When Your Family Is Sick-Cancelling Care Too Much

[Crazy8]

I think you are closing WAY too much Don't be shocked if parents pull their kids this time or the next time this happens. They (understandably) do not want to use their sick/vacation time for YOUR sick child.

I have closed only twice for illness in 4 years. Once bc I had a terrible GI bug and literally texted parents from the toilet. Once because my daughter had surgery and she unexpectedly needed to spend time in the ICU.

For colds, flus, stomach bugs, etc. I do not even alert my dc parents. I separate my child to the living room or their bedroom depending on the illness (daycare has its own area), sanitize everything, and move on. Kids don't need as much doting as moms think they do when they are ill. Kids need fluids, food, and LOTS of rest. My days are actually easier when my kids are ill :: They sleep for 8+ hours, .

I would think long and hard before closing for something like this again.

Same here. I RARELY ever close, never for my kids being sick. Only time I did this year was when my dad had a heart attack at 2am and I ran to the hospital and even then I texted parents and could have been home by 7am if any of them really had a problem - they all told me not to worry about it. In 10 years I've probably closed 5 times for emergency situations. If my child's school called I would have a neighbor or my husband pick them up. I would not have all parents come pick up their kids - I can see them being upset with that.

[Unregistered]

Oh...no...no...no MY family comes first! If my son were ever sick like that and needed his mommy I would close! When I am sick and can't push myself to do regular activities...I close! The day my daycare comes before my family or my own needs...I QUIT!!! PERIOD!!

[Sunshine44]

Not trying to be mean, but if he is THAT sick you should take him to the doc/ER/hospital. Seriously. And again, not trying to be mean, but how can he not make it in a bucket or toilet? My child was under 3 and could vomit in a bucket or toilet. I know all cannot, but is there a reason he can't?

It sounds like you baby him a lot and that could be part of your problem. Sounds like you WANT to close and be able to have "One to one" care of your child.

[blessedmess8]

I recently had a parent question me on closing when my kids are sick (which RARELY happens!) Saying they can't afford to take off work when my kids are sick and theirs. This was because of an incident a couple of months ago where my 2 year old woke up at 4am with a 104.8 temp and vomiiting profusely. I cancelled care at 5am. Like I said, this rarely happens - only for something major where I know I can't take care of other kids. But, I sent out an e-mail about sick policies as a reminder (have had parents sending sick kids) and telling all my parents I would be getting stricter with my policies as cold/flu season is coming up, so I got a reply complaining about me closing. This is what I told them:
I have NEVER let a job come before my kids. My kids are my priority. And the same goes for this job. I told them that everyone has to call in to work from time to time and I am no exception! I also told them that if it is causing them such a hardship at work then, as much as I hate to lose them, maybe home daycare isn't the right fit for them. It states in my policies, upon enrollment, that there may be emergency situations or illnesses I have to close for.
I don't close for illness often. The majority of the time I let parents make their own decision and I don't charge if they choose to keep their child home necause my own is sick. I, too, have a small fry who can't fend for herself. No chance of isolation. The majority of my parents are very understanding. There is always that one or two who's job is priority and they vcan barely take off for their own child being ill.
Bottom line: There has to be a balance. I refuse to put my kids behind a job or other people's children, but I know I can't close too often, either. I am usually quite accomodating with my parents so the conmplaining parent backtracked very quickly when I let them know they were welcome to find a center that better fit their needs with no hard feelings on my part! People should know, coming in, that a small family child care home is run by one person and sometimes we just do what we have to do! Life happens!!

[boysx5]

I never cancel for my kids being sick mine are a bit older so its eaiser now but in 16 years I never have dh usually takes the time off to take them to the dr. so I can stay open I feel the parents need care and its just part of the job to be here

[nannyde]

My son is eleven and I have done child care his whole life. I have never cancelled day care because of his illness. He had a very rocky first couple of years but with the help of family and my staff assistant, I was able to stay open even with three surgeries (two ear and tonsellectomy) and the recovery.

I spent many nights in the ER until four a.m. and came back to receive my first kid at five a.m.. It was really hard but I did not want to miss work.

[Jewels]

At 4 years old, I would think that he would know he were sick and needed to rest, not that he was being punished, I dont isolate my kid to his room, and he is 4, but I put him on the couch downstairs with movies, and dont let the other kids down there...but I've never closed when either of my children are sick, uness they were in need of the Dr ASAP, the only time I have closed was when I myself had the 24 hr bug, and was puking and puking, and that bug had run through the whole daycare, including my own children, so the parents understood that one, as everyone was puking. There are downfalls in every job, and yes this job lets you stay home with your children, but its also a job, and an extrememly hard one, and I think it is one of those jobs you have to be able to work through bad situations, unlike working outside the home, and being able to call in sick, and drop your kid off at daycare, but its very easy I think to have lazy days doing childcare, if my son were really sick and needed more TLC, I would take it easier that day, make sure everyones needs were being met, but have the TV on...but really at 4 yrs old, I wouldn't think he'd need you to carry him around all day.

