What to Do About Daycare when the Kids are Sick

Why is it that your child always seems to develop that temperature or sudden tummy upset just when you are busiest at work or have a vital meeting to attend? While illnesses usually manifest themselves a day or at least a few hours in advance, your anxious hope that your little one will feel better in the morning is not always rewarded with a healthy child the next day. In the circumstances it is tempting to just scoop up your little one and take him to daycare, hoping that he will be able to sleep it off.

This is not the solution! Not only is it miserable for your child, but if he is contagious he will infect the other children as well as the daycare provider and caregivers. Apart from the fact that you will be unpopular with everyone else if you go ahead regardless, you don’t want to risk the daycare center being closed for a period of time to allow everyone to recuperate and to minimize the risk of re-infection! Here are some tips about what to do about daycare when the kids are sick:

* If possible, try to telecommute. Is there anything that you can do from work, via the Internet, or with the help of a conference call?  This will placate your boss and make sure that you do not fall behind, while still giving your child the attention needed to get better.

* Know your company’s policy for emergency time off.  What are the policies and procedures that need to be followed when you have to care for a sick child?  Will you be able to take a vacation day, personal day, or sick day?  Will your employer require you to bring in a doctor’s note to show that you were indeed taking care of a sick child?

* Have a back up plan.  If possible, call a trusted friend or family member living close who is prepared to help out in an emergency. Perhaps one of your friends is a stay at home mom and who will not mind watching your child in case of such an emergency, provided it is an exception rather than a rule. Ask around in your circle of friends, and see if anyone might be available to help out if worst came to worst.

* Can your spouse take some time off work?  Perhaps if both of you could take off half a day, you can share the responsibility of taking care of the child as well as still doing right by your employers. Conversely, maybe you or your spouse could change the work schedule around a bit so that you or the other person could go into work late and still put in a full day’s work, but simply do it at a later time.  Yes, it is inconvenient and you will probably be rather tired the next morning, but at least you will not lose any pay or productivity.

* Of course, if you find yourself in a position where your child wants you, even though the other parent is just as capable of heating up some chicken soup or taking the child to the pediatrician, then you will need to remind yourself that your child is more important than any job could ever be, and stay at home.  While your boss may not like it, being a parent is a priority. Be confident in your decision to stay home, and hope that your boss will back you up.