Alternative arrangements for sick child

[tigger15]

DS has been sick quite a lot recently (about once a month for past 3 months). The nursery is reasonable in that they will accept him after first 24 hours on antibiotics and if develops a temperature while there will ask permission from me and then give him calpol and if that doesn't work we are then asked to pick him up.

I've no issue with that but the problem is that the days the occasions I have to pick him up and the following 24-72 hours depending how sick he is and how ready he is to go back are having a really bad effect on mine and dh's jobs.

What do people do when this happens? If ds is really poorly I'd rather one of us stayed with him but if it's not quite so bad I would be happy for someone else to look after him 1 to 1 and then either dh or I could come home a bit earlier. My parents live close by but both work and are only able to do one day max depending on their schedules when he is sick (as obviously he doesn't check anyone's diaries first) or a few hours so I can't rely on them. My in-laws live at the other end of the country.

Please tell me what you do in this situation.

It's a nightmare isn't it, Tigger?

We have the same problem. We have just been talking to one of the old staff members from the nursery who is now working as a nanny in the evenings/school holidays. This means she has a lot of free time during the day and we have established that she is happy to help out if it's before 2pm.

Our other solution is to get my mum to drive 180 miles to help! She is very helpful and willing but it's a bit of a trek!

I recently asked my colleagues at work what they do and one person has a former childminder who helps out sometimes.

It is basically all a mess and a patchwork and very stressful. We get on really well with nursery but they have a bad habit of thinking the child is ill when they're not - my dd was sent home 3 times with 'chicken pox' before she actually got it! Obviously they are doing what they think is right, and you can't really blame them, but then it uses up all our goodwill from work and parents for when they really are ill....

I think a nanny is really the only hired childcare that will take the child even if he's sick. Trouble you are out of luck again when nanny catches it and is then off sick herself.

Try Emergency Childcare

I am registered on this with my company (who will pay for up to 4 days a year for us).

I know people who have used it and have been quite happy

L