Nursery Sickness

[minkybetty]

WHY oh why do some parents think that it is ok to bring their sick children into nursery??? My DD has just vomitted and so I decided to call the nursery to see if there were any incidents of sickness this week "Yes" I am told on Monday at the nursery (when my DD is not in) "But was the child in the following day" I asked - "oh yes" I'm told. At which point I just wanted to blow a fuse!! I have had lengthy conversations with the nursery owner about this - doctors say that you should not go back to nursery or adults back to work until 48 hours after vomitting. What is this parent thinking - I am sick of parents thinking it's ok to treat nursery like a mini clinic for sick children and bring their kids in when they are ill. Now the likehood is that other children will get it, along with the parents and the staff. It is so selfish and ignorant. If my DD was ill I wouldn't dream of taking her in, not only to not pass on germs but because I would want to care for the poorly might!
Please can parents get responsible. I appreciate that it can be tricky with work but it goes with having children. I work and if my DD is sick I stay at home, end of. Sorry this is long, I had to get it off my chest - and by the way I do not recomment seagrass carpet and vomit!!!

[minkybetty]

Think it's time for carpet to go (not great for kids!!)
As a teacher I suspect that you are caught between a rock and a hard place when trying to enforce these things.
I guess that I am lucky with my employers (and I work in a small private equity firm - financial companies not normally being known for their understanding of personal issues). Most do have children though so are used to it. I think most parents are responsible and a minority who are selfish. I have one acquaintance who admitted bringing her child in after she had been sick in the night and she only did it because she had things that she needed to do, i.e going shopping and going for a coffee - !!! need I say more...

[Rumpole]

48 hour rule is not universal. Many nurseries operate 24 hr rule and/or verification from doctor. Without knowing the full facts in relation to the individual child and whether they were seen by a doctor I think you should not criticise.

[minkybetty]

Yes Rumpole obviously I do not always know full facts but in many cases not even 24hrs are being imposed. Also when it is common knowledge that the sickness/diarrhea bug is going around it is sensible and responsible to be cautious - it is such a horrid bug - i should know as I have had it 3 times, courtesy of my DD. My partner has now been in bed for 2 days as he is too ill to get up. (Perhaps you might understand why we would like to avoid it) I know that it is difficult to sometimes avoid these things but a bit of thoughfulness from others and a little less selfishness is all it takes. One mother continuously brought her child in with tonsillitis - I was diagnosed 3 times last year by my doctor with tonsillitis (which I have not had since I was a child) - go figure...

[Pheebe]

If you choose to use nursery care you have to accept the possibility that iyour child is going to get and bring home bugs. Same when they start school. Its a fact of life unless you live in a bubble.

You're lucky to be able to stay home with poorly dcs (I'm self emplyed and work from home so this is easy for me too) but for many parents its not an option. Its unlikelt to be done selfishly or out of ignorance but financial necessity.

As other posters have said the 48hr rule is not universal and without knowing all the facts its easy to judge. Speak to the nursery manager if you're that concerned. perhpas threaten to sue if they allow 'sick' children near your child

[BonsoirAnna]

I agree with Pheebe. Children catching a lot more bugs than they would do if they were at home with a parent is just an occupational hazard of group care. If you cannot cope with the bugs, you had better use alternative childcare arrangements.

[Blondeshavemorefun]

its not a case of minky wanting to keep her children in a bubble/free from sickness

just a case of common sense - if a child is sick at school/nursery/cm then they should go home and saty away for 2hrs hrs minium

i am not suprised minky is annoyed - thats child shouldnt have been sent or allowed to stay at the nursery on tuesday

all children will get bugs/colds/sickness etc but for the nursery to allow the child to say the next day is wrong

[PortAndLemon]

It's not a case of wanting to keep your child in an illness-free bubble. The nursery has a rule that the child shouldn't come in for 24/48 hours (for DS's nursery it's 24 hours for vomiting with no diarrhoea or for diarrhoea with no vomiting, and 48 hours if there's been both vomiting and diarrhoea) and some parents choose to ignore that rule. Which is remarkably offpissing when you juggle all your commitments, call in favours, etc., etc., to make sure that you abide by the rules with your own DCs.

If some parents can't cope with the rules involved with a nursery setting then perhaps they had better use alternative childcare arrangements?

[Blondeshavemorefun]

so why dont the nursery teachers/assistants turn an ill child home again, esp if that child was in the day before and had S&D

agree some parents lie and dont tell the nursery if their child has been sick at home, so that they wouldnt know

[minkybetty]

Hooray - thanks Blondeshavemorefun and PortandLemon - finally someone gets me. Would you like to put your children in the same nursery as me
I have actually been to see the owner of the nursery and she wrote a letter to all parents and there is now a sign on the door about this so we are getting somewhere. She did say that often the nursery staff are confronted with "over assertive" parents who insist on leaving their kids even if they are unwell. I don't think it is fair on the staff to be put in this situation but I did say that I thought that the Nursery Manager on site should have enough confidence to stand up to them.

[Blondeshavemorefun]

i get you loud and clear minky!!!

shame others dont!!

think the staff need to go on a self assertifness course!!

hope your nursery sticks to the rules - 24hrs is the shortest for S&D!!