Can someone gve me some advice please xx

[NaggyNat]

Hi everyone!!

My 2 year old son has chickenpox :( He cam down with it late Saturday/Sunday and so was contagious on Friday!

I rang all parents to tell them.

Other childminders on here (via facebook) gave me some advice which I took:

Re pay, because the children were here and around my son on Friday they can send their children as the damage already done. Because the place is open and I am able to have the children who came friday then the place will be charged for even if dont attend.

One parent has decided to send their child but he leaves at midday each day so thats good (I am so tired). One parent has said she thinks its unfair and why should she pay for her children not coming if she doesnt want them to catch it. The likelihood is they prob have as they were here late on Friday! This parent didnt come yesterday which was planned because it was her daughters birthday so they went out for the day and she is arguing the rest of the week.

I have already said to the parents whose children didnt come on Friday that they dont need to come this week if didnt want to and I wouldnt charge them. The thing is we are so skint this week and were relying on my money coming in. My husbands money has gone on all the bills etc!!!

Any advice would be so appreciated. I have said that if her children get it from daniel from comign this week that I would have her children next week (if they have it) as they come so late in the day anyway.

She also said to me once she gets full help with childcare but in yesterdays text she said she didnt so she is contradicting herself...she had to pay for two weeks where her son was sick and she didnt like doing it! Stressed.com

Thank you xxxx

BTW it is not overly bad and some spots are scabbing (a few)

[sillysausage]

Have to be honest here but if it was me I would be be giving the parents the choice....either come, and pay or stay off and don't pay. One day's exposure to someone with chickenpox does not necessarily mean the child will catch it, however as the infectious period can be up to 3 weeks before the spots come out and 5 to 7 days after (depending how fast they dry out), then mindees have probably been exposed for longer.
Unfortunately we all have sickness policies and these should apply to our own children as well as mindees. Technically you should stop minding until your son's spots have dried out, then payment depends on what you have in your contract with regards to paying when your setting is closed. If you choose to continue minding (which many of us do when it's chickenpox) you should probably still give the parents the opportunity to keep their child away under the terms of the contract.

[miss mopple]

In that situation I wouldn't charge if they choose not to come. Not all of them are guaranteed to catch it just because they were together last week, I have a mindee who took ages to get it despite loads of exposure. I dont think its fair to expect them to pay when your child is ill, sorry .

But do make sure you are clear on what you will do if the mindees get it. Will you insist they stay away, in which case you still get paid, or would parents expect you to take them as your son has had it

[Pedagog]

I would leave the choice up to parents (after they have been informed that your son has chicken pox), if they choose not to send then I would not charge.
You have to remember that not everyone wants their child exposed to chickenpox, and that they might not have been infected on Friday.

[~Chelle~]

Chicken pox is most contagious when you cannot see it. I know that schools dont take kids back until all their spots have scabbed over but never understood why as the kids would have been exposed already.

I would find some info on the net and print it off to give to her.

It does sound like she is trying to get out of paying. I would bet that she does receive help with her childcare and is looking forward to spending free money as she thinks she doesnt have to pay you :rolleyes:

I would stick to your guns, if you are open and the space is available, then she has to pay. Also if you are offering to have them if they do catch it, then she really doesnt have any argument as she cannot argue that if her children catch it, you would not be able to have them IYKWIM

[mummyof3]

Have to say I agree with majority I wouldn't charge either. When my son had chickenpox I rang all my parents and one was horrified at the thought of their child catching it and raced to collect within minutes! Some people just really don't like the idea of their children catching it even though it is better once they are younger to catch! I can see where you are coming from with the money side of it but tbh I couldn't justify charging them if they didn't attend. :D

[Tam's Tribe]

I agree with above hun, as frustrating as it is.

I made 11 months before I had to take my first and only sick day, I was so annoyed but had D&V so had to close for the 48 hours. However, I managed to make a deal with the parents (who had already paid, as I am paid in advance) to have the children extra hours or the term time children on an Inset Day, just before summer close so I didnt actually have to pay any money back.

It is just one of those things about being self employed.

Lovies
Tam
x

[The Juggler]

In that situation I wouldn't charge if they choose not to come. Not all of them are guaranteed to catch it just because they were together last week, I have a mindee who took ages to get it despite loads of exposure. I dont think its fair to expect them to pay when your child is ill, sorry .

But do make sure you are clear on what you will do if the mindees get it. Will you insist they stay away, in which case you still get paid, or would parents expect you to take them as your son has had it

I agree, I would give the choice (making sure then they understood if they send their child doesn't mean I can have them if they then catch it!) but if they choose not to send their child I don't feel you can charge them. One day's exposure is not the same as a whole week at your setting. Sorry:(

[Chatterbox Childcare]

It is quite simple really - you have to close because of chicken pox as your house is still contagious until the last scabs come over. If your contract says you are closed if sick then you have to refund but if the parent decides to come then you are okay

Their choice I am afraid, not yours

[shelly2012]

It is always difficult when it comes to money. I have it in my contract that CM/child's sick no fee. Sorry xxx

[Twinklestars]

I wouldn't charge as if they decide not to come, it went round my son's school after xmas and took til easter for it to go round everyone in his class, my ds caught it and spots came out the first day of the holidays

[PixiePetal]

In that situation I wouldn't charge if they choose not to come. Not all of them are guaranteed to catch it just because they were together last week, I have a mindee who took ages to get it despite loads of exposure. I dont think its fair to expect them to pay when your child is ill, sorry .

But do make sure you are clear on what you will do if the mindees get it. Will you insist they stay away, in which case you still get paid, or would parents expect you to take them as your son has had it

That's how I work too - I haven't had it myself even over multiple exposures and would hate to get it at 45! hopefully I am immune and I have a newly pregnant parent of one mindee so they are trying to avoid it at the moment.

