Help Me with my NEW Sick Policy

[CPST_Manda]

I recently found out (via FB) that a new daycare family brought her kids to my house the next day after having a contagious stomach bug. One by one, we all got it. As a result my husband had to postpone a real estate exam he had scheduled. I had to postpone my daughter's 2nd birthday party (imagine Rotavirus in the lootbags!?!) I've also had to tell the mom of the other little boy I watch to stay home for 2 weeks because I didn't want him to get sick too. This has cost us 400.00 in daycare losses. Her son missed a day of care when *I* was vomiting and she had the nerve to ask me to make up the day, since my sick policy is that I don't get paid for sick days.

I'm thinking since parents have to pay me if their kids are sick... but I don't have to pay them if *I'm* sick, it's not very encouraging for parents to keep their sick kids home. Can someone help me with an updated policy on illness? I was thinking:

I now get a certain number of sick days.
If kids are sick they would pay 1/2 instead of the full day.

If they have a contagious illness I will require a doctor's note for re-entry into daycare.

I'm so angry that this family did this to me (and then LIED about when the kids were sick... thanks FB!) I really want to just ask them to leave care. I feel like she violated my entire family but I'm too shy to call her out on lying about the day her kids were sick etc. Any advice appreciated.

[Errbear]

People like this aren't likely to change and you'll find yourself in the same situation (or worse) in the future. Bust her on her lie using facebook. I've had my fair share of "drama", particularly with one family, who viollated each and every one of my contract policies at one point or another in their 11 months of care in my house. I let it go on for so long because I, like you, were too shy to confront them. Their kid was always bringing some sort of bug into the group and out of 25 or so colds/viruses that each of the dc kids had, all but 1 came from this kid. Mom even went as far as drugging her son before she dropped him off and not telling me that he had a fever of 102, was vomiting and had and major diarrhea. Guess what I stumbled onto after the drugs wore off...yep, another fever, more vomiting and even more diarrhea.

If I could do things over again I would have turfed their asses to the curb and filled that spot with a family that doesn't walk all over me or my contract, but this time around lesson learned. I've since changed my contract to be more in favor of the health and safety of the group and not about what is convenient for the family. I've also considered charging for a number of sick days per year, but with my current(and long term) clients, I don't feel the need. The remaining famillies are all awesome and after having seen what ole' mommy dearest did with her kid and how often their kids have been sick because of it, they all have a better appreciation for my contract and respect that when their kids are sick beyond a cold, they are to keep them home.

Would your other famillies be agreeable to the change? If not, then evolve your contract for any new famillies to pay. Any new family that doesn't agree to the changes/new contract would probably be a family you wouldn't want to work with anyway, so hold out for the ones that respect you enough to not have to have them pay for sick time. The right famillies wouldn't put you in that spot

Good luck! Sometimes stories like these make me so grateful for the fact that the disaster family I just referenced are gone, and the famillies I still have are so awesome.

[Momof4]

You will unfortunately always have inconsiderate people mixed in with the wonderful familes who come to your daycare. I have a little boy in my daycare who never actually gets really sick, but he's definitely a carrier. If he gets a sniffle and a bit of a cough the rest of us get pneumonia! It isn't his Mom's fault that she doesn't keep him home but he scares the bejebus out of me when he gets a little sick!

My sick policy also states that there must be a 24 hour period symptom-free after vomiting or diarrhea and that is really difficult to enforce. I always tell my clients that they would not want a child coming here with a flu bug to infect their child so they shouldn't bring their child here to infect all the others and me. I wrote 3 paid personal days into my contract a few years back so that if one of these little people infect me with a flu I will still get paid but it would be terrible to have 5 families inconvenienced because one family was inconsiderate as just happened to you.

