Is It Appropriate To Take A Quick Shower While The Kids Are Napping?

[Blackcat31]

It vomit. I believe the child has the stomach virus going around. I missed the discussion on Cafemom about this, I haven't been on there in awhile. Would someone mind posting a link? I'm not sure what I will do. If it was just on my clothes it wouldn't be as big of a deal but it went down my shirt. I haven't made a decision yet on what to do...

Here are two links to the discussion.

Here is the original thread:

http://www.cafemom.com/group/115189/forums/read/19331175/Would_you_be_mad_at_your_child_care_provider_if

Here is the spin off of that thread

http://www.cafemom.com/group/115189/forums/read/19333546/S_O_Childcare_provider_showering_during_naptime_Add_on

[Scout]

I do. I hop in about the time my dh will be home because I work at 5pm and need to eat dinner, etc. before I go in. Al

[Scout]

I do. I hop in about the time my dh will be home because I work at 5pm and need to eat dinner, etc. before I go in. All exits are bolted and chained and baby gate is up to block stairs. The little guy is in a pnp and all others on cots. These kids are 2-4 yrs old. I shower with my own kids asleep so I don't see the difference.

[jenboo]

I would jump in the shower at nap time. I would put my shower cap on and be in and out in two minutes. Just a super quick scrub with soap.
It takes me longer than that to poop and i dont wait for naptime to do that.

If i worked at a center, I would go home on my lunch break and take a quick shower.

Yes it is a risk but i dont see it being more of a risk than pooping with the children there.

[cara041083]

I am legally unlicensed. I would shower and change clothes immediately if I had vomit on me. I wouldn't even wait til naptime. Vomit is a contaminant and can transmit germs, especially things like norovirus. It is unhygienic as well as unpleasant. I would gate off older children in a safe area and make sure little ones were safe in a high chair or crib in a separate area. Take a monitor into the bathroom or leave the door open and go fast. I'd probably put a kids show on for the older kids. It's rare I do so they'd be unlikely to move while it was on. I go to the bathroom with DCK are here and I shower fast so I wouldn't be in there much longer than a bathroom run.

Edited to add: this is for actual vomit - spit up I would use wipes and wait til nap or til the kids went home depending how bad it was.

OK not to be rude, but what if that child you stuck in a high chair decided to try to get out and fell. Or the older kids accidentally saw you naked? Or stuck something in there mouth and choked? Then what would you tell the parents as to why they was in a highchair unsupervised or saw you naked. or why they were unsupervised in general. If I was that parent you had to explain that too I would not be too happy Nor would I want my provider taking showers while they are supposed to be watching my kids.

[Unregistered]

Op

Here are two links to the discussion.

Here is the original thread:

http://www.cafemom.com/group/115189/forums/read/19331175/Would_you_be_mad_at_your_child_care_provider_if

Here is the spin off of that thread
http://www.cafemom.com/group/115189/...naptime_Add_on

Thank you !

[Unregistered]

Personally, baby vomit-- especially after a bottle? No. A child's vomit, especially with a temp and with the Noro and Enterovirus being prevalent? Not a shower but definitely a change of clothes would be in order. In fact, we have it in our policies. Where I work per diem two weekends per month we are required to change our scrubs if we get human waste, blood, or infectious fluids on our clothing. Period. I think the same would apply in the home. I would also wipe down my exposed skin with antibacterial wipes and all exposed surfaces. But, that's just me and the type of environment we run here. It happens quite often and no parent has ever been upset. We tell our staff to keep a couple changes of clothes here in their lockers.

[MamaBearCanada]

My licensing says sight OR sound too but the risk is simply too high.

If and that's a BIG if, but IF something happened during those 5 minutes I was in the shower, I couldn't live with myself and I certainly wouldn't want to have to explain or justify my actions.

Like a PP said, it's baby puke. Whatever...most of us have had worse "stuff" on us.

I don't know...I am NOT a girly-girl and stuff like that doesn't gross me out, freak me out of make me uncomfortable. I knew this job was messy going in.

Also just because we work in our homes, doesn't mean that it's ok to take care of personal needs besides eating and toileting while we are on the clock.

What would a center provider do?

A preschool teacher?

An elementary school teacher?

Here a teacher would get Admin to cover their class and shower or at least wash and change at school. There is no way the union would stand for someone working covered in vomit. It is a health risk for the teacher and other students.

[Blackcat31]

Thank you !

