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Original poster

CM Club - Baby with High Temp.........am I right????

67 replies

looneytune · 01/10/2007 16:54

Hello

Both sibling mindees have colds atm, baby has been dribbly, had runny nose and awful cough for quite some time. Just got her up from nap and as soon as I gave her a kiss on her forehead, I knew she had a temp as she was BURNING HOT. Took temp and it's 39.9 (102.2) so I've phoned mum and I've given medicine (yes, I'm a bad childminder for trying to make her feel better rather than wait until I have a form signed!!!)

Anyway.....she's ok in herself but very very flushed and off her food. Hopefully the medicine will make her feel better but I'm thinking ahead to tomorrow........unless baby is EXTREMELY bad (and I mean extremely), she'll get dropped off as normal tomorrow unless I say something. I am right about not accepting children with temperatures aren't I? Obviously can't send home now as parents leaving in next 10 mins anyway and will be here by 6.30. If she has a temp tomorrow, should I send home? Presuming yes but we all know what a bloomin softie I am - I need you guys to give me the strength!!!

Thoughts please.....

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Original poster
looneytune · 02/10/2007 15:38

Thanks for all the messages since I last posted. I'm still really upset but am now feeling better about the fact I am right and she is wrong and she can sod off if she doesn't like it. I had words after the time that baby was coughing so badly that she kept throwing up BADLY and this was at 11am but oh no, I had to wait until her au pair picked them up at 4pm!! Yes, mum said she couldn't come home but would try and get au pair to come out of college!

lisalisa - oh...hehe....doing chores and going to tesco....I popped to asda yesterday for the first time in ages (usually get online as no time to shop) and was really worried that I'd picked up some banana's and strawberries for the kids whilst I was there in case that was bad - the only reason I was there was because the older of these mindees had NO SHOES yesterday and I couldn't let her not walk around outside all day so I bought a spare pair to keep here for her. You should see my washing pile - no time for chores. And yes, we missed group today as baby is not well.....had I had another mindee outside of this family (as I will in Jan), how unfair would it have been to keep them at home because of baby being too ill. I'm much more flexible than a nursery and I take them if they are fit for normal activities, even if got a cold, but I shouldn't be taking them when they are this poorly. And don't worry about your mis-understanding of childminders......I didn't have a clue til I registered

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lisalisa · 02/10/2007 15:29

Message withdrawn

HorribleHorace · 02/10/2007 14:16

looneytoone,i've just read through your threads and I feel you should give notice. It seems you have been more than generous to these parents. They clearly have no respect for you, your own child or the other children in your care. They are not treating you like a professional, they are treating you like the hired help, which you are not.

Would you be able to fill their places? if so, I would say give notice and give the reason as unreasonable behaviour on their part. How selfish of them not to pick up when their child so clearly needs to go home and they run their own business!

MaureenMLove · 02/10/2007 14:15

Very well put LMG. I don't think I can add anything else LT, but I'm here and I'm listening.

LoveMyGirls · 02/10/2007 14:00

I don't care for children with high temps either as me and my dd1 have both had febrile (sp?) convulsions so I am only too aware that they do happen and if they do happen to have i'd rather they were with their parents.

LoveMyGirls · 02/10/2007 13:55

Lisalisa -it's not quite as clear cut as that imo, cm's do offer a home from home environment but a baby that is ill with a bad cold needs its mum and mum should want to be with baby if they are ill.

i'm 25 and when i feel really rotten i still want my mum! It doesn't matter that i live with dp and have my own children theres nothing quite like a cuddle with your mum when you feel poorly (i dont mean a bit of a sniffle i mean high temp, head feels like cotton wool etc) OFSTED say think about what it is like for a baby/child in your care, we always put the childrens needs first which is why when we are caring for a child that becomes ill they need to be sent home as it is unfair on that child to be in childcare when they are ill and being taken out on several school runs isn't fair and also not fair on the other children we are being paid to care for.

How would you feel IF for eg you did send your child to a cm and when you picked up your child your cm said "sorry i didn't give your child much attention today (even though you have paid the same rate), I had a screaming ill baby with a high temp to care for that needed my attention more than your dc" You would think to yourself why didnt she send the ill child home so that the weel children could have equal attention?

Children should only be in our care if they are well enough to partcipate in day to day activities and the other children can get equal care.

COUNTPinkChickULA · 02/10/2007 13:52

tell mum you will NOT accept baby tomorrow if she looks like she does today(she could dose with calpol to take temp down)and if she DOES get dropped off and temp rises, is THIS unwell again she will HAVE to be collected immediatly!

COUNTPinkChickULA · 02/10/2007 13:51

snap dusty..my dd had raging temp last night, instead of putting my own family first i got dp up early to collect my mum, who sat with dd while i did first school run, she stayed while i did second school run(nursery) and now dd seems a little better i will traipse her off for last school run to collect 3 other children, all so i dont 'upset' thier parents plans!

Original poster
looneytune · 02/10/2007 13:49

hertsnessex - baby is asleep and I'm really not looking forward to getting her up in half hour for the next school run. She's been getting in a right state. And tbh, I'm worried her temp will get like it did yesterday.....she really reacted funny at times yesterday and I was worried about her temp going over 40 - my best mate died whilst fitting when 10 yrs old and that thought has stuck with me!

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dustystar · 02/10/2007 13:48

lisalisa the situation with a nanny and a childminder is very different. Even if a nanny works for more than one family she only has children from one family at a time and works from the family's house. A childminder my have up to 6 children all from different families and works from her own home. I sympathise with the mum too but a childminder is a child care professional with a business to run not a babysitter. A sick child should be at home.

