What do you do for back-up?

morah

Tue, Jun 26 2012, 10:24 pm

I just arranged my son's daycare for the fall when I go back to teaching. When you rely on daycare, what do you do when your child is sick and can't be brought in? Staying home would be completely out of the question for me- I can't exactly do my job from home, and since it's my first year at this school, I am VERY limited in terms of sick/personal days. My husband could potentially work from home, but he is limited in how often he can avail himself of that option- and when he does work from home, he actually needs to work. How do people find a back-up sitter to come on such short notice and who is willing to come for such an irregular gig? Of course, we can hope he just won't get sick, but let's face facts, it's daycare- he's going to catch stuff now and then, it WILL happen.

Also, for various reasons, daycare is the only workable childcare option for us, so please don't suggest I avoid the hassle by "just" getting a private sitter.

saw50st8

Tue, Jun 26 2012, 10:27 pm

We do a combination of me taking off, DH taking off, or my mother watching him.

There are emergency childcare services, but you have to trust a stranger to watch.

There are also centers made for sick kids (where they seperate by illness type). I've never been to one and just heard about it.

TwinsMommy

Tue, Jun 26 2012, 10:29 pm

I have a babysitter who is retired. All she does, all she wants to do, is babysit for us and another family. we use her 5 hours a week these days, but in an emergency, she's always available if I need last minute--- she's there for us. Do you know a SAHM or retired 60 something lady who could be your backup?

morah

Tue, Jun 26 2012, 10:52 pm

There is a SAHM I use occasionally now, but she is due in the fall, and I wouldn't want to foist a sick toddler on her with a newborn around. I suppose I can ask around town for others. My mom is somewhat available but not always. It would be a game-day decision whether she would be able to do it or not.

TwinsMommy

Tue, Jun 26 2012, 10:56 pm

where do you live--- maybe another imamother wouldn't mind being your backup.

I am a WAHM, but my kids will be in full time kindergarten in the fall and my work hours are part time and flexible (I'm my own boss).... so if a friend were having an emergency, I wouldn't mind being a backup if it was a day with no in person client appointments (phone appointments are easier to reschedule). Any excuse to hang out with a cute baby or toddler. Smile

But I'm in Cleveland and based on your yankees logo I'm thinking I'm not so local to you. Smile

morah

Tue, Jun 26 2012, 11:03 pm

Thanks- you are indeed correct, I am not local to you. But I would still be a Yankee fan, even if lived in Boston, ch'v Very Happy

I live in Queens, which is Mets territory, so I'm used to being the only Yankee fan for miles...I guess I will look for a bubby in my neighborhood who doesn't mind being on just an emergency basis.

simchatomid

Tue, Jun 26 2012, 11:20 pm

At one point I got some college students - 2-3 with different schedules depending on when I would need them - to call last minute. A lot of time they have very flexible schedules and might even be willing to miss a class here and there if you're desperate (and they need the money Wink

). I also liked the fun and energy that these college girls - who don't do this day-in-day-out - brought to the table. They are also great for times when the day care is closed - legal holidays, erev y"t (depending on their plans), just closed for vacation. And there are plenty of nice, frum college girls in Queens

33055

Tue, Jun 26 2012, 11:23 pm

Are you working a full day? If not and you are teaching as a Morah, would it be possible for you to back up an English teacher and she back you up when necessary? Also, you will meet other teachers and staff who might be willing to recommend their emergency sitters.

morah

Wed, Jun 27 2012, 7:21 am

It's full-time. The school does not do the traditional kodesh in the morning chol in the afternoon, so all the teachers are full-time. Also, I teach English. I know, my name is misleading Smile

College students are a good idea. Indeed, we have tons of them here.

Mrs Bissli

Thu, Jun 28 2012, 4:31 pm

We also use combination of all available resources, in order of frequencies, DH working from home, finding a babysitter available with short notice, and me working from home.

I think what works for us is, we have probably 5-6 names and phone numbers of possible babysitters. They are combination of high school students (I know, not an option for daytime emergencies), young women who is just about to finish uni, and two retired ladies. Before I built up this list, I had to call my cleaning lady once or twice to look after the child.

I found it is really not fair/nice to ask other mothers with small children. They prefer not to expose their children to other sick children (esp not their own).

In our cases, we usually find children becoming ill either late at night or find they have fever/stomoch bug/whatever first thing in the morning. So DH is most likely to stay home with DC until we call up everyone and see if anyone can come around say, 10am or 11am.

shabbatiscoming

Thu, Jun 28 2012, 4:46 pm

When my husband and I were both working full time, we did the "I watched DC last time she was sick, its your turn now" or the "my boss will kill me more if I take a child sick day than your boss, you take the day".

Our parents are not in the country and our siblings that are in the country were not an option.

So we took the child sick days and dealt with it the best we could.

Growing up, it was like that as well. Usually whichever parent could take off that day did. There was no one to send a sick child to (how would that work? I know here if a child has fever or diarrhea they are not allowed in gan, so why would a babysitter take them?) and grandparents lived too far to get them, bring them to our house and get to work on time.

There is not always anything else to do other than miss a day of work.