To daycare or not?

I have dd booked in daycare 2 days a week. My plans to return to my old job fell through, but to keep my 2 days I still use them. So after her first couple of weeks she got her first proper cold, it was awful and snotty and lasted ages. But she got over it and things have been good, She is now sick again (from a friends child) and is due to be in daycare today. She has a bit of light green snot, but seems fine. I am worried she will get worse, but everybody is telling me that this is what happens and there really isn't much point keeping her home at this stage. I also have to be somewhere today, but could regretfully cancel.

So what are your thoughts on daycare and colds? Do you still put them in when they seem ok?

If my DS1 is still his happy little self, with a runny nose or a slight cough I send him. If he looks unwell and it appears to be more than just a runny nose I keep him home, it really is a matter of assessing it on the day and going with what your gut tells you. If you keep them home over every slightly runny nose etc they'll never go to daycare. Go with what your instincts are telling you :)

Kids get sick in daycare. This is true. I personally would avoid it unless absolutely necessary for little ones. Their immune systems really struggle and it's awful.
If it were my kid, having just gotten over something, I would keep her home. She might be 'ok' to go, but the likelihood is that she'll pick up something else while she's there, with her immune system already under pressure.
Could she not come with you to your thing today?

I'd keep her home. Many moons ago (over 10 years) I worked in child care. The rule then was a runny nose is ok if it's clear, not ok if it's yellow/green - as that can be a sign of infection. We would always call parents to collect, not sure if this is standard now though.

Hope she gets better soon. Xx

I think green snot is standard at childcare unfortunately these days. Even when I visited all the local childcare centers before enrolling dd some of the kids always had runny green noses :( I can't bring her with me today, i would have to cancel. She's having a sleep now so I'll check her out again when she wakes. Argh, I hate this :(

It's only standard because people send their kids that way. I wouldn't, I feel it's not fair for the child that's sick and the others around them. Different story if you couldn't avoid it, but yeah in your situation I'd keep her home.

I guess the only plus is she's building up immunity for when i actually do return to work. I was going to start a new job last month too, lucky i didn't because between teething and a cold I would have had several days off.

I'd keep her home too. DD1 went to 3/4 yr old kindy last year which had a very strict rule with green snot - kids had to stay away or were sent home if they had it while at preschool. The rule here in Perth is generally green snot is a no-no.

I'm keeping DD1 home from kindy today as she had gastro yesterday. She's perfectly fine this morning but it not fair on the other kids or parents for that matter.

I hope your DD is feeling better soon.

I have decided to keep her home. She is fine, but I really don't want her getting any worse considering she just came out of a cold and teething a couple of weeks ago.

Yeah, I would play it safe. Bummer that you have to cancel something.
I think under 2-3 especially, their immune systems are very easily overwhelmed. I don't know that they build immunity so much as get crushed under continuous infections. And yeah, snot is constant at daycare. It's not 'normal', though, it's what happens when kids are sick constantly and reinfect each other all the time.

Green snot is a no no at our centre too

It's a no no at our centre too yet just this mornjng 3 kids with green snot hanging out their noses at 830am :( and that's just in DS room

It really does suck. It's going to be so hard trying to maintain a good work relationship with a child (something I'm new to) In over 10 years the only time off i have had is my wedding, a couple of dentist appointments and maybe a few fertility appointments over the years. I hate being the 'unreliable' one.

I have found now DS has been in childcare 12 months he rarely gets sick. So while for the first 6 months it's frustrating it's not always bad.

DD has now been in daycare for 2 years, and now that I think of it she doesn't really get sick anymore. I used to hate dropping her off in the baby room because almost every kid would be snotty, big green yucky ones. It felt like we were the only parents to keep our child home when she was sick.

If she is sick, I leave it to the last minute because she changes quite quickly. She could be off at night and perfect the next morning, or go downhill overnight. I always just think "if I felt the way she probably does, would I want to go to work?" If not, then DD would likely appreciate a relaxing day at home too.

As for juggling work and parenting, it sucks. Big time. I had major guilt over it, I remember one time when DD had a high temp during the day then it quickly changed to very low, I knew I had a huge day at work the next day and there was a chance settlements would fail and deals be lost if I couldn't go. But how could I leave my sick child? I cried to DH as I was rocking her that I hated that I even consider going to work and feel guilty about not going, the choice should be so simple to just stay with her. I've gotten tougher with work since then. It's not my fault that they've created a role where no one else in the business deals with my customers or my work. If my kid is sick they come first and if work suffers because the systems aren't in place to handle that, then that's something they need to work on.

Now I always go back to what would I regret more? I know I'd regret going to work more than staying home.

Just some info on green snot

:

---

Is Green Mucus More of a Concern than Clear Mucus?

In most cases, green or yellow nasal mucus (usually found toward the end of the cold) is no more contagious than clear mucus and may be even less contagious. The runny nose usually starts with clear mucus, which then becomes whitish or greenish as the cold dries up and gets better. This happens because as the body mounts its defense against the virus, white blood cells enter the mucus and color it. Usually the colored mucus comes in smaller amounts and is thicker, a sign that the cold is "drying up" and ending.

A green, runny nose that is accompanied by fever, headache, cough, and foul-smelling breath, may be a sign of a sinus infection. The child should have a medical evaluation and may need antibiotic treatment.

When are Children Contagious?

Unfortunately, infected children spread viruses before they begin to feel ill. This is because the amount of the virus present in their bodies is usually highest two-three days before they develop symptoms of the illness and continues to be present for two to three days after symptoms begin. Germs may be spread to others by:

Wiping the nose and then touching other people and objects.
Sharing of mouthed toys by infants and toddlers.
Coughing and sneezing into the air.
Kissing on the mouth.
Poor ventilation.

---

Personally I like to believe that most parents do not send their child to childcare when they are ill - green snot does not equate to illness if present with no other symptoms - above is just one of the many sets of information on the net about it.

Have I ever sent my kids to daycare with green snot - yes - have I ever sent them ill - no. Childcare are very quick to call if a child is actually ill - in 4+ years of childcare with two kids I have never been called in to pick up either of my two. Have they ever spread anything - yes I expect so but purely because they are normally most infectious before they are showing any signs of illness at all so nothing a parent can do to stop that apart from never go to childcare.