If they decide to come and pay - that's a bonus for you - you must be shattered anyway so take the time to rest yourself when your DS does

[The Juggler]

That's how I work too - I haven't had it myself even over multiple exposures and would hate to get it at 45! hopefully I am immune and I have a newly pregnant parent of one mindee so they are trying to avoid it at the moment.

If they decide to come and pay - that's a bonus for you - you must be shattered anyway so take the time to rest yourself when your DS does

the other thing is they might be flying off on hols, they would want to minimise the risk of their child, or themselves, catching it as they would be unable to fly if they had it.

[NaggyNat]

Fab!!! What I was going to but conflicting advice. Thanks everyone xx

[angeldelight]

Hope he gets well soon

Angel xx

[crazyhazy]

One exposure to chicken pox does not guarantee the children will have caught it already, if it then nursery/school etc would allow children with pox to attend. While for the majority of children it's not a problem, for some it can be very serious so it's not something I would have wanted to put my children at unnecessary risk of catching. I don't think you're being very fair, and would offer parents the choice of coming and paying or staying away for no fee, until the spots are fully scabbed over.

[Hebs]

i think mum is over reacting just a bit, i mean what are the chances of her child getting it at some point? once her child is at school he'll catch everything going (as they usually do then immune system starts to build up)

Ask her what she will do when her child gets it, if she says you could still have child, then charge as normal, you are open so care available :thumbsup: just say... ok no fees for this week however if your child catches chickenpox you will not be able to offer care until all clear :D call her bluff :thumbsup:

as your son was infectious well before spots appeared means her child has already been exposed :thumbsup:

[FussyElmo]

Would you have excluded if just one of your mindees had had it because of the other children in your care?

If yes then you need to respect the parents wishes of not sending them and not charging but if their child does come down with it then you are in your rights to exclude :thumbsup:

Not ever child just because they will exposed to chickenpox will come down with it. My eldest two got it about 10 months apart.

[aly]

none of mine have had chicken pox yet {9, 5 & 3} even though the oldest 2 have been in contact with it, it doesnt mean they wont or will catch it.

I wouldnt charge as my child would be ill unless mum wanted to send them then I would.....1 of my mindees has had it so I guess if mine did then she would still send her so I would charge, but not sure on the others.

[AliceK]

It's so annoying isn't it when one of your own children gets ill and you have to close. I hadn't taken an unexpected day off for anything for 10mths until the week before last when DD came down with a sickness bug. Had to close for a day and a half and refund all parents. Really need the money though as we were on holiday last week so no pay for me at all and we move house in 4 weeks so need all the money I can get as will be closed for another week when we move in. All part of the joys of being self-employed I guess.

xxxxx

[Bushpig]

I would give the parents the choice :thumbsup:

[PRINCESSDAISYFLOWER]

same as what most said, I would give them the choice and if they didnt want to send their children i would refund the money

[wendywu]

I dont think you can force a parent to come to a setting that has chicken pox, and if they decide to keep their child off they should not have to pay :(

[auntym]

Will mum expect you to mind if little one gets it and is well?
As I said if you feel bad charging you could request half fee.
But parents choice whether to come or not. Children will catch it sooner or later. Bless
I hope hes ok hon x x

[miffy]

It is quite simple really - you have to close because of chicken pox as your house is still contagious until the last scabs come over. If your contract says you are closed if sick then you have to refund but if the parent decides to come then you are okay

Their choice I am afraid, not yours

I agree with Debbie.

Hope your ds is better soon

Miffy xx

[Curly Quavers]

In that situation I wouldn't charge if they choose not to come. Not all of them are guaranteed to catch it just because they were together last week, I have a mindee who took ages to get it despite loads of exposure. I dont think its fair to expect them to pay when your child is ill,

I agree

sorry
x

[snufflepuff]

I was in a similar situation last week but my son had hand foot and mouth. He was perfectly fine apart from the spots, i was advised by NHS direct to stay open and the HPA website says there is no exculsion period so no need to close. So i explained the situation to parents and told them i was still open as usual. Parents decided not to bring LOs anyway so i charged half fees- should be full because i was open but i understood why they chose to keep LOs at home, so though that was fairest all round.
If he had had an illness with an exclusion period i wouldn't have opened, even if the other children could have already caught it during the incubation period. (Id be worried that parents would want to do the same and bring their child to me whilst unwell simply because others may have already caught it anyway.)

[The Juggler]

I was in a similar situation last week but my son had hand foot and mouth. He was perfectly fine apart from the spots, i was advised by NHS direct to stay open and the HPA website says there is no exculsion period so no need to close. So i explained the situation to parents and told them i was still open as usual. Parents decided not to bring LOs anyway so i charged half fees- should be full because i was open but i understood why they chose to keep LOs at home, so though that was fairest all round.
If he had had an illness with an exclusion period i wouldn't have opened, even if the other children could have already caught it during the incubation period. (Id be worried that parents would want to do the same and bring their child to me whilst unwell simply because others may have already caught it anyway.)

my only thought on this is if you charge parents for not bringing mindees to your setting when there is illness there, then you cannot really refuse to have mindees when they have same illness. I would NOT have mindees who have cp or h, f and mouth therefore, I would not charge them if they chose not to send their child when one of my children had it.

[moljak]

my only thought on this is if you charge parents for not bringing mindees to your setting when there is illness there, then you cannot really refuse to have mindees when they have same illness. I would NOT have mindees who have cp or h, f and mouth therefore, I would not charge them if they chose not to send their child when one of my children had it.


I have the same view.I personally wouldn't charge.