Closing When Sick

[Unregistered]

All the kids have had a little sickness. A couple with a fever, everyone miserable with runny nose, etc. Pretty sure it isn’t COVID because it’s been so drawn out and no one has been that sick. A couple were tested as well.

My question, I have slept almost all day Saturday and all day Sunday. I feel awful with chills and headache. I have a temp just over 99. My normal policy is 100 for exclusion and also a whatever the Heath department says to do with COVID. It’s 3pm and I’d like to give enough notice if I need to close.

Would you go ahead and close to be safe or wait a bit longer? 99 isn’t a fever but it is unusual for me.

[flying_babyb]

Id close. you spent two days feeling like poop, your gonna need 1 to recover. I would tell parents that you want to be proactive and give them lots of notice.

[Jo123ABC]

Give yourself a day off to get better.

[sahm1225]

I would close and get tested for Covid. We had a little cold going around (very slight runny nose) and excluded anyone with symptoms. I tested negative for covid with no symptoms. Fast forward a week later, I feel a tickle in my throat and get tested again and it’s Covid. No fever, but feel absolutely horrible and I’m on day 6 or 7 or 8 (days are blending in together). I ended up getting it even after excluding anyone with symptoms

[Unregistered]

I ended up closing, hanging onto the fever for a third day. Getting the test to be safe!

How do you handle closing days? I give myself a few weeks of paid vacation days to use together or separate. I always have parents asking if they have to pay whenever I am closed. My contract states you pay for the spot and not the time used.
I do like to discount for sudden closure because I feel bad but then they think holidays and their snow days can be discounted too. I do not discount those days so after almost 2 years I wish they would get it.

[Sunshine69]

I set forth my holidays and certain number of sick and personal days and vacation in my contract and state that regular payment is due for all those closures, including snow days. The weather is not in my control and costs me more time and money to clear snow too. Having a daycare in your home makes snow removal a bigger chore. I’ve only taken a total of three days off, that weren’t snow days, in the past five years and never a vacation. Can’t wait to see the jaws drop when I do. LOL. As long as you’re not taking more time off than is stated in your contract, no one should be giving you a hard time.

Although I get that they will. I’m far past the point the clients get to make me feel guilty for taking time off. It’s like they read the contract to the point of understanding what days and hours you are open, and after that, they stop reading. I’ve begun to believe the confusion about payment is a game to make me feel guilty into giving them a break. They don’t pay me more than my contract states, so why should they get more? Sick and personal time is included in the contract for a reason. It’s hilarious the parents that balk at paying for a sick day are the ones who dope and drop and send their kids in with “allergies” that everyone else in daycare gets.

Take the time you need and charge them. Maybe they’ll think twice before sending their contagious kids in.

[kendallina]

I ended up closing, hanging onto the fever for a third day. Getting the test to be safe!

How do you handle closing days? I give myself a few weeks of paid vacation days to use together or separate. I always have parents asking if they have to pay whenever I am closed. My contract states you pay for the spot and not the time used.
I do like to discount for sudden closure because I feel bad but then they think holidays and their snow days can be discounted too. I do not discount those days so after almost 2 years I wish they would get it.

One thing I do is at the end of any email or text announcing a closure, I remind them of the payment policy.

i.e. Preschool will be closed on Friday. I am taking my 2nd of 3 paid personal days.

OR

Preschool is closed today due to inclement weather. As a reminder, tuition is not adjusted for snow closure days. See you tomorrow!

I find it cuts down on questions and it clarifies it immediately. BUT, all of my families get paid personal time off, so they see it as a given that I should get it too. I think it is more difficult when you have families that don't get very much paid time off, ykwim?