No problem, but just a word of warning....those ladies over there are MAJOR drama mama's and I don't think anyone really monitors that group but you "might" be able to get a little perspective from parents by reading it.

If not, then it will at least be somewhat entertaining to read.

Honestly, this is maybe something you should just bring up to your parents and give them the details of what happened today (baby vomiting on you) and see what they say/think and how they feel about it.

Their opinions are really the only ones that matter.

[Blackcat31]

Here a teacher would get Admin to cover their class and shower or at least wash and change at school. There is no way the union would stand for someone working covered in vomit. It is a health risk for the teacher and other students.

But someone else is supervising the kids so....

[TwinKristi]

OK not to be rude, but what if that child you stuck in a high chair decided to try to get out and fell. Or the older kids accidentally saw you naked? Or stuck something in there mouth and choked? Then what would you tell the parents as to why they was in a highchair unsupervised or saw you naked. or why they were unsupervised in general. If I was that parent you had to explain that too I would not be too happy Nor would I want my provider taking showers while they are supposed to be watching my kids.

I'm not that poster, but the same thing could happen if you went to use the restroom and washed your hands. The same thing could happen while you changed a really messy diaper. Or perhaps like the provider recently who was right there when a child picked up a toy they shouldn't have had access to and perhaps swallowed it. I understand your point, but I have been stuck going to the bathroom (TMI but sometimes after having your gallbladder removed you have some nasty BMs when you eat certain foods... not always the same foods!) while the kids were asleep and I was so thankful this happened during nap time and not while they were all awake!
I guess thinking as a parent myself, if my baby threw up all over my provider and she waited until naptime to take a quick shower, I really wouldn't mind. But I have faced far worse actions from a provider so I guess it's all relative.

[Unregistered]

Op

No problem, but just a word of warning....those ladies over there are MAJOR drama mama's and I don't think anyone really monitors that group but you "might" be able to get a little perspective from parents by reading it.

If not, then it will at least be somewhat entertaining to read.

Honestly, this is maybe something you should just bring up to your parents and give them the details of what happened today (baby vomiting on you) and see what they say/think and how they feel about it.

Their opinions are really the only ones that matter.

I haven't ever been to the mom confessions group there before. I have only read a few comments and I see what you mean!! The discussion will be my entertainment during nap time! Lol!

[MamaBearCanada]

OK not to be rude, but what if that child you stuck in a high chair decided to try to get out and fell. Or the older kids accidentally saw you naked? Or stuck something in there mouth and choked? Then what would you tell the parents as to why they was in a highchair unsupervised or saw you naked. or why they were unsupervised in general. If I was that parent you had to explain that too I would not be too happy Nor would I want my provider taking showers while they are supposed to be watching my kids.

If you don't feel comfortable with them strapped in a highchair put them in a pack and play. I was making the assumption that the provider would leave them in a safe area without having to list every detail. If DCK are in a safe area i am assuming there is nothing for them to climb, no choking hazards etc. They would be no more unsupervised than when you go to the bathroom. Also not sure how they would see me naked if they didn't have access to the bathroom? Also, here being within sound is not considered unsupervised.

I would prefer my provider take a QUICK shower than have vomit on their person that my child could come into contact with. I would not recommend taking a shower because you skipped it in the am but to wash off bodily fluids then yes.

[MamaBearCanada]

But someone else is supervising the kids so....

Good point...

But then if the provider can hear them and within sight Or sound is allowed aren't the DCK also being supervised?

[Blackcat31]

I'm not that poster, but the same thing could happen if you went to use the restroom and washed your hands. The same thing could happen while you changed a really messy diaper. Or perhaps like the provider recently who was right there when a child picked up a toy they shouldn't have had access to and perhaps swallowed it. I understand your point, but I have been stuck going to the bathroom (TMI but sometimes after having your gallbladder removed you have some nasty BMs when you eat certain foods... not always the same foods!) while the kids were asleep and I was so thankful this happened during nap time and not while they were all awake!
I guess thinking as a parent myself, if my baby threw up all over my provider and she waited until naptime to take a quick shower, I really wouldn't mind. But I have faced far worse actions from a provider so I guess it's all relative.

If something did happen during the day while you were busy...it sure would be a lot easier to explain to licensing, parents etc that I was changing a poopy diaper when xx incident occurred verses having to explain that I was taking a 5 minute shower.

Yes, things can happen at ANY time and sadly what you (providers in general) were doing during that time will be important if that "something" is really serious.

Just not a risk I think providers should take.