PDA

View Full Version : time to get tough!



Rickers83
02-02-2014, 08:49 AM
Some of you may have seen my post about an lo who arrived with a temperature earlier in the week & that he didn't go home until nearly the end of the day due to parents being unable to leave work...

well i have spent the last 3 days feeling god awful, temp, shivers, bunged up, achy & now a cough which is hurting my chest

my dd missed her first ever swim lesson, i couldn't help my eldest dd get ready for her first 'teenage' party, & have been generally miserable stuck on the sofa
the way i feel today i am going to have to close tomorrow & lose money too!!!

so cross..... Mainly with myself for not being firmer, time to get tough!!

KatieFS
02-02-2014, 09:01 AM
I completely understand how angry you must feel. Sorry you are poorly and it has been at such a orevious time!
I think it is so selfish for parents to do this. You must make sure you tell them you have been ill as a result if looking after their poorly child. 8in a subtle diplomatic way of course. I was lucky, I had a lo with what was tonsillitis who was with me the whole day - parent couldn't/wouldn't collect it took them the whole day to collect. Collected at 5, I called them 12.40. I was close to hacking the whole thing in. I felt upset for myself thinking I might get poorly, the other 2 lo I look after then after schoolies and my own 2 as well. My bg concern was for the child. Obviously unwell and getting worse! I couldn't go anything to help her.
I do think some of this comes with territory of looking after little ones. They often have coughs colds and stuff and often brought into childcare by irresponsible parents,
What are you going to do?!?

Rickers83
02-02-2014, 09:12 AM
Take myself to the docs for starters, as the last time i felt like this i had pleurisy! & as i am allergic to penicillin have to get it sorted quickly.

when i call to let them know im closed i will make a point if saying 'i think I've caught whatever x had & that is why i asked for collection as what i was worried about has happened and now everyone us inconvenienced '
what i want to add is 'but hey u still get paid for your day off, i don't!!!'

Koala
02-02-2014, 09:42 AM
Be careful Rickers83 - I know how you feel - I have been in bed since 6pm last night feeling like :censored: I have my outdoor coat on (yes in bed) I am full of cold my throat is starting to sting and I know i've caught it off the little ones. But I wouldn't dream of saying this to the parents - I will just suck it up and soldier one. Sorry you and yours have missed out because you are ill and this makes it worse and probably makes you more angry - it would me too.

It works both ways - I've had parents bring their little ones in after being ill and mums said to little ones now don't catch anything else - inferring that they caught it through me. The truth and practicality is that you can't legitimately say where illness is caught from and to be honest one does tend to have to be a bit 'low' or 'run down' to catch things (not always but often) and this cannot be blamed on anyone else. But if you start playing 'the blame game' you will just get peoples backs up and open a can of worms.

Yes your right parents should have picked child up straight away but I have learn't that parents know lo is ok with us because we are probably more equipped to care for them and some parents don't and never will give too hoots about us and how their sick child will effect us or anyone else for that matter. They are just selfish and it won't change. I hope you feel better soon and take care of yourself. :thumbsup:

Kiddleywinks
02-02-2014, 10:08 AM
Being angry at yourself is probably the best way of refusing to take an ill child in the future - we've all done it, want to be helpful etc, but it does us no favours in the long run

hope you get better soon btw :thumbsup:

Simona
02-02-2014, 10:28 AM
At this time of the year it is hard to know where we could have got a cold from or from whom...everyone is sneezing and blowing in our faces.

I think we must get tough as mentioned below not because we want to be difficult but because it is a Welfare requirement to exclude sick children....parents should pick up a child when temperature is so high but many won't

One thing to reflect on and incorporate in our contract is the name of at least 2 authorised emergency contacts who can pick up children when ill if the parents cannot get to us quickly for whatever reasons...I usually give 1 hour for parents to pick up in emergencies

If they cannot I then ring the emergency contacts parents have provided in the contract...as it is an agreement in the contract parents are more likely to follow this than just from reading the sickness policy.

Worth thinking about.

Ripeberry
02-02-2014, 01:18 PM
The real villains in all of this are the employers. They make parents feel that their jobs are at risk if they take too much time off. Even if they are entitled to it! I would see how you feel tomorrow and just dose yourself up. Winter is truly a horrible time of year when childminding. Roll on Spring and Summer! :thumbsup: