Are centers less strict about sick policies?

[Anonymous]

Our son goes to a home daycare in Bethesda that he loves. It’s $500/week (he’s 2) for full time M-F, and just 5 mins from our house so super convenient since I WFH.

I’m currently solo parenting while my spouse is out of state for the rest of the year (military). Today I was asked to pick up my kid because his nose is stuffed up so he’s breathing loudly and wasn’t interested in eating his lunch, plus they think “he’s probably going to get a fever later”. He doesn’t have a fever, his energy level is fine, and his nose isn’t runny, so there’s nothing present that goes against their own sickness policies. He’s also fully vaccinated for COVID and daycare is literally the only place we’re exposed to other people right now since I WFH.

My mom says we should try to switch to a center instead of a home daycare because a center won’t send kids home for little stuff like this. But is that advice from “the before times” or is it still true?

[Anonymous]

Wow, that's expensive.

We use a center and their sick policies are pretty much back to normal unless there is actual diagnosed COVID. 24 hours for a fever, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. But I doubt this is a center vs in-home issue.

[Anonymous]

That's crazy. Centers might be better, but also my home daycare would have never sent my child home for a stuffy nose.

[Anonymous]

They suspect that you medicated him and dropped him off.

Any other concerns there?

[Anonymous]

Given the new CDC guidelines and availability of vaccines this seems unnecessary strict.

Are you happy with the overall care provided? Can you get insight from the daycare on their interpretation of the sick policy and outline your concerns? What you are describing won't be sustainable for parents.

[Anonymous]

That is very expensive for home daycare and I agree that is a ridiculous reason to ask for pick up. Find a center that takes ChildCareAware (military subsidy program available to active military) since your husband is military. You can get better and more predictable care for less than $500 a week for a 2 year old.

[Anonymous]

I have one child in a center and one in a home daycare. Our home daycare is much more lenient.

The center has much more established rules but tend to ask kids to stay home more often - particularly if teachers are out sick and they need to maintain ratios. Well, that’s my cynical opinion on why kids are sent home more often.

[Anonymous]

We were at a home daycare till August 2021 and have been at a center since then. IME the in-home was much more strict and would send kids home at the drop of a hat. They still have the same policies talking to our friends who still have their kids there. The center sends home for fever but not runny noses.
$2000 a month is a lot for an in-home. I pay less for our center.

[Anonymous]

Well your first problem is paying $500 a week for a home daycare. That's insane. You are already paying a center price so you may as well switch to one. The scenario you mentioned is ridiculous and I would be livid. The centers we have used have only sent home for fever, vomiting, yellow or green visible snot running etc...

[Anonymous]

...but home daycares are so much better, this is why they should be more expensive. There is no quality relationships your child would have in the center, with 15 kids and 3 teachers, who to be honest dont care, vs private daycare lady who obviously cares. And, kids get sick a lot more in the center. Your home daycare should be allowed to administer quick covid test because it looks like the real reason behind sending your child home was fear of covid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our son goes to a home daycare in Bethesda that he loves. It’s $500/week (he’s 2) for full time M-F, and just 5 mins from our house so super convenient since I WFH.

I’m currently solo parenting while my spouse is out of state for the rest of the year (military). Today I was asked to pick up my kid because his nose is stuffed up so he’s breathing loudly and wasn’t interested in eating his lunch, plus they think “he’s probably going to get a fever later”. He doesn’t have a fever, his energy level is fine, and his nose isn’t runny, so there’s nothing present that goes against their own sickness policies. He’s also fully vaccinated for COVID and daycare is literally the only place we’re exposed to other people right now since I WFH.

My mom says we should try to switch to a center instead of a home daycare because a center won’t send kids home for little stuff like this. But is that advice from “the before times” or is it still true?

If your child is presenting as starting to get sick, you keep them home for a day. Vaccinated has nothing to do with transmission. Be considerate to others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:...but home daycares are so much better, this is why they should be more expensive. There is no quality relationships your child would have in the center, with 15 kids and 3 teachers, who to be honest dont care, vs private daycare lady who obviously cares. And, kids get sick a lot more in the center. Your home daycare should be allowed to administer quick covid test because it looks like the real reason behind sending your child home was fear of covid.

This is dumb. Being an in-home vs a center daycare doesn't mean a certain level of quality. You have to assess each individually. We used an in-home temporarily during a prolonged center closure and DD was much happier when she went back to her center. It was a highly recommended in-home but the center was just a better fit. I am sure there are terrible center teachers just as there are bad in-home providers but many are wonderful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:...but home daycares are so much better, this is why they should be more expensive. There is no quality relationships your child would have in the center, with 15 kids and 3 teachers, who to be honest dont care, vs private daycare lady who obviously cares. And, kids get sick a lot more in the center. Your home daycare should be allowed to administer quick covid test because it looks like the real reason behind sending your child home was fear of covid.

That’s such BS. My daughter has been in a center since she was 10 months old. She’s 5 now. She adores her teachers and has developed wonderful relationships with them.

[Anonymous]

...what really dumb is keeping your child under 3 in a center, especially during covid. Home daycare has very small chance of exposure compare to a center. Also, kids' food in the center is disgusting (hot dogs? cheap pizza? chicken nuggets?) and mostly processed/sugary stuff every day (muffins or sugar packed cereal for breakfast) while my home daycare makes steel cut oats oatmeal fresh every morning, nice homemade beef meatballs and what not for lunch, and kids get organic blueberries for snack vs goldfish crackers at the center. But to each their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:...what really dumb is keeping your child under 3 in a center, especially during covid. Home daycare has very small chance of exposure compare to a center. Also, kids' food in the center is disgusting (hot dogs? cheap pizza? chicken nuggets?) and mostly processed/sugary stuff every day (muffins or sugar packed cereal for breakfast) while my home daycare makes steel cut oats oatmeal fresh every morning, nice homemade beef meatballs and what not for lunch, and kids get organic blueberries for snack vs goldfish crackers at the center. But to each their own.

I think someone should nominate you for parent of the year for choosing the very best daycare for your child. You'll get a medal. It will be so satisfying for you.