It's really a personal/professional preference. When I worked part-time for 2 families I had a sick care policy in both contracts so I wasn't spreading anything highly contagious between the 2 households. With my current full-time family I still have a sick care policy, but it's much less strict.

Colds and low grade fevers are fine with me, but higher than 102 degree fever usually not. Luckily I have never encountered parents who want to leave their children when they are that sick. Same with vomiting, I've never encountered a parent who has gone to work if their child can't keep anything down.

Sorry, should be a stomach virus.

I agree with a lot of the factors mentioned above, including how sick the child is and how many hours you work for the family versus with other families. One more that I think matters a lot is what their policy on sick days for you is. If the family is going to begrudge me taking a sick day, then I am absolutely not going to expose myself to a nasty Simic virus and risk losing the income I need to pay my bills.

They're my babies too. Of course I care for them when they are sick.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My rule of thumb is that I will care for full-time charges when sick, but I don't babysit or take care of a part-time charge if sick. I am not going to jeopardize my main employment for someone else's convenience.

+1 And I will work when sick, not vomitting, but will always give the family the heads up so they can make the choice.

08.37. Same here.

Anonymous wrote:My rule of thumb is that I will care for full-time charges when sick, but I don't babysit or take care of a part-time charge if sick. I am not going to jeopardize my main employment for someone else's convenience.

+1 And I will work when sick, not vomitting, but will always give the family the heads up so they can make the choice.

It is a toss up....A personal choice.

There is not a right or wrong choice, ultimately it is up to the nanny's discretion.

The families I work for have always informed me ahead of time that their child was ill then pretty much gave me the day(s) off since most of them wanted to be home w/their sick child.

DCUM has a group of nannies (maybe, I'm never sure if they really are nannies), who either make up the perfect job in their heads, or like stirring the pot.

That said, yes, one of the reasons parents hire nannies is so they have someone to cover sick days. If you won't take care of sick kids, that's something to say at the interview stage. I'm sure there are some parents who can or prefer to stay home with a sick child, but there are fewer of them.

It really depends on a few things. How sick? With what illness? Does nanny work with other families?

I always take care of sick children. I have had to insist that a parent take there child to the dr once. He was pretty upset but after the child was hospitalized he appologized .

Anonymous wrote:My rule of thumb is that I will care for full-time charges when sick, but I don't babysit or take care of a part-time charge if sick. I am not going to jeopardize my main employment for someone else's convenience.

this is me as well. I might make an exception for a Friday knowing I don't have to go back to work for 3 days but I can't think of any instances when a parent tried to foist a vomiting kid on me anyway.

My rule of thumb is that I will care for full-time charges when sick, but I don't babysit or take care of a part-time charge if sick. I am not going to jeopardize my main employment for someone else's convenience.

I too watch children when they are sick.
I think that's part of the flexibility that parents
pay for.

I'm a nanny. I have always (since 2005) cared for children when they are ill. I've never thought of refusing to care for a child because they are vomiting or have a fever.
Some nannies on DCUM have said that they don't care for sick children. I thought some parent wanted child care that was personal and flexible.... and that's why they want a nanny.

Am I doing it wrong?