My Business In Jeapordy

A week ago I posted about how calm things were after one of my families left. Then I psoted about being full again (earlier than I even wanted). Now, I'm freaking out that my livelyhood could go down in smoke.

My fiance has had a weird rash on him for a month. He just started a new job and it looked like hives. We figured it was a bad reaction to some new materials he was working with in his consrution job.

Today we went to put a new frame on our bed. As we took the mattress off of the box spring my fiance found bed bugs.

I'm devestated. I have no bites on my what-so-ever, my little one is completely clear too. They seem to have foud something wonderful on my fiance though. when we looked them up on the internet it wasclear that his weird 'reaction' was bites.


I had to tell my current clients. Two of them are taking the rest of the week off so I can deal with this. One wasn't so forgiving. She straight out asked me if she should be looking for a new daycare. I didn't know what to tell her. It's horrible timing for her as she is starting a new job TOMORROW. We were joking this moring about emergency contacts as this would be the week something happened.

I will probably never know who brought them into my house, but this is a disaster. I have THREE new clients starting in the next week or two. One is booked for a playdate tomorrow, and another for the day after. Just cancling these appointments wont help as one is my neighbour and another was a referral from a current client.

If the tables were turned I would most likely run for the hills.

Has anyone ever dealt with this before? Were you successful in exterminating the first time? PM me if you dont feel like sharing out loud. I need help though.

YIKES! In Edmonton there is a bed bug explosion! A few years ago I lived in an apartment and even though it turns out my apartment didn't have them many others in the building did so we all got sprayed. I believe it took 2 treatments that were done within a week of each other. My brother lives in a building and in the year he's been in there his places has been sprayed three times, again luckily he didn't have them, just apartments around him.

Call an exterminator asap and have them come out right away. What was recommended to me when I had to get sprayed was to pack up ALL clothes, linens, blankets EVERYTHING and bring it to a commerical wash facility/laundry mat. The washers there usually have a sanitize cycle which kills them. Freezing things before you wash them also helps if I remember correctly. Leave everything in your car or garage in garbage bags until you are certian that your home is clear.

If you have/can rent/can buy a steam machine go over all mattresses, cots, couches etc with the steam machine and also rubbing alcohol. Vaccum everywhere, steam everywhere, spray everywhere. Empty your drawers and steam/spray along all seams. Do this with all furniture. Bed bugs are tenacious! You can get rid of them but it's a time consuming process. Luckily however it often can be done within a week or so. I really hope some of your larger items (mattresses, couch etc) aren't a write off. In the apartment I lived in a friend living in the building had to chuck his mattress as it was infested and couldn't be saved.

As for the parent that will be pulling her child... an over reaction IMO. Bed bugs can get anywhere from anything. It doesn't mean you don't keep a clean house. You can visit a public place, sit on an affected piece of furniture, bring a couple home on your shoe and then they multiply! Yes they give me the willies and I would be upset as a parent to have my child in an infected home but I would understand that it can happen to anyone.

Very sorry you're having to deal with this, keep me posted on how things go!

Oh I agree ~ pulling a child over this is MAJOR over reaction but I have seen people with unrealistic expectations for 'childcare' who would sadly ... this, lice, a child in the biting phase and any other array of things that just 'happen' even to awesome quality programs because they are not something you have 'control' over.

I have never dealt with bed bugs myself so have no first hand knowledge of what to suggest to get them under control but Toregones advice sounds awesome!

I know some people have stopped borrowing books from the library cause if the person before you had them it could be in the book ..... I'm scratching just thinking about them ! Best of luck

Thanks guys. The landlord should be on the phone with the exerminator right now. She tried to call last night but no one was open.

I will be doing everything I can this week - twice.

I opened up my home to every childhood disease, lice, you naame it. this was not something I ever banked on.

