I think it helps when you are explaining this to parents at the interview that you would do the same for your own child(ren) as you couldn't leave her daughter etc to tend to your child. Also letting them know that this is standard practice with all home daycare's including most centres as they have to keep their ratios. I think that in a centre if a director/supervisor is available to go then they could free up the staff to go with the child but this isn't always the case with absences/vacations etc.