Daycares taking advantage of COVID

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know if it’s denial or what but it’s always funny to me that parents say their kids have “allergies”. And it’s always funny to me how these allergies then spread to all of the other kids! then miraculously, allergies disappear after a couple of weeks. It’s also funny how these allergies are never documented by a doctor, or medicated by parents.

If by sending one child home for a runny nose it helps prevent an entire classroom closure then that’s what needs to happen.

Sounds like you hate working moms.

I think there is a subset of teachers that have created this mythology of things that parents do intentionally to cheat the system. Like if a child's temperature goes up during the time they are at daycare, clearly the parents must have given the child Tylenol to bring down the fever. Because children only develop fevers between the hours of 6pm and 8am, everyone knows that.

Or now with COVID, if the child has some mild symptom, the parent MUST know that symptom cannot be due to allergies (which can vary from week to week depending on pollen counts), since whether you realize it or not in addition to COVID test kits Biden has also been sending out general virus test kits to all families so they can INTENTIONALLY send their kids to daycare sick.

Oh, did you get some sent to you for the under 2 crowd? I've only seen the ones that say "Do not use on anyone under 2 years of age".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know if it’s denial or what but it’s always funny to me that parents say their kids have “allergies”. And it’s always funny to me how these allergies then spread to all of the other kids! then miraculously, allergies disappear after a couple of weeks. It’s also funny how these allergies are never documented by a doctor, or medicated by parents.

If by sending one child home for a runny nose it helps prevent an entire classroom closure then that’s what needs to happen.

Sounds like you hate working moms.

Working or not, your kids are your responsibility, especially when sick. Working Dad can also stay home.

So then why do daycares exist? Because based on what you just said one parent always needs to be at home.

Daycares don’t exist to take care of sick kids.

[Anonymous]

Staffing is so difficult right now. Its not just the daycare industry, its all low wage positions. Haven't you seen the help wanted signs - like, everywhere?

[Anonymous]

My daycare used to be open until 6pm and since June 2020 has been open only until 4:30pm. Only starting June 1 have they had an option to stay until 5:30pm for extra money.

The main reason is that they can’t combine / mix groups of kids due to contact tracing and they can’t have “floater” teachers lest of of those people infected multiple classes. The teachers need breaks and without floaters it’s hard. They can’t work 12+ hr days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know if it’s denial or what but it’s always funny to me that parents say their kids have “allergies”. And it’s always funny to me how these allergies then spread to all of the other kids! then miraculously, allergies disappear after a couple of weeks. It’s also funny how these allergies are never documented by a doctor, or medicated by parents.

If by sending one child home for a runny nose it helps prevent an entire classroom closure then that’s what needs to happen.

Sounds like you hate working moms.

Working or not, your kids are your responsibility, especially when sick. Working Dad can also stay home.

So then why do daycares exist? Because based on what you just said one parent always needs to be at home.

Daycares don’t exist to take care of sick kids.

There are a couple of issues at play here. First, many families do not have sick leave at work and do not have people who can cover for them. They often have no choice.

But also, everyone has limits. If you quarantine whole classes for 10 days, do you think the parents will be able to take a day or 2 off the next month just in case the symptoms that look like allergies are not? If you want to stop diseases from spreading families have to keep kids home at the beginning of an illness, not after they stop being infectious but still have a lingering cough or runny nose. Having draconian policies on keeping kids home does not help, it just means I will send my kid in as long as I can get away with it so that I can keep my job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know if it’s denial or what but it’s always funny to me that parents say their kids have “allergies”. And it’s always funny to me how these allergies then spread to all of the other kids! then miraculously, allergies disappear after a couple of weeks. It’s also funny how these allergies are never documented by a doctor, or medicated by parents.

If by sending one child home for a runny nose it helps prevent an entire classroom closure then that’s what needs to happen.

Sounds like you hate working moms.

Working or not, your kids are your responsibility, especially when sick. Working Dad can also stay home.

So then why do daycares exist? Because based on what you just said one parent always needs to be at home.

Daycares don’t exist to take care of sick kids.

That's not what you said though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know if it’s denial or what but it’s always funny to me that parents say their kids have “allergies”. And it’s always funny to me how these allergies then spread to all of the other kids! then miraculously, allergies disappear after a couple of weeks. It’s also funny how these allergies are never documented by a doctor, or medicated by parents.

If by sending one child home for a runny nose it helps prevent an entire classroom closure then that’s what needs to happen.

Sounds like you hate working moms.

Working or not, your kids are your responsibility, especially when sick. Working Dad can also stay home.

So then why do daycares exist? Because based on what you just said one parent always needs to be at home.

