People like this aren't likely to change and you'll find yourself in the same situation (or worse) in the future. Bust her on her lie using facebook. I've had my fair share of "drama", particularly with one family, who viollated each and every one of my contract policies at one point or another in their 11 months of care in my house. I let it go on for so long because I, like you, were too shy to confront them. Their kid was always bringing some sort of bug into the group and out of 25 or so colds/viruses that each of the dc kids had, all but 1 came from this kid. Mom even went as far as drugging her son before she dropped him off and not telling me that he had a fever of 102, was vomiting and had and major diarrhea. Guess what I stumbled onto after the drugs wore off...yep, another fever, more vomiting and even more diarrhea.

If I could do things over again I would have turfed their asses to the curb and filled that spot with a family that doesn't walk all over me or my contract, but this time around lesson learned. I've since changed my contract to be more in favor of the health and safety of the group and not about what is convenient for the family. I've also considered charging for a number of sick days per year, but with my current(and long term) clients, I don't feel the need. The remaining famillies are all awesome and after having seen what ole' mommy dearest did with her kid and how often their kids have been sick because of it, they all have a better appreciation for my contract and respect that when their kids are sick beyond a cold, they are to keep them home.

Would your other famillies be agreeable to the change? If not, then evolve your contract for any new famillies to pay. Any new family that doesn't agree to the changes/new contract would probably be a family you wouldn't want to work with anyway, so hold out for the ones that respect you enough to not have to have them pay for sick time. The right famillies wouldn't put you in that spot

Good luck! Sometimes stories like these make me so grateful for the fact that the disaster family I just referenced are gone, and the famillies I still have are so awesome.