How Guilty Do You Feel Taking A Sick Day?

[Cadillac]

This is the hardest part of running a daycare for me. The guilt eats at me because I know how badly I screw up 5 different families if I take a day off to get better.

At the same time I've gotten to the point of having walking pneumonia because I didn't take the time I needed to get better.

When do you call it quits and take a day or two off? And do you feel guilty about it?

[Spixie33]

I have worked through some impossible days where I had been vomiting all night but still felt pressured to be open for business the next day. I felt too guilty calling the parents in the morning at the last minute to tell them about my night so I trucked on through instead.

It is tough because the whole business and the whole system sort of relies on US. I feel a lot of pressure to stay healthy.

My worst fear is that I would call the daycare parents and have them think that I was faking for a day off.

I used to have my own kids in daycare and I would have the provider call me in the morning just before I stepped out for the day to say that she was sick or her kids were too sick and I would accept it no issue but still I feel stressed to do that to my families. It is kinda crazy.

Sometimes I feel awful and ask myself whether I would have called in sick to my previous job in that condition and the answer is usually yes - but I still feel like I need to be open and make it through the day

If you have walking pneumonia you should probably try to rest up though :):):) You don't want pneumonia to get worse. I once had a bad case of real pneumonia and I literally saw the white light. lol I hope you feel better soon. I hope you try and take it easy this weekend at least

[mom-in-alberta]

I hate making those calls!! :(
I have had some really great families in that regard, though. I think all in all, I have not had to close that often, but when I did they were great about it. I also tell them in the beginning (interview) to ensure that they have backup care should anything happen. The reality is; I have 4 young kids, we are going to get sick sometimes!
I for sure push through it more than I would at a "job", I think. One time, last year; I was up ALL night with my oldest at the children's hospital (literally not a wink of sleep). I got home in time to shower and grab a coffee, then open up my doors. When the daycare parents learned about it they all said "Are you crazy? Why didn't you just call, we would have worked it out!!"
I thought about it from the parents perspective and realized that I would NOT have wanted someone to care for my kid in that condition!! So that made me feel a little better about when I do need to close.

[playfelt]

I always felt I had to do everything anyways for my own kids so it was easier to have the kids come as usual, gave my own kids someone to play with and we just took an internal sick day meaning they watched a lot of tv/videos, we did grilled cheese for lunch - with soup too for me and I did nothing but sit as much as I could.

Parents appreciated the not taking the day off, didn't have an issue with no circletime/crafts and skeptical meals/snacks and often rewarded with early pickups or treats either for me that evening or for the next day to serve the kids - ie a big box of timbits at pickup time.

[Play and Learn]

I do not feel guilty as a provider for taking a sick day. The only way for me to get better, is to have a quiet house, and lots of sleep. Therefore I must take a day off to re-coop.

I try to provide quality care to other people's children. How can I do this if I'm sick (vomiting/fever, etc)?

[gcj]

I hate it. I feel SO guilty, but it's part of the game. People using home daycares know that they run that risk, though. And it's life. Everyone gets sick....even us!:p
I would feel more guilty staying open and exposing little ones to all my germs! I hate it, but it happens! Good parents accept it.

[Momof4]

I completely understand. I worked the last 3 Januarys with pneumonia so I wrote 3 paid personal days into my contract so I can take a day off when I'm that sick from now on. I took one sick day a week ago Friday, but I'm still fighting with chest congestion after 2 1/2 weeks now. I'm finally almost better. I made the decision on the Thursday morning and emailed all the families that they had to make arrangements for their children for the Friday. They were all fine with it because they saw that I had already been sick for a week and they kept bringing their children every day. But within a few hours they all emailed back to me to say that they had made arrangements and they understood compeltely. Well, one Mom tried to make me feel guilty but I didn't! We have to take care of ourselves.

[jec]

If it's a sinus cold and my head is pounding..I suck it up. However, if I'm really sick like I was last week with the stomach flu, I had no problem calling the parents for the one day I had to take. For one, I didn't want to pass it off to the daycare kids and families that weren't sick. I couldn't keep anything in me and it would have been impossible to care for anyone. gcj is right ~ we all get sick from time to time and I'm thankful that I've got great daycare families that know it doesn't happen often and so when it does, I must be sick.
You need to take the time to get better for yourself. Don't feel guilty~ sounds like your beyond needing a day off and should take it. Hope you get better soon!

[clep]

I don't feel guilty about it at all, but I absolutely hate to do it. At times I will have pressure from parents if I am sick and I try to avoid that pressure at all costs. Also I remember having a boss to answer to and don't want them to have to go through that.

I work if I am sick with a cold or something. If I am puking or have the runs I won't work as it is not safe to leave six children alone while I am in the bathroom.

Taking care of myself is a top priority to me. No one is going to do it for me or guilt me into not doing it.

[sunnydays]

I don't close unless I am really sick (fever, stomach bug), but if I am that sick, I know I cannot care for the kids and I would be risking passing it on to them all as well. Then I let parents know the night before if possible and I don't feel guilty because I am human. Parents take sick days...we need to as well. Although it is a pain for parents, they CAN make arrangements...somet hing always works out...I have even had some parents thank me for the day off at home with their child ;) I think as long as it is not too frequent, parents are going to be quite understanding and if they are not, that is their problem.

[Cocoon]

I don't feel guilty to be honest. I know I'm really! sick if I take a day off and not pretending. I'm a workaholic and people who know me knows this and if I tell them that I won't be able to work that means I'm really sick and have no energy to work. So I don't feel guilty.

I know me not being able to work will affect families but this is part of life. People do get sick like they do and I do get sick too.

[Cadillac]

I've had the full-blown a few times. So I get it quickly. Problem is with pneumonia, one day isn't going to cut it. I'm fine though thank you

[Judy Trickett]

No, I don't. Now, I don't take a lot of sick days but I DO take days off for personal reasons - holidays, just want a day off etc. And I never feel guilty.

How many parents do you have in care who routinely take a day off work and STILL bring their child to care?? My guess is that there isn't a single provider on this board who doesn't have at least two or three of these parents in their care.

My point is, if the parents can take a PAID day off work, dump their child in care, and then go back to bed then why should we feel guilty taking a day off too??