Daycares don’t exist to take care of sick kids.

There are a couple of issues at play here. First, many families do not have sick leave at work and do not have people who can cover for them. They often have no choice.

But also, everyone has limits. If you quarantine whole classes for 10 days, do you think the parents will be able to take a day or 2 off the next month just in case the symptoms that look like allergies are not? If you want to stop diseases from spreading families have to keep kids home at the beginning of an illness, not after they stop being infectious but still have a lingering cough or runny nose. Having draconian policies on keeping kids home does not help, it just means I will send my kid in as long as I can get away with it so that I can keep my job.

Covid is now something parents need to plan for. Do you have sick leave? Do you have annual leave? Are you married? Why can't your spouse also take off. Most people in professional jobs get 2-4 weeks of leave, so multiple that by two parents and it should get you through. It just means sacrifices like skipping vacations. But, if you can afford a vacation you can afford to pay someone to care for your sick kids too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know if it’s denial or what but it’s always funny to me that parents say their kids have “allergies”. And it’s always funny to me how these allergies then spread to all of the other kids! then miraculously, allergies disappear after a couple of weeks. It’s also funny how these allergies are never documented by a doctor, or medicated by parents.

If by sending one child home for a runny nose it helps prevent an entire classroom closure then that’s what needs to happen.

Sounds like you hate working moms.

Working or not, your kids are your responsibility, especially when sick. Working Dad can also stay home.

So then why do daycares exist? Because based on what you just said one parent always needs to be at home.

Daycares don’t exist to take care of sick kids.

There are a couple of issues at play here. First, many families do not have sick leave at work and do not have people who can cover for them. They often have no choice.

But also, everyone has limits. If you quarantine whole classes for 10 days, do you think the parents will be able to take a day or 2 off the next month just in case the symptoms that look like allergies are not? If you want to stop diseases from spreading families have to keep kids home at the beginning of an illness, not after they stop being infectious but still have a lingering cough or runny nose. Having draconian policies on keeping kids home does not help, it just means I will send my kid in as long as I can get away with it so that I can keep my job.

Covid is now something parents need to plan for. Do you have sick leave? Do you have annual leave? Are you married? Why can't your spouse also take off. Most people in professional jobs get 2-4 weeks of leave, so multiple that by two parents and it should get you through. It just means sacrifices like skipping vacations. But, if you can afford a vacation you can afford to pay someone to care for your sick kids too.

I don't think I realized how many non-parents used dcum until I read this thread. You literally have no idea how hard this has been for parents. No idea whatsoever. Your comment is so ignorant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know if it’s denial or what but it’s always funny to me that parents say their kids have “allergies”. And it’s always funny to me how these allergies then spread to all of the other kids! then miraculously, allergies disappear after a couple of weeks. It’s also funny how these allergies are never documented by a doctor, or medicated by parents.

If by sending one child home for a runny nose it helps prevent an entire classroom closure then that’s what needs to happen.

Sounds like you hate working moms.

Working or not, your kids are your responsibility, especially when sick. Working Dad can also stay home.

So then why do daycares exist? Because based on what you just said one parent always needs to be at home.

Daycares don’t exist to take care of sick kids.

There are a couple of issues at play here. First, many families do not have sick leave at work and do not have people who can cover for them. They often have no choice.

But also, everyone has limits. If you quarantine whole classes for 10 days, do you think the parents will be able to take a day or 2 off the next month just in case the symptoms that look like allergies are not? If you want to stop diseases from spreading families have to keep kids home at the beginning of an illness, not after they stop being infectious but still have a lingering cough or runny nose. Having draconian policies on keeping kids home does not help, it just means I will send my kid in as long as I can get away with it so that I can keep my job.

Covid is now something parents need to plan for. Do you have sick leave? Do you have annual leave? Are you married? Why can't your spouse also take off. Most people in professional jobs get 2-4 weeks of leave, so multiple that by two parents and it should get you through. It just means sacrifices like skipping vacations. But, if you can afford a vacation you can afford to pay someone to care for your sick kids too.

I don't think you understand. We are talking more than 4 weeks a year. My child's day care has been officially closed for outbreaks 4 weeks in the last year. However, my child has been kept home for non-covid symptoms or illnesses A LOT more than that - at least a week every month. I'm lucky I have been able to work remotely so I can get some hours in during naps and at night, because even splitting with my spouse, I think people really, really are running up against the limits of leave and workplace flexibility at this point. That's a real thing.

