Just a Runny Nose...

[JaydensMommy]

So... I enrolled a family about a month ago and they have a 9 month old daughter that comes twice a week. He calls me yesterday and tells me that his daughter has been sick with "runny nose and watery eyes", can he still bring her tomorrow? I asked him if he was going to take her to the doctor, he said he did. I asked him what the doctor said.. he said he put her on antibiotics. I asked him what he said she had.. He said a viral infection!... Ok.. So no you can't bring her tomorrow. He asked if he could bring her on Thursday if she was better... I told him he should probably keep her out so she can have time to get better... RIght??? Ok.. So then he says well then do I still have to pay you for this week?? Yes you still have to pay me.. I have this in the contract that I asked you guys to read and sign... He says ok.. can i pay you next week? Oh my.. whatever I told him that would be fine since his daughter is sick. I went over all of this with them in my contract... I'm new at this ... but don't understand parents that act this way......:confused:

[Zoe]

Wow. He pretty much did everything on the annoying list! Good for you for sticking with it though and not caving in. The payment thing I'd watch out for since you are letting him pay you next week. If he's even so much as a day late, charge him severe late fees and tell him that from now on NO DELAYED PAYMENT!

Oh and to answer your question. Some parents do this because they want to be in control and want to do what's best for THEM. Not all of them do this, so keep enrolling children and you'll find an angel family who doesn't do any of this.

[nannyde]

He did this because he wants to bring the child sick and he only wants to pay for the days he uses. If he has to pay for a day he didn't use he wants a make up day so that he only pays for days he uses.

He wants to delay payment because if he has the payment coming later there is still time to negotiate or bargain this so he gets what he has paid for.

VERY VERY common parental wants...

That being said... I would have allowed the child to come if the kid didn't have a fever the next day and was able to participate.

[laundrymom]

Lol. The " A " list parents!! Rofl!

I would have allowed her to come after AB were on board 24 hours if no fever was present. At 7 mo it is easier to keep them separated for me so it wouldn't be an issue. Plus, viral infections seem to have spread before they present symptoms a lot of times here. Usually by the time one is sick enough to keep out, someone else is starting to feel puney. But that's my personal experience. I'm not a doctor.

[Unregistered]

I think I'm screwing myself.... I charge $2.75 per hr per kid only if they are with me! I don't charge for holidays or my vacations. So if kid is sick or parent has the day off due to low work load (I have one DCM this happens to ALL the time) I don't charge em unless their kid is here. I'm not certified tho either. Am I screwing myself??

[JaydensMommy]

Wow. He pretty much did everything on the annoying list! Good for you for sticking with it though and not caving in. The payment thing I'd watch out for since you are letting him pay you next week. If he's even so much as a day late, charge him severe late fees and tell him that from now on NO DELAYED PAYMENT!

I know I shouldn't of let him pay next week.. I knew it as soon as I said I it that I should have told him he still needed to pay this week. I'll just have to tell him next week that he can't do that again, that payment is still due every other week whether his daughter comes or not...

And as far as not letting her come this week.. I just don't feel like one day on antibiotics is enough to make her better.. But I'm not a doctor, so I'm not really sure. I just really would hate for the other kids including my own son to get sick.

[MNMum]

I asked him what the doctor said.. he said he put her on antibiotics. I asked him what he said she had.. He said a viral infection!...

Something is not adding up. Antibiotics won't do anything for a viral infection. If no fever, they have been to the doctor, I would let her attend.

Viruses are typically contagious for up to 2 weeks. 2-3 days prior to symptoms, while symptoms are present, and a few days past. The peak contagious period is usually a day before symptoms are present and the first few days. If a parent had to take off work this entire time, they wouldn't be able to hold down a job, since kids pick up viruses so often. Also, like a pp said, everyone has probably already been exposed

[JaydensMommy]

I think I'm screwing myself.... I charge $2.75 per hr per kid only if they are with me! I don't charge for holidays or my vacations. So if kid is sick or parent has the day off due to low work load (I have one DCM this happens to ALL the time) I don't charge em unless their kid is here. I'm not certified tho either. Am I screwing myself??

I couldn't do that because then I would never know how much money I would make. If you do that then parents will take advantage of it. I do charge for holidays or if children are sick. You should not charge an hourly rate, you should charge a weekly or monthly rate that way parents know they are paying for the spot not for the hours their child is there.

