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melco
24-10-2012, 05:59 PM
So basically I receive a call from lo mum at 2.45pm and he is supposed to be with me at 2.30pm to see if her lo can be dropped off after school run as he is asleep, I explained that I would not be home until 3.50pm which she said was too late but he is still asleep as he was unwell last night. I asked her what she meant when she said he was unwell and she well he was sick last night :( he brought up his dinner and they gave him something else to eat and he was sick again but he was fine now. I then told her that if he was sick I can not have him, explained sickness policy and that I have to think of the other children in my care. She was not happy and said that she had to be at work in 45minutes and when I usually have a day off she can sort childcare but she has no one available and that it was my dinner that caused it!! :angry:I explained again that I could not risk it. I also said that as its 48 hours I could not have him tomorrow as well and as he is term time I would see her after the half term and she then terminated the call.

I text her as I just wanted to make her understand, I was not rude and just put that I had to follow my policy and that I hope he feels better soon.

Her reply though I felt was rude she put.

He is fine. He does not have a stomach bug. He brings up food easily when he coughs. maybe spaghetti bolognese were spicy. he has not vomited his breakfast or lunch.

I did not want to argue with even though spaghetti bolognese was not spicy, she never mentioned that the coughing had made him sick in the earlier conversation and it can still be a sickness bug even if he has not been sick since last night.

I replied to the text just saying - My policy for any sickness/vomiting is 48 hour exclusion whatever the cause. I am sorry but I have a duty to the other children in my care and my own children so have to follow my policy. Sorry.

I have not had a reply.

This is the same lo where I have had parents pick him up late, he is due to be picked up at 6.30pm and the other week it was 7pm before he was picked up, he screams for most of the time he is with me, its not a crying scream its just really loud and he does it to get something he wants. I was considering giving notice due to the problems and now I feel I want to even more. Tonight without him has made me enjoy my job so much more, I have been able to play games with the other children and just have a real laugh and its made me realise what I enjoy about the job.

So my question is did I do the right thing? And what should I do now?

Sorry its a long one and any advice will be appreciated.

Thanks

Melco x

Little Pickles
24-10-2012, 06:07 PM
I think you know the answer to this , tonight has shown you that.
I would let the dust settle after this sickness incident ( and I always quote HPA to give back up to my policy ) and then give notice . Life is too short to feel so unhappy if you can avoid it !
Good luck :)

melco
24-10-2012, 06:49 PM
If I do give notice what do I put?

As he is term time and I give 4 weeks notice would that include next week or would it be 4 weeks from when he comes back after half term?

What should I say if she asks why?

Argh!!:panic:

Little Pickles
24-10-2012, 07:04 PM
Notice period cannot include any time off so you would have to work that out when you write your notice.
By the sounds of the strained conversation you had I wouldn't be surprised if she was looking for alternative care - not saying it was your fault but personally if I had fallen out with a care provider for my child I wouldn't be happy continuing the relationship .( but having said that I am totally non confrontational whereas some people seem to thrive on it !)
It's upto you how you proceed from now , you could be totally honest and say that due to recent events you feel that you could not work together anymore , or you could use the half term week to let the dust settle and then just quote change of circumstances / reducing working commitments etc .
Good Luck :)

hectors house
24-10-2012, 07:09 PM
Depends on which contracts you use If you use NCMA contracts then you need to give 4 weeks notice after half term when child comes back - as notice period should not include holidays or unpaid time off on either party. Not sure what Morton Michel contracts say as haven't bought their contracts yet.

Sickness is a hard one to exclude for, as some children are just sick in the night if the meal they ate is hard to digest - we had to stop giving our eldest daughter boiled egg for tea as the white can be hard to digest when your body is lying down and resting and she would always be sick in the night - she was the same if she had stir fry with beansprouts - neither was nice to clear up in the middle of the night :eek:

But it doesn't sound as if parent gave you all the facts to start with or maybe she added coughing to the story later hoping to change your mind.

As you were considering giving notice anyway, I would just accept that this is the final straw and cut your losses - good luck with the notice and hope it isn't too much of a strain to work it out.

karensmart4
24-10-2012, 07:18 PM
I would write out notice, putting last day of care will be 30th November or whichever is the last day of care that week. Be honest in your reason and say that you feel that she would be happier with someone else and you wish them well for the future. ...... You will be happier once it's done :)

melco
24-10-2012, 07:26 PM
Notice period cannot include any time off so you would have to work that out when you write your notice.
By the sounds of the strained conversation you had I wouldn't be surprised if she was looking for alternative care - not saying it was your fault but personally if I had fallen out with a care provider for my child I wouldn't be happy continuing the relationship .( but having said that I am totally non confrontational whereas some people seem to thrive on it !)
It's upto you how you proceed from now , you could be totally honest and say that due to recent events you feel that you could not work together anymore , or you could use the half term week to let the dust settle and then just quote change of circumstances / reducing working commitments etc .
Good Luck :)

I can be confrontational but to be honest I was not at all with this parent, she did yell at me because she could not find childcare at such short notice but everything I said was polite and I was not rude while having the conversation. A parent has never spoken to me like that before and since the conversation I have felt guilty wondering if I have done the right thing but felt that if I backed down and it was a sickness bug I would have let the other parents and children in my care down. If she had said about the coughing at the beginning then I would have let him come as I know that my youngest has had a cough and it has caused her to be sick, but she used the words unwell and told me he had been sick more than once and then changed her story. I have never wanted to fall out with a parent and it does make me wonder if she will look for alternative childcare but if she does to be honest she will have then taken the decision away from me which will be fine.

