Need to vent... Parents mad that I took 2 sick days this month

[Inspired by Reggio]

Manue ... I am so sorry that you have a client who is giving you such disrespectful treatment ~ my advice is to CALL them on it and do not tolerate it!

Reality is that while there are so many awesome PROS to choosing home childcare this is the one and only CON when we close the CLIENTS have to have a PLAN for back up arrangements .... if they have a job that is not flexible, if they have no family supports or other people to draw on then my advice to them is that they seek CENTRE CARE where care is available basically 5 days a week 52 weeks a year regardless of staff illness or vacation with exception of Stat holiday closures because THAT is the level of care they obviously need if taking two sick days is going to cause them to 'loose their job'!

When I interview prospective clients a very large portion of the interview questions and conversation is around this CON of home childcare and do they have supports in place for my PLANNED ONES because I am closed for 10 stats, 10 vacation days and do they have BACK UP for a minimum of 10 unplanned sick/emergency day ones either in ample sick days and vacation of their own or support from family and so forth and if a client DID NOT than I honestly would not sign them on because I do not do GUILT TRIPS when I am sick or have a family emergency to deal with ... I have actually told prospective clients that 'if I have to call in sick or have a family emergency I am well aware it is 'inconvenient' to clients and it takes a lot for me to choose to close in the first place so in that moment when I call in the last thing I need to HEAR is unsupportive comments about how the timing sucks or what not and if I DO hear unsupportive comments it will be the last 'closure' they will have to worry about because our arrangement will be over. I worked in centre care too many years for bosses who were ASSES about calling in sick and would have staff in the centre puking in the bathroom or coughing up a lung or in dire pain while trying to care for a room full of 24 children barely 'there' because management was to self absorbed to come into ratio to allow staff to go home ~ not dealing with that in my own home!

Sometimes I think we need to be professional and assertive about what our expectations for treatment are because some people in society treat providers like a 'slave' for lack of a better phrase like we have no rights and should just be grateful when they pay us ... and basically we need to stand up and 'demand' to be treated in the manner we think we deserve ... personally any man who treated me like you are sharing here would be DONE in my program that day ... it is rude and disrespectful ... their termination notice would come with care if terminated effective TODAY and here are some 'centre contacts' for them to consider as better able to suit their needs!

Life is too short not to wake up every morning being passionate about what you do and no amount of money is worth being treated like a door mat!