[mom-in-alberta]

I have 4 paid personal days (in addition to stats and 10 days vacation). I reserve these days for when I (or my children) are too sick to have the daycare open.
When interviewing a family, I discuss this policy. I let them know that the reality is, with 4 kids, I MAY need to take an unexpected day off. I avoid this at all cost, but it happens. I also have it in my handbook that if their child is sick, they still pay regular fee. If I call them and give them the option of keeping the child home, and they choose to, they still pay regular fee. If I call and TELL them I am closing, then I will put that day down as a personal day.
I will make exceptions, in certain cases. The other day, my son was throwing up in the night. I had a p/t due, and called them in the morning to make them aware. I told them that I was fine, but they chose to keep their little guy home. They now have a "free" day to apply to the remainder of the month or to next month, since they pay in advance on the first.
People have been pretty good for this, thankfully. I think I have a policy that is fairly kind to me, haha, but I take the approach with parents of "putting the shoe on the other foot". They wouldn't appreciate having someone else bring their sick kid! I do have a 24 hour rule (no vomitting or runs), but it is very tough to enforce that.
I would definitely be cautious when dealing with this family. I would bet money that if you keep them in care, this is only going to be the first of many issues. Could be wrong.... but it just seems like a warning sign. I don't know if I would say or do anything now, but in future, they would be on a short leash!!

[playfelt]

Just remember that if you are going to have a very strict illness policy about the kids coming to care then your parents will expect you to adhere to the same policy as far as your own children go and you will end up taking a lot of unpaid days off while your own child is in that 24 hour window - running around the house appearing well, bored and unable to have his friends come to care and you not getting paid.

[samantha3]

I am sorry that this has happened to you! For my sick policy parents pay for the day regardless if there child is ill. If they have fever, vomiting, loose bm's,no energy etc they stay at home or I call for them to be picked up.

I also include three sick days a year, paid for myself ( I have not had to use one yet, knock on wood!)

I hope this helps and good luck!

[CPST_Manda]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I think I am going to change my contract.... WITH HER. Who says I have to have the same contract with every parent?! I don't charge her the same rate I charge other parents (another shocker to some of you vet's I'm sure lol) so she can accept my new terms of find new care. At this point, I don't care which.

i'm going to be sending this email (just to her)... what do you guys think?

POLICY CHANGES FOR 2012

Dear Parents,

I'm sending this email to inform parents of CHANGES to my current policy regarding illness and sick days.

Currently (part of) my sick policy is: If your child(ren) miss a day of care due to illness the full day rate applies but if I have to close my daycare due to illness parents get a refund. This policy is in need of immediate change to encourage parents to keep their sick child(ren) home so that I can ensure the health and safety of the other kids in care, my family, and also to protect myself from loss of income.

Effective immediately I am changing the policy to entitle me to 4 paid sick days. Instead of parents having to pay the full day rate when their child is absent due to illness I am changing that to 75% of the full day rate.

Parents who deliberately send a sick child to daycare will be asked to leave care. . The health of my family and my group of kids is my FIRST priority. I understand it's frustrating to have to pay for a day that your child does not attend care but this is my business and my sole source of income. I deserve the security of knowing how much money I will make on any given week and I also deserve to have the health of my family and other daycare children respected.

As a new daycare my policies may not be perfect so as issues arise I will amend and correct my policies and procedures accordingly. I thank you for your understanding and co-operation.

If anyone has any questions or concerns over the policy changes I would be happy to discuss them at drop-off/pick-up, over the phone etc.

See you all Monday.

[Momof4]

Remember that it is your business and you do not have to explain your reasons for your policies other than to say that it has become necessary to make changes for your home and the good of all families in your daycare.

Did you just renew your contract or do you renew them annually? I renew mine every Nov. 1st and only make changes once a year upon renewal. I do like to have the same contract for every family and I find that is fair and uncomplicated. If you have only one family who is desrepectful I can see why you would change only their contract but be careful this client doesn't start talking to one of the other clients, you know?

[CPST_Manda]

You're right Momof4... The policy will just become the new policy, if she doesn't like it... there are lots of other daycares to choose from. Pick one. lol

Her kids started with me at the beginning of December and so far she has sent them with a bad cough (on puffers) and now this.

[mom-in-alberta]

"As a new daycare my policies may not be perfect so as issues arise I will amend and correct my policies and procedures accordingly. I thank you for your understanding and co-operation."

The only part I would change, is the part that sort of "takes away" from you as a provider. Even the best of providers need to change policies and rules once in a while! Just remind them that, from time to time, revisions may be necessary.
Good luck with this!!