Little Pickles
24-10-2012, 07:40 PM
Try not to let it get to you, (easier said than done I know ) .
The truth is , as you said children are sick from coughing sometimes but she didn't say that to start off with , she was the one who said that LO was ' unwell ' so you quite rightly enforced your policy . What happened after that has happened and now you need to decide if you can work together again - by the sound of it though you had already had enough with the late pick ups etc .
Sending you best wishes

melco
24-10-2012, 08:31 PM
I have had a reply

she has said:

I fully understand and support your policies in case of real sickness but I'm afraid that no doctor will consider him sick this time. I also work with children & I will never bring u a sick child. anyway we ll see you then after half term! enjoy the break.

Should I respond or just leave it? I want to cry

Little Pickles
24-10-2012, 08:42 PM
As this is on the general forum take child's name out of previous post!
I think leave it for tonight and see how you feel in the morning

eviesmum
24-10-2012, 08:43 PM
Well then she shouldn't have said he was unwell. She obviously thought he was. I wouldn't reply again and would see what happens after half term.

melco
24-10-2012, 08:51 PM
As this is on the general forum take child's name out of previous post!
I think leave it for tonight and see how you feel in the morning

Oops thanks for that I did not notice!! Have now removed.

Thanks for all the advice

chez
24-10-2012, 09:00 PM
The Nora virus is going around lots in our area we are having to be extra extra careful. Fact shes not a doctor and therefore can not tell you why hes been sick, all you have are the facts - hes been sick you have to go by that. If he stays in your care Id keep a close eye as I bet she wont be so keen to tell you in future when hes been ill.

Twinkles
24-10-2012, 09:24 PM
My reply would be 'Better safe than sorry. Hope you have a lovely break too. '

Do not let her intimidate you or question your policies and decisions.

melco
24-10-2012, 10:04 PM
I have not replied but am trying to stop myself from doing so especially as I know that when my youngest first started school she got so upset that she made herself sick and even though I knew and they knew she did not have a sickness bug they still had to send her home. But feel if I retaliate this could go on and on.

The thing is now she has just looked at my profile on childcare.co.uk, I wonder whether she has realised its me as does not have my name until you go into profile, she is going to write a bad review or she is looking for another childminder. I hope its the latter!!

I am so nervous about all this I am starting to feel sick lol

The Juggler
24-10-2012, 10:27 PM
I have had a reply

she has said:

I fully understand and support your policies in case of real sickness but I'm afraid that no doctor will consider him sick this time. I also work with children & I will never bring u a sick child. anyway we ll see you then after half term! enjoy the break.

Should I respond or just leave it? I want to cry

even if a doctor looked at him they wouldn't know WHAT caused it. only a stool or vomit sample would :rolleyes: ignore it. you've said what you have to say. I would say,

"I am glad that you support my policies to protect both your child and other children who attend here. see you after half term". If you DO want to give notice, you don't need to give a reason, just say due to personal circumstances.........

melco
25-10-2012, 09:34 AM
I have decided to give notice. I am sending email today so she has time to find someone else, does this sound ok.

I would also like to inform you that I am giving you 4 weeks notice, due to the half term this will start on the 6th November 2012 so the last date F will be with me is the 4th December 2012

I feel that due to the times F is with me and my timetable (e.g school run and dinner) F would be better placed with an alternative childcare provider.

I will also send you a copy by post to confirm.

I am letting you know today so that you have the time to find alternative arrangements.

I have enjoyed the time I have spent with F and I wish you all the very best for the future.

Kind Regards

What do you think?

The Juggler
25-10-2012, 10:22 AM
I have decided to give notice. I am sending email today so she has time to find someone else, does this sound ok.

It is with regret that, due to personal circumstances, I have to give youI would also like to inform you that I am giving you 4 weeks notice. Contractually, , due to the half term this will start on the 6th November 2012 so the last date F will be with me is the 4th December 2012. However, if you would wish it to be 4 weeks from today, I am happy to agree to that.

I would take this outI feel that due to the times F is with me and my timetable (e.g school run and dinner) F would be better placed with an alternative childcare provider.

I will also send you a copy by post to confirm. are you e-mail this version hon? If so I agree send a copy by post also.

I am letting you know today so that you have the time to find alternative arrangements. I wish you luck in finding alternative childcare. Family Information Services will be able to provide a list of childminders if you need one.

I have enjoyed the time I have spent with F and I wish you all the very best for the future.

Kind Regards

What do you think?

am glad you came to this decision. :)

melco
25-10-2012, 10:30 AM
Thanks for the reply. Yes I am emailing as I will not see her and due to the conversation yesterday I don't feel I can do it face to face or over the phone.

I know you have to get them to sign. How do I do this?

The Juggler
25-10-2012, 10:32 AM
Thanks for the reply. Yes I am emailing as I will not see her and due to the conversation yesterday I don't feel I can do it face to face or over the phone.

I know you have to get them to sign. How do I do this?

she doesn't have to sign it honey. you can do this to ensure that she acknowledges it but stick a read receipt on the e-mail you send then print this. meant to say, only suggestions above, just some options xx

melco
25-10-2012, 10:33 AM
Also I did put a reason because I know she will ask and this is something I have spoken to her about before and so she may be expecting it.

melco
25-10-2012, 10:35 AM
she doesn't have to sign it honey. you can do this to ensure that she acknowledges it but stick a read receipt on the e-mail you send then print this. meant to say, only suggestions above, just some options xx

Thank you I really appreciate your help. I have only been minding since February so this is first time I have had to do something like this.