[Anonymous]

Covid is now something parents need to plan for. Do you have sick leave? Do you have annual leave? Are you married? Why can't your spouse also take off. Most people in professional jobs get 2-4 weeks of leave, so multiple that by two parents and it should get you through. It just means sacrifices like skipping vacations. But, if you can afford a vacation you can afford to pay someone to care for your sick kids too.

Tell me you’re not a parent of young children right now, without telling me you’re not a parent of young children right now.

The average rate of a decent sitter/nanny in DC is at least $20/hour. That means, depending on when the 10-day exclusion periods runs, parents are paying an additional $800-1000 per Covid closure. And it’s not like parents get a discount for when their kids aren’t in daycare due to closures. It also assumes you can find a sitter willing to watch your kid who had a Covid exposure. My lo’s daycare is on its third 10-day closure since January, that would put us out an additional $2,400-3,000 in care, which puts you us in the range for IRS reporting, an additional cost.

This also assumes your family didn’t contract Covid from daycare-we did back during the first closure. I’ve had my baby tested during the subsequent closures (on days 4 and 9) and baby has been negative each time. It may sound excessive, but if baby tests positive again we get a 90-day reprieve from closures which would be a huge help (and yes, I understand how awful it is to make that statement, but parents of young kids are desperate).

Collectively, my partner and I have spent all of our Covid care, burned through sick days, and started eating into vacation time. It is only June and we have six more months to make it through. I’m already assuming I’ll have to take unpaid leave at some point this year given how things are going.

And before anyone suggests a nanny share or nanny, not everyone is making a ton of money in DC. And those care types can cost 2-3x more than daycare at a facility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know if it’s denial or what but it’s always funny to me that parents say their kids have “allergies”. And it’s always funny to me how these allergies then spread to all of the other kids! then miraculously, allergies disappear after a couple of weeks. It’s also funny how these allergies are never documented by a doctor, or medicated by parents.

If by sending one child home for a runny nose it helps prevent an entire classroom closure then that’s what needs to happen.

Sounds like you hate working moms.

Working or not, your kids are your responsibility, especially when sick. Working Dad can also stay home.

So then why do daycares exist? Because based on what you just said one parent always needs to be at home.

Daycares don’t exist to take care of sick kids.

There are a couple of issues at play here. First, many families do not have sick leave at work and do not have people who can cover for them. They often have no choice.

But also, everyone has limits. If you quarantine whole classes for 10 days, do you think the parents will be able to take a day or 2 off the next month just in case the symptoms that look like allergies are not? If you want to stop diseases from spreading families have to keep kids home at the beginning of an illness, not after they stop being infectious but still have a lingering cough or runny nose. Having draconian policies on keeping kids home does not help, it just means I will send my kid in as long as I can get away with it so that I can keep my job.

Covid is now something parents need to plan for. Do you have sick leave? Do you have annual leave? Are you married? Why can't your spouse also take off. Most people in professional jobs get 2-4 weeks of leave, so multiple that by two parents and it should get you through. It just means sacrifices like skipping vacations. But, if you can afford a vacation you can afford to pay someone to care for your sick kids too.

Agree, but also, extreme policies need to phase out pretty soon here. If the country's COVID response has changed to limiting hospilazation/serious illness and not really much focus on limiting spread (to the extent that hospitals aren't overwhelmed), what are we doing with daycares?

Keeping kids home from daycare when sick is always a pain, but parents always have done it. A minor runny nose was not considered a reason for exclusion. Nor did we have to get a covid test and doctors note every time one happened in order to return. Classrooms were notified of some illnesses in the classroom (I got a notification of hand-foot-mouth disease), but we didn't close.

Staffing is a real issue in the entire field of childcare. The jobs don't pay well and there are other jobs that have had to increase wages. It is hard to make profits work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know if it’s denial or what but it’s always funny to me that parents say their kids have “allergies”. And it’s always funny to me how these allergies then spread to all of the other kids! then miraculously, allergies disappear after a couple of weeks. It’s also funny how these allergies are never documented by a doctor, or medicated by parents.

If by sending one child home for a runny nose it helps prevent an entire classroom closure then that’s what needs to happen.

Sounds like you hate working moms.

Working or not, your kids are your responsibility, especially when sick. Working Dad can also stay home.

So then why do daycares exist? Because based on what you just said one parent always needs to be at home.

Daycares don’t exist to take care of sick kids.

There are a couple of issues at play here. First, many families do not have sick leave at work and do not have people who can cover for them. They often have no choice.

But also, everyone has limits. If you quarantine whole classes for 10 days, do you think the parents will be able to take a day or 2 off the next month just in case the symptoms that look like allergies are not? If you want to stop diseases from spreading families have to keep kids home at the beginning of an illness, not after they stop being infectious but still have a lingering cough or runny nose. Having draconian policies on keeping kids home does not help, it just means I will send my kid in as long as I can get away with it so that I can keep my job.

