While I agree that not everyone can leave work to pick up a sick child at a drop of a hat, it's up to the parent to have provisions in place. This may sound like I don't care, but that's not it at all, I am just being realistic in running my business and doing what is best for me and my daycare children.

I came to Canada 8 years ago and had no back up care. No family, and no friends for quite some time so I get it completely when a parent has no back up. Now I have been doing daycare for 7 years and fortunately the original contract template I used had written in the contract that if a child is sick at daycare, they must be picked up and removed from daycare within 60 minutes. So, upon signing this is discussed and it is up to the parent to let me know whether this is feasible or not depending on the distance to their workplace, their ability to leave work right away or if they have family or friends closer who could collect the child in a pinch. I know the two parents who would not make it within the hour so they have back up to collect their child. If I did not have back up, I would for sure speak to my employer and make them aware of my situation and I can not imagine them arguing it even if they weren't happy about it. I understand in daycare centres that the ratios have to be kept, but that is why with staffing there are always supervisors/managers on shift who are not included in the ratio to allow for breaks and sickness.

It may sound harsh but the problem is not mine but theirs. They need to figure things out, even when it is difficult, and I just need to look out for the health and wellbeing of my household. I am a caregiver not only in my job but it is my personality type and I am just starting to learn to set boundaries. These types of people will take advantage of you over and over again. If you did this once and now don't like it, how do you justify not doing it again. Parent just says "You did it before, so what's the problem?" Does anyone not see a pattern that its always the same awkward parents who try and pull this crap on us. A parent who genuinely had problems with this arrangement would show remorse and what it seems to me in this case is that it was just plain inconvenient and that was the parents number one concern rather than how their child was.