[JenNJ]

Oh...no...no...no MY family comes first! If my son were ever sick like that and needed his mommy I would close! When I am sick and can't push myself to do regular activities...I close! The day my daycare comes before my family or my own needs...I QUIT!!! PERIOD!!

I think the implication that anyone here puts work above their family is rude and presumptuous. Most of us started in this line of work to spend additional time with our children. The fact is that I could probably find a reason to close once a week. Between my two children, my husband, myself, and our families someone always needs me.

Part of this job is learning to balance our families needs with that of our business. I aim to run my business in a professional manner. I expect businesses to be open on regular business days so I extend the same courtesy to my clients. That doesn't make me a bad mom. It makes me great at my job and affords my children a lifestyle that they couldn't have otherwise. So, in my mind, it makes me a great mom ::

You (OP) can run your business however you choose. But know that you choosing to close multiple days in a short amount of time (no matter what the reason) will cause resentment from clients and they WILL seek for a new daycare situation. So you need to look at the big picture -- is taking a few days off worth it? Everyone will answer that question differently.

[blessedmess8]

I think this is a classic case of: "To each their own." I know that in doing this job, I have to miss class parties, field trip, and my husband and mom have had to take over most of the Dr. Visits, etc. I realize I can't take off work like I used to when I had an "out of the home" job. Buuuut, I refuse to let this take over my whole life. If I felt like I could NEVER close to clean up my own child's massive puke fest or take off for a surgery, then I'd probably have to re-evaluate my choice of profession. But, that's just MY opinion. I'm not saying those people who decide to never ever close are wrong and I'm right. That just wouldn't work for me. Luckily, we can usually pick which kids we keep and which are a good fit for each of our individual ways of running our businesses. Miss Lindsey, I completely understand your stance. I would definitely choose wisely about when you close, and I think you'll find most of your parents to be very uderstanding. My daughter, at 4, could make it to the toilet every time. My son, who is almost 8, still usually doesn't! Every child is different and has different needs. We, as child development people, should know that.( And, shame on all of you for judging her son's development in regards to puking.) I've yet to see "ability to puke in a bowl" on the Denvers or LAP testing. ANYWAY, I would be up front when you enroll people and outline exactly how you run your business and maybe try to only enroll people who have a back-up option for care. That way everyone's needs are met.

[Blackcat31]

Part of this job is learning to balance our families needs with that of our business. I aim to run my business in a professional manner. I expect businesses to be open on regular business days so I extend the same courtesy to my clients. That doesn't make me a bad mom. It makes me great at my job and affords my children a lifestyle that they couldn't have otherwise. So, in my mind, it makes me a great mom ::

You (OP) can run your business however you choose. But know that you choosing to close multiple days in a short amount of time (no matter what the reason) will cause resentment from clients and they WILL seek for a new daycare situation. So you need to look at the big picture -- is taking a few days off worth it? Everyone will answer that question differently.

Yes, this. Each of us can run our business however we want but bottom line in this scenario is the OP has stated that her daycare parents are starting to give her flack for closing. I get that you want to put your child first and do the best you can by him but you also have to figure out a way to balance work and family life.

Is there a grand parent, father, aunt, uncle, cousin, neighbor or adult friend who can come and be at your daycare for the sole purpose of caring for your son while he is isolated from your daycare kids? You require your parents to have some sort of back up but IMHO, shouldn't you as well?

We diss parents all the time for wanting their child to have "special" but yet as providers we get defensive when people start giving us grief for doing special for our own. Makes no sense to me.

I raised my own children during the last two decades while doing child care services. I have closed due to illness in my family once in that time period. We also had mono, 3 surgeries (one injury and one non-injury), multiple ear infections, physical therapy, strept, flu, appendicitis and the list goes on and on. I did like Nannyde said, I was sometimes at the hospital until morning right before daycare opened and worked days on end with no sleep.

I did what I needed to do to keep my daycare parents happy and what was necessary to mother my children all the while making sure that delicate balance was there. Daycare is one of those jobs that you have to have that skill or it really isn't going to work.

[JaydensMommy]

Ok. Think maybe I need to clarify. My son is only 4. He still can't figure out to get to the toilet or the bucket if need be, and is extremely clingy when he is ill. If I sent him to his room, he'd be terribly sad, thinking he was in trouble for being sick...which when he is sick, again, he's clingy and wants mommy. My older two are 9 and 7. I can isolate them a bit better.