Covid is now something parents need to plan for. Do you have sick leave? Do you have annual leave? Are you married? Why can't your spouse also take off. Most people in professional jobs get 2-4 weeks of leave, so multiple that by two parents and it should get you through. It just means sacrifices like skipping vacations. But, if you can afford a vacation you can afford to pay someone to care for your sick kids too.

NP. My two children have missed a combined total of 72 days from daycare in the past 18 months, solely due to classroom quarantines and not their own illnesses. That's 72 days of my DH and I having to shift our schedules, beg for WFH, etc. And those are days that my kids were HEALTHY. That doesn't count the week we missed due to my toddler's RSV, or the 3 days my older DD missed due to a stomach virus. Neither child has ever tested positive for covid and, fortunately, older DD is now vaccinated.
How many days of leave do you have? Can you cover 72 days of unplanned leave in 18 months due to quarantining healthy children??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daycare used to be open until 6pm and since June 2020 has been open only until 4:30pm. Only starting June 1 have they had an option to stay until 5:30pm for extra money.

The main reason is that they can’t combine / mix groups of kids due to contact tracing and they can’t have “floater” teachers lest of of those people infected multiple classes. The teachers need breaks and without floaters it’s hard. They can’t work 12+ hr days.

This. We actually ARE allowed to mix kids and teachers now, but that means that when we have a case we have to shut down multiple classrooms/have more staff out. Staff are required to have both vaccine shots but not boosters, BUT are not considered to be fully vaccinated without the booster. So if they are not boosted they are allowed to work but have to quarantine when exposed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It annoyed me too until I realized that some people are there from beginning until close. Meaning they’re doing 12 hour shifts sometimes longer. I think we were taking advantage of them now it’s being hemmed in a bit.

That's not how daycare works. I used to work in daycare and everyone I have ever worked in does a staggered schedule. So some come in early and work like 7-3 and then some come and work 10-close or something similar.

Ok. I still think it’s a reasonable thing to amend work hours. We all redrew our boundaries the past few years. I’m one of the last parents to pick up too. I hate how stressful it is. But I think too it’s ok to change business hours. At least they didn’t make it 5:30

DP daycares can offer whatever hours they want, and parents can seek other care if it doesn't work for their schedules. And it can vibe very frustrating to have to find a new provider.

Exactly. We can accept it or shop around.

Except it’s getting harder and harder to “shop around” for something better because this is a pretty widespread problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know if it’s denial or what but it’s always funny to me that parents say their kids have “allergies”. And it’s always funny to me how these allergies then spread to all of the other kids! then miraculously, allergies disappear after a couple of weeks. It’s also funny how these allergies are never documented by a doctor, or medicated by parents.

If by sending one child home for a runny nose it helps prevent an entire classroom closure then that’s what needs to happen.

Sounds like you hate working moms.

Working or not, your kids are your responsibility, especially when sick. Working Dad can also stay home.

So then why do daycares exist? Because based on what you just said one parent always needs to be at home.

Daycares don’t exist to take care of sick kids.

There are a couple of issues at play here. First, many families do not have sick leave at work and do not have people who can cover for them. They often have no choice.

But also, everyone has limits. If you quarantine whole classes for 10 days, do you think the parents will be able to take a day or 2 off the next month just in case the symptoms that look like allergies are not? If you want to stop diseases from spreading families have to keep kids home at the beginning of an illness, not after they stop being infectious but still have a lingering cough or runny nose. Having draconian policies on keeping kids home does not help, it just means I will send my kid in as long as I can get away with it so that I can keep my job.

Covid is now something parents need to plan for. Do you have sick leave? Do you have annual leave? Are you married? Why can't your spouse also take off. Most people in professional jobs get 2-4 weeks of leave, so multiple that by two parents and it should get you through. It just means sacrifices like skipping vacations. But, if you can afford a vacation you can afford to pay someone to care for your sick kids too.

NP. My two children have missed a combined total of 72 days from daycare in the past 18 months, solely due to classroom quarantines and not their own illnesses. That's 72 days of my DH and I having to shift our schedules, beg for WFH, etc. And those are days that my kids were HEALTHY. That doesn't count the week we missed due to my toddler's RSV, or the 3 days my older DD missed due to a stomach virus. Neither child has ever tested positive for covid and, fortunately, older DD is now vaccinated.
How many days of leave do you have? Can you cover 72 days of unplanned leave in 18 months due to quarantining healthy children??

Sounds like you need a new employer or a more flexible job.