Loony - my mindee has just woken up so I'll have to give you my policy later.

COUNTPinkChickULA · 02/10/2007 13:48

lisalisa, i understand you chose your nanny for those reasons and she prob happily agreed to them but looney has in her t&c she WILL NOT look after sick children, she ahs more than this one to look after and parents will be called, in THIS line of childcare, you always get some parents who think they can leave all responsability and crap up to us even though we have tried to make it clear about our guidelines, they have selcted hearing!

Original poster
looneytune · 02/10/2007 13:47

Sorry, about to rush off but very quickly.....it's hard to even begin to explain....a lot of people know about my long history with this family. As for work....her and her husband run their own business! As for baby, I could keep her here and always have been VERY good and kept them when poorly, this is why I'm upset. She's been shaking a lot and really isn't right. I take your point about baby would have to go on school run if i was her mum HOWEVER....being a childminder, I am paid to look after others and I have to be able to care for them all equally which I wasn't able to yesterday afternoon - others got ignored. That's not fair is it? Also, if I keep baby in that state, I get other parents then complaining. This is why we have policies for this stuff and at the end of the day, no parent should sign and agree to it and then treat their CM like this when baby is too ill to be here.

Sorry, that was a rant and wasn't meant to be. Think I need a cuppa

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hertsnessex · 02/10/2007 13:47

thats awful. when i worked in london it was hard to get away if boys were ill, but always managed it (we had a nanny) even though they were in their own home. so glad im not in that position anymore.

hows the baby now looney?

COUNTPinkChickULA · 02/10/2007 13:45

YES i definatly feel a strong worded NEWSLETTER coming along!..ive just done one too

lisalisa · 02/10/2007 13:44

Message withdrawn

lisalisa · 02/10/2007 13:42

Message withdrawn

Original poster
looneytune · 02/10/2007 13:42

dusty - please, please, i'd love a copy!!!

I'm also going to put something in my newsletter about it being PARENTS responsibility to sort out when kids are ill!

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Original poster
looneytune · 02/10/2007 13:41

Oh....sorry.....she bullied me into agreeing to a 4.30pm pick up. Made it sound like a good deal as I won't need to feed her older dd as she'll take them both home together. HOW FUCKING kind of you....!!!

Sorry, this is not like me but when someone pushes me too far, I do get quite angry!!!

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Original poster
looneytune · 02/10/2007 13:40

Thanks everyone, I thought I was fine then the tears started again. I'm so hurt but most of all, so upset for this poor baby who clearly isn't that important to her mum

Countpink - I did tell mum that she was screaming in and out of car seat/pram etc, I said she just wants to sleep, hasn't eaten a thing today etc etc and said she needs to be at home with her mum. She had no emotion and still felt the same 'ALL babies get like this'. Yes, all children get SICK from time to time......this is when they fucking go home!!!!

Sorry....just so upset about this. Part of me just wants to give notice as I've had enough!!!

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COUNTPinkChickULA · 02/10/2007 13:34

play her on the guilty note(prob wont work with her!) say this little baby needs her mum, shes full of cold, you cant give her one to one attention as she well knows as you have more children, who in turn could also get sick, smae as you could, meaning you would have to stop everyone from coming, this baby needs her mummy/daddy not being pushed from pillar to post in and out of cars, getting hot/cold/hot/cold..arrrggghhhh horrible woman

dustystar · 02/10/2007 13:32

oh loony what a cow
So basically she expects you do look after her sick baby knowing that a nursery wouldn't - just goes to show how much respect she has for you as a professional child carer. Its horrible when things get confrontational like this but you are in the right so don't let her bully you - its her responsibility to sort something out if her baby is ill not yours.

If you want I'll dig out my policy that i redid recently in honour of OFSTED - I get parents to sign it now to show they accept my policy

COUNTPinkChickULA · 02/10/2007 13:32

is she coming looney?, you wern't harsh by any means, harsh would have been saying "get your arse here NOW you neglectful, inconsiderate excuse of a parent"..horrible horrible woman, just glad LO has you through day as shed be no good..YAK as dd would say

LilBloodRedWantsGore · 02/10/2007 13:28

And you sound like a lovely CM!

LilBloodRedWantsGore · 02/10/2007 13:27

Am not a CM but totally sympathise with you! This woman does not deserve children

Original poster
looneytune · 02/10/2007 13:23

I'm shaking so bear with me. She's always hot on email and I have read receipts come through and I was going to phone if she didn't reply straight away but she did. Started off saying in email 'I'll see what I can do' and has just phoned and had it out with me.

Feel too sick to type too much but basically:

'I'm not having much luck, what do you want me to do?'

'well someone needs to collect'

then....

'i'm not being funny, all babies get like this'

and then the rest was her just having a go about me daring to send home and she was like 'what's the problem exactly'

I said the poor thing needs to be tucked up in bed, she's been getting in a terrible state about being put in car seat/pram etc. and she made it clear she wasn't happy, said what's she suppose to do, hard to get out of work etc. and I ended up having it out with her

I said I have to stick to policy now, if I keep the baby then another family complains to me, I can't win. I said it's not fair on others and she can try and find another childminder who'll not send home when poorly and I'd be surprised if she could find someone. I said that nursery would send home for much less than this and she said........'that's why I won't use a nursery!'

Sorry if makes no sense, I got off the phone and burst into tears for how she was with me - first fall out with a parent

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