Thinking Of Giving Notice Today....

[SuperNinjaMommy]

Yesterday one dcg developed pink eye. Now this family is pretty famous for dropping them off sick and then have "no idea" that they weren't feeling well when they dropped off. When dcm picked up she asked "so if it is pink eye can i still bring her tomorrow" I replied no she needs to be on prescriptions for a t least 24 hours and it is extremely contagious. Well last night I receive a text asking if we could call today a "wash" since his pink eye was out of everyones control and use the fee for today as a credit next week. I said no that I have the 2 week policy and since I have already waved a two week notice for their oldest son (who has a different dad) that I'm not able to this. They replied that they understand but they have to pay another sitter since neither of them can take off work and they can't bring her here. So I simply restated no that if I got pink eye then I wouldn't be able to watch any kids and then all the parents would be out plus my income.

At this point I'm realizing that the fact that she had pink was a non-issue and it was all about getting out free. This family at one point dropped poor dkg off a th and f with a 103 temperature (being sent home both days) then said she had no fever over the weeked and tried bringing him m-th being sent home every day for a fever over 101. Thursday he went to the doctor and had an ear infection. The older child is part time and only comes a few days a week and they say the dad is bad about giving them a schedule so they only know day to day. They pay me for 3 days and then tell me possibly 4 but if so they will pay me on friday. Also, at least 4 times since the spring has started they have dropped off all three kids while they "played hookie" so the fact that they can not take off work is because they are constantly doing this... ummm use your time appropriately.

So even though I said no should I just throw them $20 (which is the total amount they decided they would completely offend me over) and say this is your two weeks or just act like normal day and truck on until the next serious offense? Please help I am not a confrontational person!

[dEHmom]

wow, sorry to hear all this.

I think you handled it appropriately on the phone call. Stick to your guns, do not give in. Pink eye is awful to get rid of, and will keep popping back up again and again if it's not eliminated immediately. Just a heads up, pink eye will live on the surface of stainless steel ALOT LONGER, so if you have anything stainless steel she may have touches, make sure you are wiping it. When we had pink eye I disinfected every surface of my house I could possibly think of, including my couch!

I don't think that his particular instance is term worthy, but I understand your frustrations.

You can just restate your policy regarding illness/pink eye, this is what I have that I had some help with from members online here, and it's posted on my website.... And advise that failure to follow this policy that they (hopefully) did sign off on, then termination may be the next step.


Sick Policy Reminder

For the protection of all of the children in my care as well as the health of your own child and my family, this is a reminder of my sick policy. In order to protect the group as a whole, I ask that parents assist me by keeping sick children at home. If your child cannot participate in any/all activities, they are not well enough to attend.
In the event that a child becomes sick while in my care, you will be notified immediately, and arrangements for pickup within 1 HOUR will be made. If a child is unable to play outdoors, and/or unable to participate in regular daily activities, alternate arrangements for care must be made.

WHEN A CHILD MAY NOT ATTEND CHILDCARE-
Conjunctivitis(red eyes with yellow discharge)/Pink Eye

Ear Infection

Fever - 99.9 degrees and higher, this includes the night before/morning of daycare ~ A child must be symptom free for 24 hours, without the use of a fever reducer, before they may return to care

Flu/Bronchitis/Pneumonia- This usually takes about 2-3 days before they can return. Must be on antibiotics and no fever for at least 24 hours without taking fever reducing medication. (No note required as long as they have been taking antibiotics as prescribed)

Head Lice

Chicken Pox/Measles/Rash

Strep Throat/Whooping Cough/Pertussis- No note required but child must be on antibiotics for 24 hours and free of fever for 24 hours without the use of fever reducer.

Vomiting or/and Diarrhea- No note required. All symptoms must be gone and no Vomiting or Diarrhea for 24 hours

ANY OTHER INFECTIOUS/CONTAGIOUS DISEASE NOT MENTIONED ABOVE.
Contagious diseases are often caused by the spread of bacteria or viruses (like chicken pox, measles, hand-foot-and-mouth diseases, etc) in droplets of saliva and mucus and can easily be transferred through an uncovered cough or sneeze, or by sharing toys. Often these diseases are most contagious during the incubation period prior to symptoms showing, but fever often is a good indication that there is something wrong, thus the need to keep your child home for a minimum of 24 hours without fever reducers.

Common Cold Policy
Children suffering from a common cold will be assessed on an individual basis. Factors of consideration include the developmental level of your child in congruence with my ability to limit the spread of germs. The younger the child, the more difficult it is to keep the spread of germs down eg hand to face contact, mouthing of toys, uncontrolled nasal discharge, uncovered sneezing and coughing. Please remember that I, as the child care provider, reserve the right to refuse care, if I feel it is necessary to protect all who attend/live-in my home. If you are unsure if your child will be able attend, please contact me PRIOR to bringing your child.

