How ill are you before you call in sick?!

[norovirusednannynamechanger]

I have been throwing up since 6.45am and felt really sick when I went to sleep last night but wasn't actually sick. Also have diarrhoea and a temperature of 38oc. I feel without a doubt, horrible! Can't keep anything down waterwise and haven't eaten since yesterday around 3pm still retching thought.

Rang MB at 8am to say was feeling sick and I think it's a bug but she is insisting I go in (can't say why as will out myself, but basically it's cos of her work) and take it easy, "just change one bed not 2 for example"

I have been off sick twice this year already, once because one of the children accidentally broke my fingers (1 day, at MBs insistance) and another time for food poisoning (2 days), so another day off sick si really not something I want on my record so to speak.

Have tried to contact MB again at 12.30 to say spoke to NHS dorect and they also think it's a bug but no answer on any phones, have left message. I have to go to work at 3pm.

So nannies, how do you say "no" to your bosses? All my nanny friends say my MB walks all over me, but TBH I just hate letting people down and probably am too "nice" in some ways.

what is the point of going in to work if you are going to be running off to the loo every now and then to vomit or because of diarrhoea??? and of course the chance that you will pass it on to the children is very high.

for your boss to insist that you go in is cruel! and very uncaring.

it is easier said than done, I know, but I don't think you should go in at all.

good luck!

I think there is Dept of Health advice on time off for norovirus. I would look it up and tell her. (I wouldn't want anybody with norovirus anywhere near my children).

Here Lovie, I give this to my Parents, I know you are a nanny not a CM, but feel it is still relevant.

Does MB want the bug for Christmas!

Other childcare settings have D&V exclusion policies for children AND staff. I think it's 24 hours until after last episode of D or V.

Point out to her that you're putting the children at risk by being there and being that ill - it's different if it's a cold but if you can't supervise them effectively, are constantly shut in the bathroom AND potentially passing bugs onto them, you're both in a lose-lose situation.

it's usually 48 hours (or even 72) after the last episode of vomiting or diarrhoea. Your MB sounds irresponsible but I guess is desperate if she has to work. Surely she needs to access alternative childcare - emergency nursery/nanny.

If you have the actual norovirus (tmi coming up) you may not even make it to the loo in time. Does she really want you in that state round her children.

aww poor you

your boss sounds a selfish cow, yes she has to work, but you are ill, you/she wouldnt send her child to school if they were ill like you

you have to be firm with mb and say, i am sorry that i am putting you out, but i can not move from toilet and i can not come in, nor do you want me to give it to you or your children

us childcares are only human and sometimes we do have to have days off sick

i would ring mb office and just say you can not manage to go in at 3pm and she needs to make other childcare arrangements

maybe call school as well and tell them you wont be collecting

hope you feel better soon xx

I wonder how your boss will feel when all the children (and herself) will have it by the end of the week........or maybe even christmas!

You can't go in, ring ring and ring until you get an answer, is she an office worker, ring reception and beg that they send her a message

I know this is going to go down like a lead balloon but MB is actually off work today. I think she thinks that by saying "don't come in today" it gives me a pass not to come in for rest of the week when she will have to work. She also might have appointments to do personal things...

I've called and called no answer. Going to have to go in, not ringing the school as one of the children has anxiety issues and wont like it if no-one is there.

The children are quite old (don't want to out myself!) but let's say they are older than 10. So don't need much in the way of "supervising" so doesn't matter if I am in toilet all evening!

Wish I had been strict in first instance now as I feel 100% worse than I did this morning and not sure how I'm going to get there, will have to take bowl in car.

you poor thing! let's hope you don't accidentally vomit all over the lounge carpet

hope you feel better soon.

well, the children i look after gave me the bug! I have vomited 9 times so far, and been in bed for nearly 24 hours. I am in a live in possition though and everyone can see how sick i am! Why should you make the kids sick?! Get better x

Just say that there is no way you can go in. Text if they really won't answer the phone and just keep ringing.

I had a nursery manager like this once and it was awful, she would tell everybody to come in regardless of how sick they were. Awful and just passed it on to other staff and children

You said;

"Rang MB at 8am to say was feeling sick and I think it's a bug"

From that description I would have asked you to come in too but take things easy.

Have you actually said to her that you have had d&v, that you haven't eaten and you are struggling to keep water down?

It could be that she just hasn't realised how ill you actually are

nbee if I had a nanny and she described the above + I knew there were bugs around I would NEVER ask her to come in. Having struggled all week with the flu and caring for 2 kids I would not put ANYONE through that hell (but mine are 1 and 4 not teenagers). However I dont subscribe to the 'martyr complex' of some people. If you are ill it is your duty to listen to your body and take care of it.

"Going to have to go in, not ringing the school as one of the children has anxiety issues and wont like it if no-one is there"

no child wont like it if they are not collected but if your mb is at home today then why cant she pick them up

you are a fool if you go in to work, esp with a sickness bug

Would never subscribe to the 'martyr complex' and nanny in op is definitely too ill to work. I just felt that if she only said that 1 statement to her boss then it definitely doesn't convey how ill she is. I read it as she is feeling sick (but hasn't actually been sick) and it could be a bug (as opposed to food poisoning, but also it may not be a bug). Lots of people can feel sick but have a slice of toast/bit of fresh air and feel better.

As a nanny I definitely take less sick days than if I worked in an office. I am aware of the impact and stress it causes the parents if I am not there. An office can get by without you but your employer has to organise childcare (very difficult at such short notice) or take leave (often unpaid) from work themselves.

Hope you are feeling better today.
I'm afraid if someone told me they 'had a bug' I would imagine they felt a little under the weather, not that they had been vomiting/diarrhoea.. if you made it clear that those were your symptoms then your boss was being unreasonable (and daft because her family are likely to catch it now), if you just said 'it's a bug' then I think it may have been mis-communication.

Hope you are feeling better today for next time though be firm and do not go in. I wouldn't even look after my own dc's if I was that ill, I would either expect dp to or if he had it too we'd ask family to take our dc's so we could get better and have less chance of them catching it tbh.

I honestly wouldn't want my nanny at work if she had D & V. Apart from anything else it would be mean. However if someone said they had a bit of a bug, I would expect them to struggle in but spend the day co-ordinating efforts from the sofa, unless they had a rampant temperature or something.