Jumped the gun

[BlondeMoment]

My husband had full blown flu for the past fortnight and so far I'd been lucky enough not to catch it. Last night my throat started to hurt, I felt sick and had the shivers. Went to bed and couldn't get warm. This morning when I woke up I still felt pretty rough so I text all my parents to warn them to make a back up plan just incase it turned into flu. They all knew my hubby had been off work.

Now I'm feeling much better and think it's just a cold. I think I just panicked with next week being half term and worrying about everyone being left in the lurch.

A few of my parents have now made alternative arrangements. Do I still charge them? It states in my contracts that if I need to be off sick their payments are refunded. But I don't think I need to take any time off now.

Tough one cos I understand them sorting something else out. But it was just a warning incase.

Help! What would you do?

[rickysmiths]

I would contact them and reassure them that you are fine and open for business tomorrow.

I'm sure they won't mind and would rather have had an early warning so they could get other arrangements in palce. Easier to cancel them now than have to do something in a rush at 7 in the morning. They will prob be glad to hear you are fine.

[Mrs Pootle]

Glad you're feeling better.

I'd give the parents a ring and say you are much better and won't have to cancel after all, and that you will see them all in the morning.

[BlondeMoment]

could it still become flu tho? I'm feeling pretty OK now and more like I have a cold but maybe I should wait a bit just incase

[wendywu]

If you wait and then decide to open I don't think you can charge if any parents do make other plans

[miffy]

If you wait and then decide to open I don't think you can charge if any parents do make other plans

I agree with this.

I know it's tricky and you were just trying to give them some warning in case you were ill but if you are still unsure then you should leave things as they are but not expect to be paid.

Hope you feel better soon

Miffy xx

[BlondeMoment]

OK, I've sent them all a text saying I think I jumped the gun and panicked and that I'm now pretty sure it's just a cold but I'll let them know for definate tomorrow - none of them are coming till tuesday anyway so it's like a two day warning

[miffy]

OK, I've sent them all a text saying I think I jumped the gun and panicked and that I'm now pretty sure it's just a cold but I'll let them know for definate tomorrow - none of them are coming till tuesday anyway so it's like a two day warning

At least you have another day to rest tomorrow and by then you should know whether it is just a cold or something worse (hope not)

Miffy xx

[mushpea]

I would just send them a txt and let them know you are open for buisness,, to be honest i wouldnt have cancelled anyway,,,, all of my mindees have had rotten coughs and colds and still come to me this last fortnight and 3 of them have eventually been kept at home as they are just tired and misrable,,, i have felt similar all week but have kept going because they gave it to me in the first place and i refuse to take unpaid time off when they gave me the rotten cold in the first place,,, i have told the parents this to when they have commeted on me looking like poo and they just laughed it off so it obviously dosent bother them.
although i have pleaded man flu today and made my partner do all the ususal sunday chores although i have just remembed why I dont ask him to cook more often as he managed to burn the jacket potatos!

[wendywu]

To be perfectly frank with you unless you are careful you will get the reputation of being unreliable. This sounds harsh but i am only trying to pre warn you.

You cannot conduct a business like this, im ill and shut, no im not, well i might be, i will let you know tomorrow.

As a CM you are expected to soldier on through, coughs,colds, sore throats and headaches that would have any other employee off sick for days.

Being a CM is not the same rules as working for a company, under the weather, right day off.

I am only saying this because you are a newish minder and because if your parents start comparing notes with other people that use minders then it could put you in a unfavourable light.

If you really are really very ill then shut. I am also all for letting parents know what a hero you are when you are working despite an illness.

[BlondeMoment]

To be perfectly frank with you unless you are careful you will get the reputation of being unreliable. This sounds harsh but i am only trying to pre warn you.

You cannot conduct a business like this, im ill and shut, no im not, well i might be, i will let you know tomorrow.

As a CM you are expected to soldier on through, coughs,colds, sore throats and headaches that would have any other employee off sick for days.

Being a CM is not the same rules as working for a company, under the weather, right day off.

I am only saying this because you are a newish minder and because if your parents start comparing notes with other people that use minders then it could put you in a unfavourable light.

If you really are really very ill then shut. I am also all for letting parents know what a hero you are when you are working despite an illness.

I've now been minding a whole year and haven't had one sick day. I work through colds and viruses. Even really bad ones. It was simply a warning to tell them to get ready with a back up plan just incase I was coming down with flu, which they all knew I had very good reason to believe i may be.
I don't see that as unreliable at all.
I see that as fair to the parents and responsible. At no point did I say I'm shut then, no I'm not I'm open. I simply said stand by.

As it's turned out the parents did just as I said... they had a back up plan just incase. They haven't had to use it so my mindees have all been here as usual.

[BlondeMoment]

I would just send them a txt and let them know you are open for buisness,, to be honest i wouldnt have cancelled anyway,,,, all of my mindees have had rotten coughs and colds and still come to me this last fortnight and 3 of them have eventually been kept at home as they are just tired and misrable,,, i have felt similar all week but have kept going because they gave it to me in the first place and i refuse to take unpaid time off when they gave me the rotten cold in the first place,,, i have told the parents this to when they have commeted on me looking like poo and they just laughed it off so it obviously dosent bother them.
although i have pleaded man flu today and made my partner do all the ususal sunday chores although i have just remembed why I dont ask him to cook more often as he managed to burn the jacket potatos!

You've obviously never had proper
I'll happily work through a nasty cold. Even with a temperature. But my husband was so unwell he couldn't even get out of bed without wanting to collapse. His temp was constantly high and all he could do was sleep. It would be dangerous to look after children in that state. He couldn't even get down the stairs let alone ferry kids around. Because he'd had that I thought that may have been what I was coming down with.