...................................................................................................................................................

While it is not possible to prevent all illnesses from entering my home, with your help, we can minimize and help to avoid the spread and circular cycle most colds/flu's often cause.

PLEASE BE COURTEOUS OF ALL CHILDREN IN MY PROGRAM, AND REFRAIN FROM BRINGING AN ILL CHILD UNTIL 24 HOURS HAVE PASSED SINCE ANY FEVER, VOMITING, DIARRHEA, OR ANY OTHER COMMUNICABLE SYMPTOMS HAVE OCCURRED.

Note: Please remember, that if someone else in the household is ill, your child may still be contagious. By bringing a child to childcare, if someone else in the house is ill, even if they are not, other children in my care, and myself, will be put at risk. Should I become ill, I would have to close for a day or more, leaving you to find alternative care, or having to stay home.

[Kaddidle Care]

"PLEASE BE COURTEOUS OF ALL CHILDREN IN MY PROGRAM, AND REFRAIN FROM BRINGING AN ILL CHILD UNTIL 24 HOURS HAVE PASSED SINCE ANY FEVER, VOMITING, DIARRHEA, OR ANY OTHER COMMUNICABLE SYMPTOMS HAVE OCCURRED.

Note: Please remember, that if someone else in the household is ill, your child may still be contagious. By bringing a child to childcare, if someone else in the house is ill, even if they are not, other children in my care, and myself, will be put at risk. Should I become ill, I would have to close for a day or more, leaving you to find alternative care, or having to stay home. "

Excellent! Now do your parents actually read it?

You know, if you cancel a Dr's. appointment the day before, you still have to pay. You might want to point that out to DC Mom. No, sorry, she doesn't get the day off free. You've reserved that space especially for her child/children and it's not like you can pop another child in that space for the day to recoop your salary.

Also, pointing out that chain reaction resulting from their negligence is also helpful. When an infected child enters a Childcare situation, MANY will be affected financially if the infection/illness spreads.

Who will loose income? The Childcare worker AND the parents that will have to stay home with their children.

I made COURTEOUS bold in the above statement for a reason. There's an awfully large population out there that think the world revolves around them. Selfish doesn't even begin to describe them.

While I don't feel this is a reason to term, if she refuses to pay for that day then there's your outlet.

You said: "This family at one point dropped poor dkg off a th and f with a 103 temperature (being sent home both days) then said she had no fever over the weeked and tried bringing him m-th being sent home every day for a fever over 101. Thursday he went to the doctor and had an ear infection"

Why don't you have 24 hours fever free in your policy/handbook? If you don't have that, it's time to put it in there. You would not have had to go through this. I also feel that if a child is on antibiotics, they should stay home 48 hours to make sure the antibiotic kicks in before the child returns to childcare.

[SuperNinjaMommy]

Thanks for the advice. I was just so awestruck over this. They told me that their doctor said since he started antibiotics last night that he would be fine for daycare which is why they are stating they shouldn't have to pay. Little do they know is that I'm friends with that doctors nurse and she has said otherwise. They also stated with the 103 temperature that the doctor said it wasn't contagious until 104. This family is one of those that has a constant issue. It's just frustrating. Thanks for talking me down off the termination ledge, it would just be so much easier (sanity wise but not economically as they are 3 kids!)

[dEHmom]

Excellent! Now do your parents actually read it?

yep, i have fantastic parents! and my newest family who started end of may have a doctor in the family. the dcm's dad is a doctor, and the mom is a dean at a university. They were INCREDIBLY impressed with my website and the Dean even thought that I studied child psychology hahahahaha!!!! I did used to really want to be a child psychologist, but decided I am not strong enough to not become attached to the children, AND I am definitely not strong enough to hear some of the things that might come through. It would break my heart. I think maybe one day I might possibly pursue that avenue just for my own personal satisfaction, but I don't think I would actually work in the field itself.

I just hope these families stick around for a long time. One family I know wants to have another child in the next year but hopefully they'd want to come back after. But that means I would have to get a new house, , and become licensed.

[dEHmom]

Thanks for the advice. I was just so awestruck over this. They told me that their doctor said since he started antibiotics last night that he would be fine for daycare which is why they are stating they shouldn't have to pay. Little do they know is that I'm friends with that doctors nurse and she has said otherwise. They also stated with the 103 temperature that the doctor said it wasn't contagious until 104. This family is one of those that has a constant issue. It's just frustrating. Thanks for talking me down off the termination ledge, it would just be so much easier (sanity wise but not economically as they are 3 kids!)

