When your child is sick

[MommaL]

I'm just wondering what others do when their own children are sick? And I don't mean a mild cold, but rather are having symptoms which if your daycare kids had, they would be expected to stay at home. Do you still offer care if your kids are sick? Do you tell your daycare parents and give them the option of coming or not? And if they choose not to come, do you still charge them? How bad would your child's symptoms have to be for you to close for the day (or longer)?

Thanks for your thoughts!

[babydom]

It depends. Sometimes my husband will stay home and watch my kids if sick and I still work but let parents know I'm open but xxx is sick with. Or I just close to care for her usually if flu like diarrhea and throwing up. Or she's older now so if throw up and diarrhea is done like on a wkend and Monday she still needs to rest I open and she stays up or downstairs but I let the parents know she was sick on the wkend

[crafty]

I just let the parents know and they can choose to come or not but I don't close. I try to keep my kids in their room or living room with movies and books and that's it. Haven't had too much trouble with it.

[Daycare Momma]

I close if they are sick with something contagious. Otherwise They are told and it's up to them. They can choose to bring their child or keep them home and not pay me.

[Busy ECE mommy]

I close if it's something normally in my illness policy for daycare(vomit/diarrhea/high fever/pink eye/strep etc) If they've got a low fever, or just don't feel well, I keep them in their bedrooms for the day, away from the daycare area.

[mickyc]

If my child needs my full attention (throwing up) I close. Otherwise I let her stay upstairs while daycare is downstairs checking on her frequently. She is almost 6 though. I tell parents what she has so they can watch for symptoms. Chances are that the germs are in my home anyways.

[Suzie_Homemaker]

I think it double standard to open if your own child sick with something daycare child be excluded for. Whole reason for exclude is minimize contamination so it give message that your child protected from sickness from client but client child not protected when own child ill.

If able to have husband home, and keep own child fully isolated from shared space, maybe it different but if own child in daycare space, or common space, or in your care, then it total double standard.

Letting client know and choose is unfair. It place parent in situation of losing day at work to protect their child or take chance if not have job with flexibility. It make mockery of own requirement when client child ill and provider was not worried about risk to client when it her child so why should client be worried when it them.

[Paulo Gomes]

I think if your child is suffering high fever or diarrhea then home care is best I think. This is a very hard time for every parents. Sometime husband/wife has to sacrifice office rules. Last year I took three sick leaves as my daughter was in high fever. Daycare is fine but I was too afraid.