Mumsnet Talk

I am continually off colour at the moment due to catching things off mindees. It is driving me mad. Just wanted to moan x

Poor you! It's always the way working with various children and especially as there's something doing the rounds at the mo. I've been under the weather a fair amount recently while various families I work for have been really ill, luckily I haven't been as ill as them though touches wood
Hope you feel better soon x

I highly recommend a supplement, you get from boots or other chemists; it's called sambucol, marv stuff

Be scrupulous about handwashing, use kitchen towel for hand drying, get outside as much as you can with the children despite the awf weather.

Thank you x me too x am seriously thinking of changing my sickness policy to no snotty noses. Seriously though time its due to one mum lying to me about what the child was on aantibiotics for.

yes I was coming back to say do review your sickness policy when you have had a decent rest and are on the mend

I am on my way down to sterilise all my toys x

yes, dear old milton, what would we do without you

soft toys can go in the freezer, to kill germs (if not washable)

I am on my way down to sterilise all my toys x

Whoops

Poor you

I would also wash all of the mindees hands when they arrive and try to wash them frequently through the day, it might help a bit.

Sorry to hear a parent has been lying to you - how did you find out? Would you consider giving them a written warning? I would.

i feel for you!! mine continously try it on - they have no regard for myself or my dc or the other children i mind. i am always getting mindees sent with upset tummy that they then deny knowledge of - or temperatures which they get down in the morning with a dose of calpol it's very hard as a single carer working from home - if you work in a nursery there isn't the same personal relationship and know one holds it against you/tries to wear you down until you give in - it's just accepted you don't send an ill child

I also mind her sisters son and the sister waa suprised the little one there as she was supposed to be off for the first 48 hours of antibiotics. When I asked the mum she said her sister had got it wrong and it's just tonsillitis. Not convinced cos this mum has lied to me before telling me that the rash the child had was not chicken pox but an allergic reaction to a new washing powder. I am not stupid!!!! I
Didn't insist that she collected tge child as I was only minding my own son that day and wanted him to catch it before he started school. Oh no that sounds so bad

Reetpetit I am hoping to give it up in July but obviously need the right job to come along. Its mostly down to this one mum but because I also mind the cousin and friend I would lose 3incomes. I think anyway x

" if you work in a nursery there isn't the same personal relationship and know one holds it against you/tries to wear you down until you give in - it's just accepted you don't send an ill child"

Er no. I think parents try it on even more at nursery because there isn't a personal relationship with the workers there.

me too doughnut, hoping to give up by September, had enough! x

im not sure trazzle, my experience of working in both and using a nursery tells me otherwise but maybe you have been lucky with your parents. mine don't seem to think im working, they seem to think i do it for the love of it and am happy to care for their sick children - not so!!

Poor you, but it will get better. IME the first year working with small childen is the worst in terms of picking up illnesses. Your immune system kind of get to grips with it after that.

Many primary school teachers experience the same, especially when they just start the job.

I don't think you can ban snotty noses (unfortunately ...) as you won't have any mindees left. Little kids pick up stuff ALL THE TIME. Not much they can do about it, not much parents can do about it, either.

The only thing in your power are to keep the place as clean as possible, encourage good hand washing by supplying sufficient child friendly soap and paper towels (many small kids are terrified of hand dryers).

Very regular cleaning of toys (many can just go in the dishwasher, even lego, on the sterilisation program), other toys can go in sterilising bags with milton or washing machine (hot wash) or in freezer (but for quite a while I think, not just a few hours), also scrupulous hygiene re food to avoid tummy bugs.

I think it is a good idea to wash mindee's hands when they arrive, however, be careful, many kids have very sensitive skin, too much hand washing can cause all kind of problems, same for hand gels etc.

I use Vicks hand foam, as it stays active for four hours, but not sure if you can use it as you have to be very careful it does not come close to any eyes (it puts a thin layer on your hand, so stays on once applied and even once dried will still hurt terribly if touching a child's eye).

Doughnut if you minded my cousin's child or my friend's child and have one of them notice I would not move my child from you, if that helps.

Thank you to everyone for being so supportive - I honestly just wanted to moan and expected some stick! You have all been lovely x I do follow all the hygiene procedures and thankfully the mindees don't seem to pass it from one to the other - I think it's feom wiping snotty noses and handling tissues. I have a 'one wipe' policy and try to throw tissues away straight away but sometimes they are left on my pocket until I bin them so it's probably that. Plus when a poorly child sneezes in your face it doesn't help

I think after nearly 13 years of minding, i am totally immune to absolutely anything!
I have never had a day off ill and I think that actually helps sometimes!...I just carry on regardless...
.....wine helps.....

Been doing it nearly 6 years and so far only been off when I had a blood clot on my lung. Even then I was back at work after a week (dr recommended 3 months!) so I am not soft
It's only since my these 2 new ones started just before and just after Xmas that I have been ill. They are high demand children so I think it is the stress(? not sure if thats the right word) that is causing me to be run down. Oh well, moan over and back to work tomorrow with a big smile on my face