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Parenting
Daycare moms--If you use it or provide it..
What is your daycare's rule about bringing your sick child? How firm are they about enforcing it? Do you ever bring your child, even if you know they have a cold or arn't feeling well and just hope they won't call you? If you provide in-home care, what is your sick-arrangement?
I watch another toddler, full-time, in my home. It's a pretty relaxed arrangement but I feel like I need to set some firmer boundries regarding illness. IDK if they just hope I won't notice/care that she's sick or if they really don't realize she's sick before they bring her. I can't imagine how they WOULDN'T notice, when it's usually clear to me within the first 20 minutes she's here. It's really frustrating because my children keep ending up with her illnesses(but not when she stays home and I can actually devote my attention to them. They don't get sick until 4-5 days later!).
I know it's the nature of the beast. We'll all pass on and catch eachother's illnesses because we're in close proximity. Hazel's dad is a teacher, my husband is a retail supervisor and Ben is in preschool. Between the three of them, we catch any and every virus out there! I just resent being the one who has to tell them, "Um, your kid is pretty sick. She should be home with you.". Sick children need their parents. I can provide care, entertainment and love on a daily basis, but I'm not a replacement for her parents, especially when she's sick and miserable. I also know that they can't stay home from work every time she *might* have the sniffles. I don't "call-in" myself, unless I have a fever, the flu, vomitting and diahrea. I have to take care of my kids whether I'm sick with a cold or not, kwim?
So, my question is, what is a reasonable limit to how sick she can be? What is a tactful way to say: "You need to be more attentive to her illnesses and not bring her when she has a fever, vomitting, diahrea in the last 24 hours or within 2 days after the onset of a cold?" These are the rules at Ben's school and I think they are fair.
Evelyn-Mommy to Ben 9.20.05 and Emily 5.14.07 and Callie 7.10.09!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Daycare moms--If you use it or provide it..
I think if you need to let them know. I mean if their DD is sick, then she needs to be home. I think they are taking advantage of you.
I would probably write them a letter telling them that if the child has fever, vomiting, or diarrhea then she can't come no ifs and or buts about it.
Our school's policy is if they have a fever, then they can't be there, and have to be fever free for 24hrs.
When Jake went to an in-home provider, the rules were the same but she always had her DD there, even when she had the flu, pink eye, and various other issues. It made me really mad because Jake would ALWAYS catch it. Which is why we switched to a center...
If I were you, I'd implement the rules they have at your local daycare.
I C&P this from my daycare website. I think you need to get something in writing, and both sign it. It's just not fair to expect you to care for a sick child, nor is it fair to Hazel.
POLICY ON THE MANAGEMENT OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
If a child exhibits any of the following symptoms, the child should not attend the center. If such symptoms occur at the center, the child will be removed from the group, and parents will be called to take the child home.
Severe pain or discomfort
Acute diarrhea
Episodes of acute vomiting
Elevated oral temperature of 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit
Lethargy
Sever coughing
Yellow eyes or jaundice skin
Red eyes with discharge
Infected, untreated skin patches
Difficult or rapid breathing
Skin rashes in conjunction with fever or behavior changes
Skin lesions that are weeping or bleeding
Mouth sores with drooling
Stiff neck
Once the child is symptom-free, or has a health care provider?s note stating that the child no longer poses a serious health risk to himself/herself or others, the child may return to the center.
TABLE OF EXCLUDABLE COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
A child who contracts any of the following diseases may not return to the center without a health care provider?s note stating that the child presents no risk to himself/herself or others:
Respiratory Illnesses
Gastrointestinal Illnesses
Contact Illnesses
*Reportable diseases that must be reported to the health department by the center.
** Note: If a child has chicken pox, a health care provider?s note is not required for re-admitting the child to the center. The note from the parent is required, stating either that at least six days has elapsed since the onset of the rash, or that all sores have dried and crusted.
If a child is exposed to any excludable disease at the center, parents will be notified in writing.
DS goes to daycare two days a week - this is their exact policy on sickness
Please call me if your child will not be coming to my home due to illness or has a contagious condition.
Fever: When a child has a fever of 100 F or more, s/he must stay home until fever-free for 24 hours. If a fever develops here, I will call you and you should pick up your child as soon as possible.
Antibiotics: A child with a contagious condition for which antibiotics have been prescribed may not come to my home until a minimum of 24 hours have passed since s/he has taken his or her first dose. A fever-free child with a non-contagious condition taking antibiotics may come to my home as soon as s/he feels well (e.g., an ear infection).
Vomiting:A vomiting child must stay at home or go home if s/he becomes ill while at my home. S/he may not return until the vomiting has stopped.
Diarrhea:A child with severe or persistent diarrhea MUST stay at (or go) home. If a child is stricken while at my home, I will call you and ask you to come for your child.
Strep Throat:This can show a variety of symptoms. You should have your doctor check for strep if your child has a fever, rash, vomiting, and/or sore throat. A child with strep throat must stay at home until s/he has been taking antibiotics for 24 hours. Please note that children ages 1-3 rarely get strep throat, but it does occasionally happen.
Roseola, coxsackie, fifth?s disease, etc.: Children who have been exposed to a contagious disease may come to my home during the incubation period, but you should tell me if your child has been exposed so other parents can be told. If your child has a contagious disease, he or she must stay home until all contagion has passed.
Rashes: From time to time, children develop seemingly mysterious rashes. If your child develops a "rash of unknown origin", s/he may come to day care 24 hours after the rash first appeared if there are no other symptoms.
About Contagion: Determining whether or not a child is well enough to attend daycare is not as black and white as these guidelines. When your child is fairly ill, in the early stages of a cold, not able to cope with the routines of day care, and/or is feeling lousy, he or she should not be brought in, even in the absence of a fever. At the outset of a fresh cold, if your child is sneezing and/or coughing regularly, he or she should not come to daycare. This is the most contagious stage of a cold, with a high viral load. Out of consideration of the the other families in the program and the staff your child should not be here if he or she is not well. If, during the course of the day, a child is deemed by the staff as too sick to be at day care, you will be called and asked to take your child home. Again, this may occur even in the absence of a fever.
About Runny Noses: Runny noses are inevitable among toddlers and young pre-schoolers. Causes can vary, ranging from allergies to viruses among other causes. If the cause is clearly not the beginning of a new cold and the nose is running clear your child may come to daycare. If there is any question, just give me a call and we will decide how to proceed. Children with green goopy noses are not well enough to be at daycare.
IMPORTANT: It is important to follow these guidelines. They are designed to reflect a common respect and responsibility to protect the children from contagious illness
My little one goes to my neighbor's during the day. If he gets sick in the evening or looks sick in the morning, we'll stay home with him. Normally I would call her and tell her that he's sick and I am not bringing him over. She usually tells me to bring him anyway and she'd keep him separated from her 10 months old and a 4 y.o., but I usually keep him at home unless it's just the residual cough and a bit of a runny nose (that takes forever to go away).
Once or twice that he was not feeling well while at her house, she called me and I picked him up just a big earlier than normal. She's really good and always tells me to bring him in, but I always feel bad (1) she has two of her own and (2) if he's miserable, I want to have him at home.
Last time when my neighbor was not feeling well, her mom came over and helped her with the kids. I am not sure what I would do if one of her kids was sick... probably still send him there, she's good at keeping them away from each other.