[JaydensMommy]

Something is not adding up. Antibiotics won't do anything for a viral infection. If no fever, they have been to the doctor, I would let her attend.

Viruses are typically contagious for up to 2 weeks. 2-3 days prior to symptoms, while symptoms are present, and a few days past. The peak contagious period is usually a day before symptoms are present and the first few days. If a parent had to take off work this entire time, they wouldn't be able to hold down a job, since kids pick up viruses so often. Also, like a pp said, everyone has probably already been exposed

Well she's actually only here two days out of the week and last week she seemed fine... So I hope no one was exposed. The parents will have to take those two days off. I make it clear in my contract that I will not watch children while they are sick. I am doing this to protect the other children just like I would do the same for their child. You know I was looking up viral infections and I did read that antibiotics won't work for that> But that is what he told me...:confused:

[PeanutsGalore]

So... I enrolled a family about a month ago and they have a 9 month old daughter that comes twice a week. He calls me yesterday and tells me that his daughter has been sick with "runny nose and watery eyes", can he still bring her tomorrow? I asked him if he was going to take her to the doctor, he said he did. I asked him what the doctor said.. he said he put her on antibiotics. I asked him what he said she had.. He said a viral infection!... Ok.. So no you can't bring her tomorrow. He asked if he could bring her on Thursday if she was better... I told him he should probably keep her out so she can have time to get better... RIght??? Ok.. So then he says well then do I still have to pay you for this week?? Yes you still have to pay me.. I have this in the contract that I asked you guys to read and sign... He says ok.. can i pay you next week? Oh my.. whatever I told him that would be fine since his daughter is sick. I went over all of this with them in my contract... I'm new at this ... but don't understand parents that act this way......:confused:

Get used to it! You'll eventually find parents who realize the value of respecting the daycare environment and keeping their sick child home, but a lot of them find it's easier to dose their kid up and send them to daycare sick. I was as confused as you were about these types of issues when I first started, but you just have to accept it. Once you do, it'll be easier for you to weed through the parents and kids who are keepers vs temporary spot holders.

Good for you for sticking to your guns.

[JaydensMommy]

Get used to it! You'll eventually find parents who realize the value of respecting the daycare environment and keeping their sick child home, but a lot of them find it's easier to dose their kid up and send them to daycare sick. I was as confused as you were about these types of issues when I first started, but you just have to accept it. Once you do, it'll be easier for you to weed through the parents and kids who are keepers vs temporary spot holders.

Good for you for sticking to your guns.

Thanks! I do have another parent that is great.. Her son got sick and she kept him out a week(I didn't have to ask her to!) And she paid me, no questions asked. I love her and wish all my parents were just like her!!

[PeanutsGalore]

Thanks! I do have another parent that is great.. Her son got sick and she kept him out a week(I didn't have to ask her to!) And she paid me, no questions asked. I love her and wish all my parents were just like her!!

That's what I'm talking about! Yay for parents who are made of awesome!

[CheekyChick]

I accept children back into daycare IF they have NO fever and IF they've been on antibiotics for a full 24 hours. If I told my DP's to keep their child home all week, especially with no fever and being on antibiotics over 24 hours, I would lose a ton of business.

[Crazy8]

I accept children back into daycare IF they have NO fever and IF they've been on antibiotics for a full 24 hours. If I told my DP's to keep their child home all week, especially with no fever and being on antibiotics over 24 hours, I would lose a ton of business.

same here. What is your sick policy?? You need to specific so parents know when they can/can't bring the kids. They are always going to try to push the envelope. But 24 hours on antibiotics and no fever, no vomitting, acting ok, etc. I would let them come back. I can't expect a parent to stay home every time a child has a runny nose if I want to stay in business.

[CheekyChick]

same here. What is your sick policy?? You need to specific so parents know when they can/can't bring the kids. They are always going to try to push the envelope. But 24 hours on antibiotics and no fever, no vomitting, acting ok, etc. I would let them come back. I can't expect a parent to stay home every time a child has a runny nose if I want to stay in business.

I have a two page "Illness Policy" that the parents have to sign. Sometimes DP's try to get around it, but I'm fairly strict.

I agree, I can't (and don't) expect a parent to stay home due to a minor cold or runny nose. I would lose families right and left and then I'd be on the side of the road trying to find cans and bottles to pay my mortgage. ::