We have a love-hate relationship with the rules at daycare.
Jeff and I are both, generally, rule-followers. And we chose our daycare after careful consideration of the facilities, the atmosphere, and the policies. So we knew going in. We knew about the inclement weather policy and the biting policy and the rules about fever and the hours of operation and the vacation schedule. All of it. It all sounded perfectly reasonable when we were looking for daycares last summer and we eagerly signed on the dotted line.
And 99% of the time it's smooth sailing. Colt doesn't really get sick that often and their hours of operation and vacation days more or less line up with ours. And the inclement weather policy typically affects the whole darn town on the same days, so it's not really an issue.
But today. Today was one of the days that the rules were working against us.
If I knew then what I know now, I would still have signed all that paperwork last August, but I would have included a disclaimer: I agree to come pick up my child from school if he runs a fever over 101 degrees BUT I reserve the right to bring him STRAIGHT BACK as soon as his Ferris Bueller act wears off.
The fever thing.
Oy.
I got a call this morning that he had a fever of 101.4 and was acting "a little clingy" - which, to be fair, is pretty unusual. So home he went. Then to the doctor we went. Then back home - conspicuously bypassing the pharmacy. I'd say 4 of our last 5 doctor's visits ended this way. Nothing wrong with him. Ears are perfect. No wheezing. He has a cough? Ok, do a couple puffs of Albuterol a few times a day for the next few days - but no biggie. And try some Zyrtec at night for the runny nose. But he's PERFECTLY FINE. And! No sign of fever! And, let me tell you!, his energy level isn't suffering!
Truth be told, we had a good run. I think it's been since March or April. I feel like we should have one of those signs you see in warehouses and workplaces -- keeping count of the days since the last incident.
This child has attended 87 days of daycare without running a freakishly temporary and completely harmless fever. The previous record was too pathetic to even mention.
Yeah, for a while there during the winter we were lucky to get in a full week of school! And - those of you with kids know that if he gets sent home with a fever, he has to stay out for a full 24 hours. Which means my man Ferris will be home again tomorrow. Such a stressful life he leads.
I have learned to request that they take the child's temperature again in front of me when I arrive to pick him up. Amazingly, it's gone most of the time. Then they usually cave and let them come back the next day. Try it next time!
Posted by: Nancy Bunch | Wednesday, 28 July 2010 at 10:28 AM