Honey you need to look at what you just said. They are clearly liars, and you could've just said flat out, "I require a doctors note saying that dck is not contagious and can return to care".

[SuperNinjaMommy]

Oh I totally know they are liars, I catch them in lies at least weekly. However, it's not a reason to terminate but is a reason to chuckle at how dumb they must think I am. This family was the first family that I ever signed onto my daycare and I was truly naive even though my mom had done daycare for 25 years. I thought people just had common sense, which don't get me wrong all my others parents do and they are all amazing. This family however is constant stress!

[MarinaVanessa]

They also stated with the 103 temperature that the doctor said it wasn't contagious until 104.

Do you mean to tell me that they think a fever of 103 isn't something serious to them??? Not contageous until 104??? As in "Oh my child with a fever is not contageous until he is rediculously close to or having a seizure"!

My immediate emotional response was to ask you if I could come over and slap them for you, maybe knock some common sense into them ... but then I took a deep breath to calm myself down and after the initial shock wore off ... nope, I still want to slap them . Poor you, can you give them a handout with info about fevers and illnesses? Maybe sit down with them and go through it to explain it in a non-confrontational way? I feel so bad that your DC family is making you go through this, it would frustrate the heck out of me.

[Blackcat31]

Oh I totally know they are liars, I catch them in lies at least weekly. However, it's not a reason to terminate but is a reason to chuckle at how dumb they must think I am. This family was the first family that I ever signed onto my daycare and I was truly naive even though my mom had done daycare for 25 years. I thought people just had common sense, which don't get me wrong all my others parents do and they are all amazing. This family however is constant stress!

Umm, yeah it is. I would terminate a family in a moment if I thought they were lying about things that effect MY business and the other children who attend. That is not only dishonest but completly disrespectful.

[rbmom]

Umm, yeah it is. I would terminate a family in a moment if I thought they were lying about things that effect MY business and the other children who attend. That is not only dishonest but completly disrespectful.

I agree, I can put up with a lot of stuff but lying to me is not one of them! Especially when it could affect the child care kids and my kids!

[SuperNinjaMommy]

well most of the time the lies are dumb but it's entertaining to me. I've decided at this point to keep watching for them but no longer be passive regarding to the 2 week policy for their oldest because clearly it is no longer helping them out. At first they were completely blaming it on the bio dad with the scheduling so I was understanding but I've since realized that it's simply not the case.

For all your entertainment purposes (since I know we all love parents who pawn kids off) This is my favorite from them....

me: How was your do this weekend?
them: good we went to a concert and tailgated all day
me: man, that's awesome, it's so hard for me to find someone who is willing to babsit on weekends that I trust, I only trust maybe 2 people with my kids
them: oh yah I know but we've known kara, or is it krystal? anyways we've known her for a long time. Oh it's katelyn, that's right. We completely trust her.....

[Kaddidle Care]

Oye!

[SuperNinjaMommy]

See now, one of my other parents just brought my family two dozen cookies. Why can't they all be this amazing?

[Mike Lassiter]

I agree, I can put up with a lot of stuff but lying to me is not one of them! Especially when it could affect the child care kids and my kids!

People lying to me will have you permanently on my $hit list. I HATE a liar. Wasn't raised to be one and didn't raise my kids to be either. Now, that didn't stop them from doing it anyway knowing how I feel about it. I take it coming from people that know how I feel about being lied to as a seriously hugh disrespect. You insult me by lying to me. That shows either you think I am a dumb ass and believe your lies or you are a dumb ass for telling them. Once trust is lost by lying I am very careful as to what I believe those people say. If you lie generally speaking about ANYTHING you do; it's because you knew better but did it anyway and hate for anybody to know. So, who does that make a dumb ass?::

[Unregistered]

People lying to me will have you permanently on my $hit list. I HATE a liar. Wasn't raised to be one and didn't raise my kids to be either. Now, that didn't stop them from doing it anyway knowing how I feel about it. I take it coming from people that know how I feel about being lied to as a seriously hugh disrespect. You insult me by lying to me. That shows either you think I am a dumb ass and believe your lies or you are a dumb ass for telling them. Once trust is lost by lying I am very careful as to what I believe those people say. If you lie generally speaking about ANYTHING you do; it's because you knew better but did it anyway and hate for anybody to know. So, who does that make a dumb ass?::

Hahaha!!! I totally agree. Not to mention that these parents are horrible role models for their kids, who will eventually be old enough to pick up on the lies and most likely become liars themselves! If dad & mom do it, it must be ok. "Oh be careful little eyes what you see...."