The runny noses have begun

[apples and bananas]

I've gone so long with no sickness at all in my house... and we started the season great. But it's caught up with us. This morning I woke up with a stuffy nose and one my little ones came in with a runny nose, mom's sick, the other little one is starting fall under the weather. UGH! Get out the hand sanitizer and Lysol. And above all, I have a 13 month old that will not keep anything out of his mouth. I spend all day saying " little johnny, not in your mouth " Nothing I do works, it's been an ongoing issue since he started 6 weeks ago. Drives me bananas!

[kidlove]

I here ya sister!!!!! Just added to my post about Mom picking up early.....come to find out..they are both ILL, went home yesterday to go to bed and didn't bother informing me they were so sick. Then have enough nerve to blame the daycare.!!!! take your meds, do you have any vit d-3 and c's......oooooh, my favorite is "air-born" do you have any of that, works great! FEEL BETTER! :)

[Littledragon]

I hear ya!! My son started an eye infection yesterday (he gets an eye infection EVERY TIME he gets sick) and he's a little stuffy and runny. My older kid just coughed and he's a little congested too. Is it bad I'm hoping they all get sick so they don't come and I can get a long weekend? LOL Is that bad? I'm such a bad person LOL

But I hope you feel better! What a yucky time of year!

[playfelt]

I've got one away today too - the baby so hoping no one else got it but all the kids and parents have been a little under and stuffy and pickier on eating, touchier in play, etc so think everyone is really fighting something but the baby just doesn't have the immunities yet. If anyone is going to get it now it will likely be me since I am the one the baby breathed and snotted on.

[Crayola kiddies]

I have three that are coughing, sneezing and snotting.... I hope my kids and I dont get it .... Good luck to everybody

[Toregone]

The kiddos here have been passing a cold back and forth for about 3 weeks now. It seems like every time they have all managed to get rid of it one particular girl will show up with a runny nose again. Just clear discharge not yellow or green so I could refuse care lol. Then it starts again.

It doesn't help that I have 3 kids that will NOT keep things out of thier mouths. Someone tell me, is that a girl thing? The 2 boys never put anything in thier mouth but the 3 girls (22 mos, 23 mos, and almost 3) still do. Worst offender is the almost 3 year old. This astounds me as my son (just turned 3 this month) has been over that stage for a VERY long time.

I'm wiping noses, passing out sanitizer, cleaning the toys more often, lysol wiping every surface constantly, washing hands frequently and nothing seems to be kicking this thing out of my house. I hate colds. >_<

[horsegirl]

This is a brutal time of year for colds and sickness. It takes at least 3 weeks to pass through the daycare and then some other bug hits everyone. I have a policy that if the child has a runny nose either clear or green/yellow they must stay home as this seems to be the fastest way to spread the germs. Parents may not like this, but I explain that if I get sick and have to take time off many families will suffer.

[Momof4]

We have a very dangerous job ladies.

All of my dckids are sick with several different colds so I can potentially catch 5 different viruses which will make me very sick. And in 3 days I'm getting on an international flight to an 8 day dream vacation. Aaaaaaaarrrrrrrrgggg ggghhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!

[Mamma_Mia]

I've been stuffy but not running....

My daughter is at the runny stage and dcg isn't herself today. Her mom is home sick so that gives about 2 days before she's at it too. 5yr old dcg got home from school and was laying down and fell sleep. She then wanted to cuddle (great, pass on the germs) poor girl wasn't herself and I felt so bad so she slept in my arms until mom got there. So......if it's not "here" it's coming BOOOOOO!!!!

[jazmic]

I'd be curious to know what people's policies on colds are. So far I haven't refused care for any type of cold and I've had all kinds from the clear discharge to the thick green/yellow kind... does anyone refuse care for colds?

[Starshine]

We've all got colds here too. :/

[apples and bananas]

I'd be curious to know what people's policies on colds are. So far I haven't refused care for any type of cold and I've had all kinds from the clear discharge to the thick green/yellow kind... does anyone refuse care for colds?

Mine is basic. If they are well enough to participate then they can attend. I'm not concerned about passing around the common cold as they are mostly contagious before we even know we've got them. But I always let the parents know that we have some runny noses starting. Just so they're aware.

I don't allow fevers, severe diarhea, rashes until seen by a doctor etc.

[Toregone]

My policy states runny noses as long as it's clear discharge but I have accepted the green/yellow when I see the progression of the cold. If on Monday the child comes with a clear discharge running nose and by Thursday it's changed color and they've added a cough but are still running around full tilt I don't care.

More than one instance of diarhea is not allowed, nor is a fever (unless child is teething and the fever is MILD and not affecting thier ability to play), no vomiting, rashes are not allowed.. pretty basic and standard.

[playfelt]

Two of my daycare kids are now out with bronchitis and on antibiotics. Expect the one back tomorrow probably but not sure about the other. One is the baby I posted about yesterday. The snots seem to have been continuously coming and going and each time they come back he is worse. That is what prompted mom to visit the doctor in that it was obvious he was fighting something but losing the battle. So hard to see this in a 12 month old.

[sunnydays]

Really, you send them home for runny noese? Do you find parents are okay with this? I don't think I'd have any kids all winter if I did this. I just send them home for fevers, diahrea, vomiting, rashes, etc or if they are just too miserable to participate in daily activities. My kids have all been passing a cold back and forth for the past 3 weeks too...it sucks but I think it is just part of life with small children. They have to build their immune systems. I just stock up on the kleenex.

[Toregone]

This is my first winter doing the daycare but just from personal experience I have never seen a yellow/green discharge last for longer than a day or so without other symptoms coming out. I make the call then. If it's just a cold then whatever, if it's something more serious than I talk to the parents. For just a runny nose though no I wouldn't send home. It's unrealistic to even think of sending a child every time his/her nose was running haha.

[kidlove]

momof4........so jealous! I know it's not right to envy others.....but I envy you!!!!:) have a great vacation. take lots of vitamin c and D. get your rest. (sometimes all it takes is the change of weather on a vacation to catch something) bring back up meds with you. ;)

[kidlove]

Regular cold (runny nose, maybe a cough or two through the day) is fine, BUT...excessive coughing/sneezing, heavy drainage, green/yellow drainage, any fever, vomit, diahrea,upset tummy, or lethargic, lack of good appetite, or just plain "down in the dumps" and wanting Mommy...they have to go home, with a check-up call and my "ok" before returning. I HATE SICKNESS! and it spreads fast.

[Lou]

We JUST got over our first fall cold (went through all of us!)...I give it 2-3 weeks before we're struck again! 'Tis the season!!!

[Momof4]

No, I don't send children home with colds either unless they have a fever because that's a symptom of a deeper problem, like an infection in the ears, lungs, throat, tonsils, etc. I have a list of the most contagious childhood illnesses listed in my contract and I've been lucky so far to have parents who keep their child home when they can see that they are feeling very unwell.

But I was the parent who worked outside the home all my life until I opened my daycare almost 5 years ago, so I can understand how hard it is for parents to take a sick day. A lot of employers really give you a hard time when you take a sick day. At my last job we were allowed 10 sick days a year but we got a stern warning if we used 3! Why do they tell you that you have 10?

[kidlove]

Nobody cares about anyone else in this world, you are a number to them and half (or more it seems) of employers today also could care less if you have children either. "oh you want Christmas off to spend with your children?, your not dedicated enough!" yuck!
can I just say I LOVE WORKING FOR MYSELF!!!!!!!