Send Help... or a Backbone....

[jenboo]

Ugh I'm doing exactly what I told myself I wouldn't do after reopening my daycare.

DCM texted me tonight on my separate daycare phone number. I made the mistake reading it but didn't respond. DCB has been throwing up. They thought he was over it but threw up again at the 12 hr mark. She said he would be staying home tomorrow. Then a few hours later she texted again saying he hasn't thrown up in about 8 hr and is acting normal. She wants to bring him tomorrow. I responded (again, another mistake on my part) because I was worried they would show up at my door tomorrow morning and I would caught off guard and cave. So I said that DCB must be vomit free for 24 hrs before coming back. She responded saying that if he hasn't thrown up, they would bring him around noon. I said that the cut off for drop off is 9 but since I only have a couple kids tomorrow, they could bring him before nap.

Why????!!!!! Why cant i just say no? Why do I always feel so bad? I know better.... yet here I am

Please send help. My backbone is desperate.

[Josiegirl]

I bet we've all been there so don't beat yourself up. To me, it's always a hard call to make, especially with throwing up. I've sent kids home because they covered my home in vomit and they've been just fine thereafter. But then I've allowed kids back after that magic 24 hr. period and darn, if they weren't still sick a day or 2 later after they appeared just fine.
Wait and see how he acts and take it from there. But maybe tell dcm 'from now on.....' We really do need to enforce our own policies because otherwise how will they take them seriously.

[Cat Herder]

If he spreads it through your daycare, you will quickly develop that backbone. For some people, it needs to be experienced, personally. :hug:

Once he disrupts lunch and refuses to nap today you will remember next time. It gets easier through negative reinforcement.

[rosieteddy]

I let a parent do that once.They brought their child at 3pm.The next week I changed the policy to child must be fever and or vomit free a full day before return.You can still change your mind.You could call this morning and say sorry but child will be ok to come Tuesday if last time vomited was Sunday.No arrivals after 9 am.That way you keep to your currant policy .What are the chances 1.that the child will nap and 2.that parent is actually going to work.Good luck sometimes parents make your job so hard.

[Snowmom]

"After having a moment to consider the consequences of letting dcb arrive today, it is in the best interest of the group as a whole to stick to my illness policy and health department recommendations. He should be vomit and fever free for a full 24 hours before arrival and will be allowed back to daycare on Tuesday given no symptoms occur on Monday. Thank you for helping to keep our group healthy."

[Cat Herder]

If my comment sounded harsh, remember I once gave almost three years of free childcare for two kids only to have them leave for a center once they were finally approved for subsidy.

:hug::hug::hug:

[CountryRoads]

I'm the same way. I'm way better than I used to be, but I still struggle.

Like CH said, you'll know better for next time. When I feel bad about sending a child home or telling them they can't attend the next day, I always think about how bad I would feel if one of my own kids got sick because I allowed it to happen.

Just this summer, I had a child puke at pick-up. He acted completely fine all day and fine right after. Mom brought him the next day and I stupidly didn't say anything. Not 20 minutes after she left, he puked again. I kinda had a "ha ha!" moment since she got all the way to work just to have to turn around to come get him. He couldn't come back the next day and I ended up getting a paid day off happyface

The next Monday, a dcm told me dcg was puking over the weekend. I let the other dcm know that another child got what her child had. Lesson learned!

[jenboo]

If my comment sounded harsh, remember I once gave almost three years of free childcare for two kids only to have them leave for a center once they were finally approved for subsidy.

:hug::hug::hug:

Not harsh at all. It's the truth.
I know what I did. I knew better. I know I'm going to be regretting it later.

[Annalee]

Not harsh at all. It's the truth.
I know what I did. I knew better. I know I'm going to be regretting it later.

:hug:Hang in there, live and learn!

[jenboo]

They ended up keeping him home!

[Ariana]

Next time do what I do and say when they can return. That leaves out all questions or parents pushing policies.

“Little Timmy must be vomit free for 24 hours before returning to daycare so if he has not thrown up he can return on Wednesday”.

[jenboo]

Next time do what I do and say when they can return. That leaves out all questions or parents pushing policies.

“Little Timmy must be vomit free for 24 hours before returning to daycare so if he has not thrown up he can return on Wednesday”.

That's a good way to put it. I made the mistake when I left it at 24 hrs. I didn't specify that drop off cut off is 9am.

[Ariana]

That's a good way to put it. I made the mistake when I left it at 24 hrs. I didn't specify that drop off cut off is 9am.

Yep, been there done that!! Why are all parents the same?! It is frustrating that we have to be SO specific like that, you would think they had common sense and wouldn’t drop off exactly 24hrs.

[Valerie928]

I have a must be vomit free for 48 hours rule. I have been down the barf road one too many times to care what parents think of this rule anymore.