Also, only 1 of my parents don't have good back up. One has a work at home dad, who is never opposed to watching the baby. The other one has 3-4 back up babysitters (who are stay at home moms), that can take over. And the 3rd has grandparents who LOVE the opportunity to watch their granddaughter, just don't want to do it full time. So, all of them were extremely understanding, and had an easy way to provide alternative care. The only other one, just doesn't have an easy back up sitter. She has family that can take a day off work, but needs to know before 5pm the day before.

I was not concerned about the germ part of things. I was more concerned with my son who has eaten nothing for 2 days, barely staying hydrated because he just doesn't feel like drinking, and hasn't moved from the couch in over 24 hours now. I've NEVER seen a bug like this, so I am unsure as to what to expect each day, but when he's acting SO ill, I don't feel like he can just be sent to his room and left while I tend to 3 other kids.

I don't intend on closing every time one of my kids is ill. This was an isolated incident, and I guess I'm just not used to the hard-core, work no matter what mentality. To me, that seems like the down side of choosing to use an in-home daycare rather than a daycare facility. The Facility is open no matter what.

Thanks for the input...it puts it into perspective a bit more.

I think you did the right thing and I think its ridiculous for people to come on here and tell you that you baby your child too much. Seriously? It's your child and your not asking advice on how to raise him. I have a four year old also and have been through something like this with him, it's horrible! He was threw up like 10 times throughout the day and there was nothing I could do. At FOUR my son could not get to the toilet to vomit on his own. I had to run and take him there. I was not doing daycare at that time so I of course took time off work to be with him. Had I been doing daycare I would have closed or my husband would have taken time off work. Family comes first. Your baby needs you, your dcps should be more understanding.

[Blackcat31]

I think you did the right thing and I think its ridiculous for people to come on here and tell you that you baby your child too much. Seriously? It's your child and your not asking advice on how to raise him. I have a four year old also and have been through something like this with him, it's horrible! He was threw up like 10 times throughout the day and there was nothing I could do. At FOUR my son could not get to the toilet to vomit on his own. I had to run and take him there. I was not doing daycare at that time so I of course took time off work to be with him. Had I been doing daycare I would have closed or my husband would have taken time off work. Family comes first. Your baby needs you, your dcps should be more understanding.

Why do her daycare parents need to be more understanding? It isn't their problem that her child is sick.

Most providers don't give that same courtesy to the daycare families. This entire forum is full of providers who say "Tough, I don't care why this parent is doing this or that, this is MY business and yadda yadda yadda" but yet when it comes to our own, we have a completely different set of rules.

We cannot have it both ways. I am not saying you do, but the OP asked if she was closing to much...which I think she is and needs to find an alternate way to have both her business and the ability to care for her child.

If this post was made by a parent about her 4 year old not being able to sort of self-care, almost every provider on here would be all over that parent for babying their child!!

As child care providers we sure seem to have a lot of opinions on how others should raise their children but yet we don't want the same in return....:confused:

[bice99]

Not trying to be mean, but if he is THAT sick you should take him to the doc/ER/hospital. Seriously. And again, not trying to be mean, but how can he not make it in a bucket or toilet? My child was under 3 and could vomit in a bucket or toilet. I know all cannot, but is there a reason he can't?

It sounds like you baby him a lot and that could be part of your problem. Sounds like you WANT to close and be able to have "One to one" care of your child.

Some little ones run away from the bucket/toilet when they are going to puke.

[bice99]

Oh...no...no...no MY family comes first! If my son were ever sick like that and needed his mommy I would close! When I am sick and can't push myself to do regular activities...I close! The day my daycare comes before my family or my own needs...I QUIT!!! PERIOD!!

Exactly. My girls come first. I only close if someone is puking. But if it's another nasty bug, I always let my families know that _____ is staying home from school b/c of _____. I'm still open so I get paid but often they will choose to keep their kids home, especially babies.

[JaydensMommy]

Why do her daycare parents need to be more understanding? It isn't their problem that her child is sick.

Most providers don't give that same courtesy to the daycare families. This entire forum is full of providers who say "Tough, I don't care why this parent is doing this or that, this is MY business and yadda yadda yadda" but yet when it comes to our own, we have a completely different set of rules.

We cannot have it both ways. I am not saying you do, but the OP asked if she was closing to much...which I think she is and needs to find an alternate way to have both her business and the ability to care for her child.

If this post was made by a parent about her 4 year old not being able to sort of self-care, almost every provider on here would be all over that parent for babying their child!!

As child care providers we sure seem to have a lot of opinions on how others should raise their children but yet we don't want the same in return....:confused:

Yes, she asked if she was closing too much. I think she had a good reason for closing so I do not think she was wrong in doing that. You may see it differently, I was just telling her what I thought. I have a son that age and I would close if he was vomiting like that. No, I don't think closing for every little illness is ok. And, I do not have the attitude of the parents need to deal with it. But thinking about my dcp's, I know they would be understanding of a situation like that.