What would you do?

[playfelt]

Having the child in care and not home with the sick parent actually limits the spread of the germs in the sense that just because a parent has brought an illness home from work it doesn't necessarily mean it will spread to the rest of the family. You are really doing your daycare a favour by keeping the child at care while the mom is home sick. Assumption is that they will take as many precautions as they can limiting hugs and kisses, sharing of utensils, etc. and the other parent doing as much close contact care as they can rather than the sicky parent.

Where some caregivers have issues is with sick siblings in the sense of once an illness has passed to one child the chances are greater the other sibling will also catch it but again there are no guarantees.

This is also a place where we have to be careful not to punish our parents for honesty. Parent could have said not feeling well so staying home and left it at that. The fact she was honest and told you what illness she was dealing with so you could take informed action for the day should be rewarded not punished. By knowing you are dealing with strep throat you can watch closer for signs of illness, decide that blowing bubbles or feathers is no longer on the plan for the day to limit the germs that might be passed into the air etc.