents dont like it then let them go some where else.

I am just like you I have no famiy or helpers. My husband does have week days off so it is nice that he can help once in awhile. I wrote in my PHB who my subs are and what their qualification are. It is also stated that full pay is expected when a sub is used in my place.

I had a family that did not want my husband to watch their kids while I went to a doc appt. I told them that I didnt have a choice, but they did. If they don't want my husband to be my back up find another provider or keep your kids home on the days that I need to take of personal matters, but since the daycare was not closed, full pay was expected.

[lil angels]

I would just go just make sure that you are not walking around the sporting goods or something like that if you need meds you need meds their isn't anything you can do about it. I have ran to the store before my DH is at work so if one of the kids is sick it is me taking care of them and you can't not go get meds if you need them just because you are worried you may run into a parent.

[Cat Herder]

My DH works out of State occasionally so I have been there...

But, instead of closing I just "drafted" one of my more responsible DCM's and offered a discount if she would run by the store on her way in and pick up necessary supplies. She seem excited that for once I needed her and she was not always the one needing help...YKWIM? She even paid in full that week saying a discount was unnecessary.

I have had another DCM to keep the daycare for me for a an hour so I could run my DS to the peds office for a quick throat culture (I gave her a $20 discount and had snack ready)... I came home to a DCM with a new found respect for me that looked to have aged 10 years...::::::

[laundrymom]

I would go, if you ran into someone I'd say hello, thank them for understanding your need to close and say,. Ok TTY tomorrow, I need to get finished picking up meds and lunch so I can get home to finish washing everything up so I can be open tomorrow. Then smile and leave.

[Unregistered]

I would hope they would understand. All my parents thank me when I close for an illness. They dont want their kids exposed unnecessarily.

If you have the meds and the popsicles and whatever necessities in the cart and they see you they will know what you are there for. They have kids, they will understand.

[My Lil' Monkeys]

I took all of your awesome much needed advice and went to Target.. we ran in quick and got supplies (not even in the store for 15 mins). I didn't run into any parents but I would have been honest.

Do any of you use Anywhere Spray on toys? How do you clean EVERY block, food piece...etc. ?

Plastic items I put in bleach water and let soak. But I'm talking about Hot Wheels, Cardboard box blocks, wooden blocks, wooden trains... that kind of stuff. I've been using bleach water to spray them with.. but is that enough?

[heyhun77]

I've done what a pp suggested and having dcp who can stop by on the way to pick up their child or on their way to drop off for the day. I also have NO family locally but I do have several neighbors who we interact a lot with both personally and with the daycare activities and that relationship has worked well for cases like needing to run to the store. My one neighbor has all her paperwork done so she can be here with the kids so I am able to run to the store if needed, run across the street to the school if my kids need something or even just take a walk around the block if the day is getting long. The kids LOVE her and it's like having an extra grandparent around. Purhaps you could seek out something like that as a backup.

In your current situation, I would just not worry about what the parents say if they see you out at the store. You're doing exactly what you said you were doing... taking care of your sick child. If it was them they'd have to do the same thing if more meds/comfort items were necessary. Just don't be touring the whole store and look like you're on a shopping spree and you'll be fine.

[Pammie]

I would go, if you ran into someone I'd say hello, thank them for understanding your need to close and say,. Ok TTY tomorrow, I need to get finished picking up meds and lunch so I can get home to finish washing everything up so I can be open tomorrow. Then smile and leave.

What she said

[My Lil' Monkeys]

I've done what a pp suggested and having dcp who can stop by on the way to pick up their child or on their way to drop off for the day. I also have NO family locally but I do have several neighbors who we interact a lot with both personally and with the daycare activities and that relationship has worked well for cases like needing to run to the store. My one neighbor has all her paperwork done so she can be here with the kids so I am able to run to the store if needed, run across the street to the school if my kids need something or even just take a walk around the block if the day is getting long. The kids LOVE her and it's like having an extra grandparent around. Purhaps you could seek out something like that as a backup.

In your current situation, I would just not worry about what the parents say if they see you out at the store. You're doing exactly what you said you were doing... taking care of your sick child. If it was them they'd have to do the same thing if more meds/comfort items were necessary. Just don't be touring the whole store and look like you're on a shopping spree and you'll be fine.

I would love to have a neighbor like that... everyone on my block is at work (it's not a very big block) and my neighbor behind me is home but she's a licensed daycare provider, too. She can't really run out for me, but we have watched each others kids when needed. Plus, she's a back-up provider for one of my dcgs. It's nice to have someone to talk to about with daycare stuff.... just like this forum

[Kaddidle Care]

She might not be able to run out for you but she might have a dose of motrin or tylenol you can have until hubby gets home.

I have a neighbor that home schools and is home a lot and we always borrow from each other when we run out of things. Egg here, couple of slices of bread there, Tylenol, Dimetapp, etc. A good neighbor is priceless!

But.. if you have no choice but to run out with your little sickie, don't you dare feel guilty about it. It's not like you're out getting your hair and nails done.

[heyhun77]

I would love to have a neighbor like that... everyone on my block is at work (it's not a very big block) and my neighbor behind me is home but she's a licensed daycare provider, too. She can't really run out for me, but we have watched each others kids when needed. Plus, she's a back-up provider for one of my dcgs. It's nice to have someone to talk to about with daycare stuff.... just like this forum

I'd love a neighbor that also has daycare so we could have the kids get together to expand our playtimes and friendships. There are a few daycares within walking distance but our philosophy's of care don't mesh well.

I agree, she may not be able to go out for you or watch the kids but borrowing items would be the next best thing. I get terrified of running out of things we may need during the day because I don't have a ton of flexibility to run out for it.

[Cat Herder]

Do any of you use Anywhere Spray on toys? How do you clean EVERY block, food piece...etc. ?

Plastic items I put in bleach water and let soak. But I'm talking about Hot Wheels, Cardboard box blocks, wooden blocks, wooden trains... that kind of stuff. I've been using bleach water to spray them with.. but is that enough?

I have 3 methods...all involve using Q-128 disinfectant that I order online. One gallon of concentrate lasts me over a year and it has a deodorant in it, too. (I first learned about it while working in the ICU)

Submersibles get thrown into a mesh laundry bag and tossed in the bathtub to soak/swirl around in the disinfectant solution. It is then hung off the back deck to dry...

Large toys/battery toys (yes, I know but when parents buy me stuff I do not decline) get sprayed with the disinfectant and wiped down with home-made cleaning cloths (cheap diaper wipes or "disposable shop towels" soaked in the disinfectant).

Anything that cannot be soaked or sprayed gets wiped down as above or mopped with the same disinfectant. It can also be added to the laundry for really gross messes and stubborn viruses.

Easy, peasy....

[Unregistered]

I have 3 methods...all involve using Q-128 disinfectant that I order online. One gallon of concentrate lasts me over a year and it has a deodorant in it, too. (I first learned about it while working in the ICU)

Submersibles get thrown into a mesh laundry bag and tossed in the bathtub to soak/swirl around in the disinfectant solution. It is then hung off the back deck to dry...

Large toys/battery toys (yes, I know but when parents buy me stuff I do not decline) get sprayed with the disinfectant and wiped down with home-made cleaning cloths (cheap diaper wipes or "disposable shop towels" soaked in the disinfectant).

Anything that cannot be soaked or sprayed gets wiped down as above or mopped with the same disinfectant. It can also be added to the laundry for really gross messes and stubborn viruses.

Easy, peasy....

You do this everyday? Where do you buy it from? I see I can get it for $45 online.