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Working Moms
How would you find backup childcare when your child is sick?
Our 16 month-old has been at a daycare we love for about a year now. They have a strict sick policy so that whenever he has a fever, diarrhea, vomiting, etc. we need to keep him at home. He's been getting sick more often recently, picking up whatever is going around at daycare, though he typically still feels well enough to play, eat, and sleep. There have been times he needs to stay home for a week or more.
My husband and I both work full-time, so when we need to keep DS at home, we take turns watching him (either working half-days or alternating days). We do not have any family nearby and all of our friends also work FT. I'm feeling the need to find some other backup childcare when DS gets sick this often as it's hard for both of us to be away from work this frequently.
What solutions have any of you come up with if you have been in a similar situation? We've never used a babysitter though it's high time we find one! Would there be ones who would be willing to care for a sick child and be available on short notice? (Of course if DS is really not feeling himself we'd prefer to stay home with him ourselves). TIA for any advice!
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Re: How would you find backup childcare when your child is sick?
Does your (or DH's) company offer a backup care program? Mine does -- it's provided by Bright Horizons, and it's perfect for situations like that. I just call an 800 number, and they find a nanny to come to our house. It's heavily subsidized by my company so we end up paying about $10/hour (it's a $4/hour copay plus taxes on the full subsidized amount, which is around $23/hour). That's about what we'd pay a babysitter anyway, and with the backup care program, we can find someone on short notice and we don't have to do the legwork ourselves!
Alternatively, is working from home an option for you? I WFH full-time and DH has the option to do it, too. So he'll often stay home, and we'll tag team so that each of us can get some work done while the other watches the kids.
Mommy to DD1 (June 2007), DS (January 2010), DD2 (July 2012), and The Next One (EDD 3/31/2015)
We have a back up care program through our work as well. You may want to see if there is a local program like that you can buy into. The one in boston is Parents in a Pinch, and you just call them and they find someone for you (although if you are an individual you pay a membership fee).
I would look into something like that.
We're in the DC area and use White House Nannies. We paid a membership fee and they find a nanny at the last minute. For every day the nanny is there, you pay an agency fee plus pay the nanny. The nannies are very well screened and competent. You also have the option of doing a phone interview before they show up. But, it's expensive - $250 membership fee, $35 agency fee and $16-20 an hour for the nanny. Plus, one morning two different nannies cancelled at the last minute.
DS normally goes to daycare and luckily, so far he hasn't been sick very often. So, we've only used them twice. But, both times it would have been very difficult for either of us to miss work and we don't have family in town, so they were a lifesaver.
DD -- 5YO
DS -- 3YO