Daycare moms- do you have a backup sitter?

AngelEyes06

I have been home with the kids since I had DD. Now, after months of job searching, I think I am going back to work full time. I had an interview last week and they called me this morning asking if I would come in tomorrow morning for a second interview with the VP. I REALLY hope I get this job. It's an awesome company with wonderful benefits and only 15 min from our house.

If/when I do go back I'm hoping to get both kids into the daycare/preschool my DS went to for two years before I decided to keep them home. My only concern is what I'm going to do when the kids get sick. DH has a very demanding job and it's really hard for him to just leave work. And I definitely don't want to be that new employee that always misses work because I have a sick kid. So I'm wondering about maybe lining up some kind of back-up sitter. I was thinking about looking on sittercity.com just as a starting point. Does anyone else have a "backup"? And how does this work out for you?

madhatter2003

we do through our company, they partner with a service that can provide back-up care. I'd met with a couple of the providers in case I ever needed them, but usually I just took the day off work.

I need to see if they have anyone out here actually.

LoCarb

No bkup but I REALLY need one; especially now that 'sick' season is here!

Once, I placed an ad on care.com for a bkup sitter for non contagious illness (ex: ear infections).  I only rec'd one response and she wasn't a candidate. Hopefully, you will have better luck!

mrsseguin

We do not have a backup sitter...luckily we haven't had any issues.

Mrs.Felicity

madhatter2003:

we do through our company, they partner with a service that can provide back-up care.

My company also pays for a few days of backup care per year.

We're also lucky in that my MIL is retired and lives near by so she can help out in a pinch.

trackchik6

our company also has back up care but i would assume that I also would not be able to send DS there if he was sick. 

My parents live four hours away but one day we knew DS was sick that night and couldn't go to daycare the next day and neither of us could take off and my mom drove up that night.

Cheerio B

If DD isn't too sick my dad will watch her. Otherwise, I take the day off. When she's really sick she only wants Mommy or Daddy so even though my dad would take her, I didn't feel like it was fair to either him or DD to leave a really sick kiddo.

katie_cj

No, I don't. I live with my parents and sometimes they can take part of a day off work and help me out.

I'm a single mom though, and new to the area. Luckily, it hasn't really been an issue.

DTNZ4Ever

Normally it is either DH or myself. I do have my parents who are retired can be used for backup.

shihtzu51

We also don't have backup.  DH and I usually split the day when DS is sick so neither of us have to miss a huge chunk of work.  As long as I go in for at least half the day, I don't have to use a vacation day - we usually split it so DH goes in a couple hours early and I stay a cople hours late so we are only missing 2 or 3 hours each.

healthynut

I do not have a backup, but should probably get one soon.  DH just started a new job about 7 weeks ago, so he can't call out at all.  I went back to work 6 months ago, so I could call out at this point if I had to, but it is the beginning of a long sick season and I get nervous.  Especially since DS gets sick easily.  He's a croupy kid and also catches anything and everything that goes around at DC.  When I first went back to work, DH was in a position that he could stay home if we needed, so that helped with my initial few months. GL.

KL777

DS is in preschool (K3) and the before and after school care program.  One time the school (his school goes up to the 3rd grade) closed due to inclement weather and I had to take him to our drop-in babysitter---the one DH and I use for date nights.  It's nice to have her as a preschool back-up.