Poorly child

[ifmamaainthappy]

Child is 14 months, has a cold, just generally not happy, contacted Mom to let her know, that she's not herself, Mom has told me she's got to much to do to collect her at the moment??? What do you do??? i can't just sit cuddling all day, have others to look after, ( i'm having a late lunch and 5 minutes right now!!)

No-one has said the parent shouldn't be given the choice of whether to collect or not.

Neo maybe your children are different to the ones I look after, but they're 'not themselves' when they're tired or teething or a bit under the weather. Not being themselves is not sufficient to demand the child be picked IMO.

I respect the right of childminders to run their business as they see fit. As I've said twice already.

And what's more....I work...but if my DD was not herself with a cold...and crying continuously and not eating...then yes....of COURSE I would expect to be called to collect her....or her Dad to be called. Who the hell wouldn't!?

Neo anyone with a nanny.

I would hate to think of a child left with a minder who was busy with other charges when they were not well.

Outraged yes....as I said earlier...or another adult.

'Outraged yes....as I said earlier...or another adult. '

Sorry, I don't understand what you mean by this?

I was a CM am now a nanny so can see both sides.
I certainly look after my charges while sick now.
But as a CM I had a policy that read

If a child is unwell enough NOT to participate in the usual activities if the day, then the child us not well enough to be in Childcare.

So if crying, clingy and not wanting to do anything, then yes I would have sent home.

We had very full days with groups, music sessions, soft play and two walking school runs a day a child that isn't up to going to the usual things is stopping the other children going too

I think if that's your policy and you make it clear to the parent when they sign up, then that's completely fair.

well, seeing as you don't know the ops policy on sickness outraged, you can't really say whether she is being fair or not! which makes your argument on this thread a bit pointless really

Well my daughter went off food and drink , was very clingy crying all the time and dry nappies , not really a temp. Turnsed out it was a urine infection and she ended up in hospital for 3 days. So the child may not just have a cold it could be something more serious

My argument on this thread is; I'm suprised that childminders demand parents pick up immediately when a child has a cold as it makes them quite unreliable childcare. I am suprised about that regardless of their policy. I think it still means it's unreliable childcare, but if that is stated in the policy then at least the parents have the choice of whether or not to use the childminder.

I didn't comment on whether the OP was being fair or not.

The OP has been asked about her policy and has declined to comment.

mrsthomson if you'd have picked up your child a few hours ealier, would it have made any difference to the outcome? Would she have not ended up in hospital for three days?

outraged, once again, no childminder on here has said they demand a child be picked up immediately for a cold. This child is clearly ill. There is a difference.

Hope this makes it a bit clearer

Oh for goodness sake why can't you just give calpol? I know you need permission etc but surely this would be set up all ready to do. I think if mums had a day off every time their child had a cold they would be sacked.

Op do you send all your minded children home when you have a cold?

Blondes I think if it was in her policy she would not have any children to look after unless they had a really flexible job.

Meg that sounds sensible. Wonder if op had that in her policy

Yes all mindees should have more then one contact to call wether dad or gp or friend

Reet yes I'm a nanny so agree slightly different - just from going what the op said in first comment - a cold and generally not happy - I wouldn't expect the parent to collect - as ceeveebee agreed with me

Is it clear to you Reet that I have not commented on whether or not the OP is being 'fair'?

Is it clear to you Reet that my 'argument' on this thread is not about whether or not the OP is being 'fair'?

Outraged - I think all parents know that childminders are unreliable - they take sick days, they go on holiday (while you are still paying for them) etc. That's why so many parents pay for a day nursery, (although they send poorly children home too.)

I would only have considered a childminder if I had not been able to afford a nursery. Around here it is about £15 a day cheaper to go to a childminder rather than a nursery.

Having taken everything into consideration I actually worked two days a week, got DH to do one, and my mother the other. That way I have never been let down by my childcare, but equally I will probably have to wait years before I can work full time again.

It's standard for childminders to have a policy that states they won't look after sick children. And nurseries too.

I tend to only send mindees home for d&v (actually never had any in 11 years ) an u usually high temperature maybe an asthma attack if bad enough. coughs and colds are part and parcel
of this job unfortunately but I think I'm immune to it all now lol
I would always contact a parent, get permission to give medicine and then if things didn't improve I would then suggest leaving work as soon as they could. I try to put myself in their position my boss when I had a different job was very unsympathetic if my dcs were ever ill. I was lucky, gps looked after mine

Again Reet no-one has said the parent shouldn't be given the choice? If the parent chooses to stay at work and not collect their child then that is their responsibility. All you need to do as a childminder is what you think is right at the time. So call the parents if you need to, if it gets worse call an ambulance.

but it is the cms choice whether she wants a sick child in her home and around her family!! if she doesn't, then the parent has to collect.

I didn't know that mummypig, that's why I was suprised. I knew about D&V etc, but I wouldn't have thought a cold would warrant a parent being called.

Every day's a school day on mumsnet .

I also have a policy about children being able to take part in normal activities. Today for example one of my parents called to say her son might need a bit of a duvet day, so she didn't bring him until the other children had been out to toddlers and had lunch.

'but it is the cms choice whether she wants a sick child in her home and around her family!! if she doesn't, then the parent has to collect. '

Okay. 4th time lucky. I respect a chilminder's right to run her business how she sees fit.