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View Full Version : Closure due to MY children's illness



AcornsFalling
11-01-2013, 11:43 AM
My own two children have been ill all week with a bad cold, for my little one, it did turn into croup. Thankfully they have been on the mend since Wednesday but still have a cough and are a bit tired.
In my policy I don't charge for days where I am closed due to my own or my children's illness. I was closed Monday - Wednesday, but was willing to open on Thursday and today as my children are returning to normal energy with minor symptoms. My policy states that children can return to care once they have normal energy and are able to participate in the program even if cold symptoms are still present. As sometimes these minor symptoms can take weeks to go away.
The parents of my one dck decided to keep him home for the whole week as they did not want him exposed to any germs from my kids, even though I was willing to take him back on Thursday.
This has meant a considerable loss of income for me. I was wondering how other dc providers handle this situation. I can't force the parents to bring him back since they are concerned about him catching the virus but at what point to you say that you are open and that you expect to be paid even though your children are still showing minor cold symptoms? I have made it clear to the parents that I except to be 'open for business' on Monday.
Normally I have the opposite problem, parents bringing their child back too early but this family has other childcare available at the moment (free).
Just wondering how others handle this.
TIA!

Fearlessbaby
11-01-2013, 11:56 AM
In my policy, I state that I'm allowed 7 sick days per year for times when either me or my child are sick- I haven't used any yet, but it saves me from losing income

mommyof2princesses
11-01-2013, 11:58 AM
If I am open and the parents don't bring their child they still have to pay me. If I am closed due to vacation (excluding stats) or illness they don't pay me.

5 Little Monkeys
11-01-2013, 12:28 PM
If I'm closed for my own illness they don't pay. Once I say I am open for business again they pay whether they decide to send their child or not.

mickyc
11-01-2013, 12:30 PM
If I am open then I charge. It is their choice to not bring their child. A few weeks ago my daughter was sick. I emailed all parents in the morning saying that I was closing that day at 1 so that I could take my daughter to the doctor. For days I close half day I only charge $15. I ended up with all parents making alternative arrangements but they still had to pay me $15 for the day. (when my daughter is not feeling well she lays on the couch upstairs away for the other children and if she is really sick then I send her to grandma's). Chances are the germs are in your house and the children have already been exposed to it anyways. I say charge them for Thursday and Friday.

playfelt
11-01-2013, 01:21 PM
At what point did you let the parents know that you would be open yesterday in the sense of if it was after the end of the daycare day they may have felt they needed to tell the other person doing the care they would be needed on Thursday too.

If you were open you should be paid whether they come or not. It is also possible that they are questioning if enough days have passed from the croup diagnosis for child to actually return to daycare. If it had been a daycare child would you have taken them back.

AcornsFalling
11-01-2013, 03:51 PM
I have spoken with the parents each evening and morning to update. I guess it is a judgement call, how sick is too sick, and how long to be away. I think that if they did not have the family member present to care for the child, they would be willing to send him back sooner as it would have been a major inconvenience to them. However since they do have the childcare they can keep him home without inconvenience this time.
I am sure this boy will eventually get sick, then I will expect the same from them and then they will be paying for those days that he is away.

kimg
11-05-2013, 01:35 PM
If I'm closed for my own illness they don't pay. Once I say I am open for business again they pay whether they decide to send their child or not.

Ditto this.