As for the women that threatened to pull her child, I don;t know what to say. Her child is my little ones best friend. I was heartbroken. My neighbour thoguht it was so ridiculous that she offered to let me hold my daycare in her home until I was sure I was bug free for the kids. I said no as I couldn't possiblly put her house at risk. But, the child's mother is starting a new job today, so this is the worst thing that could have happened i suppose.

I'm so devestated I want to cry. . . ok lets not lie . . . . i definitiely cried last night

What do I tell me three new clients?

Oh wow! How awful! I have no suggestions, but I just wanted to send hugs and prayers your way.
:( What awful timing!

So sorry you're going through this. It's my worst nightmare. One of my dck's last year had some weird spots on her, and her mom suggested I check for bed bugs. She treated it like it was no big deal at all! Apparently more than 40% of all apartment buildings in the GTA have bed bugs. They get through duct work.

About your fiance getting bites and not others, I have read that a lot of people will be bitten and not react at all. I guess your fiance is one of the unlucky ones.

What a mess, huh? FWIW, you can get a dog to come through and make sure you're "clean" after they do the treatment.

I'm having the fumigator in thurday (landlord is getting them) and I'm fronting the money for the extermination where they use heat (on friday) . . . then when I'm on vaation they are going to come back and fumigate again.

I'll have the dog come in twice about two weeks afterwards and then two months later after that.

My new dayare parents are super understanding and are eager to get in here next week (fancy that eh?) and then the parent that threatened to leave texted and told me she was upset and her reaction was poor (FANCY THAT!!!!) she's happy as I've foud her alternate are for the rest of the week so her first week at her job can run smoothly.

I think I'm going to be ok. I'm wondering if we brought it back from a cabin trip about 6 weeks ago.

Anyways, thanks for the support. I was a mess last night and this morning until everything was planned and my parents calmed LOL

I'm in the midst of paking up and cleaning me entire house its and incredible amout of work but im all for doing it right the first time.

Glad everything is starting to work out for you. Hopefully everything goes smoothly and you can return to normal quickly.

Cadillac, I'm so sorry you are dealing with this situation, it's so unfair! I do a lot of travelling and this is something I always worry will happen someday. Who knows how it happened, but you are dealing with it responsibly and you've been honest with your clients. I hope they are all sensible and can see that you are doing your best to clear up the problem and you don't lose any clients.

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Originally Posted by Crayola kiddies

I know some people have stopped borrowing books from the library cause if the person before you had them it could be in the book ..... I'm scratching just thinking about them ! Best of luck

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Now, that scares me because I get books from the library weekly.

I think we're going to be okay. After two days of moving things and cleaning and laundry we are done our first treatment. I'm so tired, but in no longer disheartened.

I will be checking every bed I even sit on from from now until eternity. I've learned my lesson

Oh hon ~ glad it is over for you .... just reading this thread makes my skin crawl and want to check for these things as well.

I know we do at hotels but to be honest I had never crossed my mind that a client could bring them in to the program with their clothing or stuffed animals :unsure:

I've heard about them being found in library books as well...to be honest I haven't taken out any books since then :( Although I know that you can pick them up many other places...I just get creeped out thinking about it! I'm glad you are getting through this and that your clients are understanding. No fun at all!

Never had bed bugs but about three years ago my daughter came home from school with lice. I know exactly how you feel. Not only does something like that make you feel like a massive dirt bag, but your business is truly effected. Making the phone calls to all my parents felt really embarasing until I talked to the first couple parents and they were so understanding. i closed for the rest of the week to do a major overhaul of the entire house floor to ceiling. cried my eyes out for my daughter, stayed up allnight long washing the laundry, bedding, carpets. burned all pillows and bagged all the kids toys. crazy crazy crazy. (big germaphobe) :) none the less, no parent left my care over it, they were all great and understanding, it cld happen to anyone! maybe that one mom is just stressed over the new job.

I would tell your new clients the truth, perhaps that can be a real test in their character. if they dnt come after knowing perhaps they werent worth having in the first place. any decent person wld understand and make arrangments to try back in a week or so. good luck! :)