Sick :(

[Littledragon]

So about three weeks ago I got sick. I caught a random cold, three days later, my son got sick, two days after that my charge got sick. Now, it seems they've been passing the cold back and forth. My son was "healthy" for about three days, then about 4 days ago, he woke up from his nap congested with a runny eye. He's had a cough since he was sick last time and now the charge has a cough too (his nose has been running since the first time they got sick). Now I have a SORE THROAT! Good lord! I've decided to close the daycare for the remainder of the week. Hopefully, four days will give us all time to get healthy.

I'm wondring, how do you guys handle asking the child to stay home when YOU'RE the one who got them sick in the first place?? What are your sickness policies? Like, neither of the kids are ACTING sick, but this runny nose is killing me. It's been three weeks that they've had runny noses!

[gcj]

I work through colds and runny noses. I close for the stomach flu or infections.

[Spixie33]

There are days I DREAM of closing for a sick day. Laying on the couch with nothing to do and pretty much guaranteeing that I don't get up. It has been a few years since I have been sick to that point.

I wouldn't close for a runny nose. You won't get rid of them until about July. The runny noses seem to go from one to another and then you get a week or two of dry noses and then someone starts again. No big deal.

personally I try to ensure that I get lots of Vit C and my own kids do and then we do lots of hand washing and nose wiping.

I hope it works for you though

[apples and bananas]

I'm the same. I make sure my own kids get lots of the right vitamins so they're fighting it off. It's usually my daughter who brings it home from school anyways.

I don't close unless I'm physically unable to take care of kids. If my kids come down with something I always send the parents a text in the morning letting them know what it is and I'm open regardless, but if they choose to stay home they will not be charged for the day.

This week I have 2 with runny noses and coughs when they lay down, my own little guy has a cough too (and a ton of hives eek)

I make sure the bedding is changed regularly while everyone is runny too.

Hope your few days off resets everyone and next week starts off better.

[michellesmunchkins]

i would never close for a cold and would never send a child home with a runny nose. If that was the case I'd only ever be open a couple months a year haha. Runny noses are all a part of the job. I work through them. Lots of vitamin C and fresh air!

[Lou]

I wouldn't close for a cold either...I'm having a horrible one right now! My son too. And actually you can't pass colds back and forth, once you've had a cold virus you won't get it again..only a new one. It's a gross time of year for bugs and it sounds like you guys just keep getting different ones. Once it dries up some and warms up, everyone will be feeling much better! In the meantime, double your sanitizing routine!

[Mamma_Mia]

Unless I had fevers or strep.....something that would make me bed-ridden, OR if my own daughter is ill, I'm open.

runny noses are a staple it's like dirty diapers - part of the job. If they have a high fever or eye discharge or puke etc. they stay at care as well. Just a runny nose....sorry no

Make sure you lysol everything once they leave, mop the floors daily and change pillow cases daily...that should help the passing it around. Also be extra on top of washing hands for everyone after everytime a nose is blown....heck I'd make them do it every 30min because we all know they are wiping it off with their hands too!

[Crayola kiddies]

I don't close for colds either ..... Sheesh I'd be closed from October to may. As much as I'm not a fan of wiping snot all day it is part of it

[sunnydays]

Same goes for me. I wouldn't/couldn't close for colds or send kids home because of colds or I would be closed most of the time. You actually CAN get the same cold more than once...just not flus, so it is very possible that it is being passed back and forth. However, this is your new reality as a daycare provider I am afraid. Most of the year I have at least one and usually several kids at a time with runny noses, coughs etc. If they have a fever or some infection, I send them home or if they are totally miserable and obviously feeling really unwell, but otherwise, we just have to put up with it and do your best to keep healthy.

[lisjoh]

Hi all, I am new here and reading my way thru. I was just wonder if you have parents pay for days their child is not in daycare due to illness.