byfirstlight's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Daycare annoyances. Again. Okay. So I started this entry earlier this morning, but I didn't have time to write. Now I do. Isabella's daycare is driving me insane. Insane, I tell you! Grrr!!!! I've mentioned before that they're anal about wanting notes for anything out of the ordinary. Specifically, doctor's notes. Honestly, I think this is utter bullshit. I can understand needing a doctor's note for medication, because it's MEDICINE. But pedialyte? It's freaking Gatorade for wee ones, damn it! Oh, wonderful. The director of the daycare just responded to my email. Blah, blah, blah, BULLSHIT. That's what I say. Here's my email with her responses in a different color. Good morning Tara, Najla suggested I contact you regarding Isabella's schedule. While she will typically arrive each day between 12:30 and 1:00pm, some days I will have to bring her in between 7:30 and 8:00am. Her father usually works second shift, so he keeps her home in the mornings. However, his schedule does change on a daily basis, and often we don't know what time he'll be working until 7:00 that morning. In those situations (like this morning), I will not be able to give advance notice. I will try to drop her off between 7:40 and 7:50 am on the days when she comes in in the morning, but if the weather is bad like this morning, she may arrive earlier - between 7:15 and 7:30am. She will always be picked up by 5:15pm at the latest. The contract for service that you have signed indicates that Isabella will be in attendance from 8-5 each day M-F. This is what you have contracted for at this time. If you would like to change it, we can discuss that. The 150.00 weekly fee covers up to 9 ½ hours a day, so it seems that you would want to change it to at least 7:45 to 5:15 to accommodate your current schedule. I schedule staff based on children’s contracts. This morning, Jerri happened to be there early, but she wasn’t scheduled until 8:30. Our early infant person (either Najla or Jerri) arrives at 7:45, because our first baby isn’t due to arrive until 8 a.m. Let’s work together to find out the schedule that will fit you best, but it needs to be a set schedule. If you arrive before it is time to drop Isabella off, you can wait with her until it is time. Also, children can come for up to 10 hours per day, but the rate would be slightly higher, as 150.00 covers up to 47.5 hours. Next on my agenda is doctor's notes. Najla informed me last week that I need to provide a doctor's note for just about any situation out of the ordinary. For instance, I have asked that they do not feed Isabella more than once every 3 hours and 45 minutes. This was at the suggestion of her pediatrician (Dr. Ciesliga), because Isabella needs to be familiar with a set schedule. When I explained this to Najla, she said I would need to provide a note from Dr. Ciesliga stating this. This is because we are required to offer children food at least every three hours, and more often if they are hungry. We are required by law to do this. Another instance is Pedialyte. Isabella acquired a viral diahrrea infection two weeks ago, and I ended up taking her to an after hours clinic for a diagnosis. The clinic's doctor told me to give Isabella 4 ounces of Pedialyte every hour until the diahrrea was gone. When I brought the pedialyte in the next morning, Najla told me they couldn't give it to her without a note from that doctor, which fortunately, I did have. Later that morning, I called Isabella's pediatrician's office, and spoke with the office nurse. She told me to lower the dosage of pedialyte from 4 ounces every hour to 2 ounces per hour instead, simply because it was just too much fluid for such a small baby. She'd be too full and have a stomach ache. So I informed Najla, Jeri, and the other workers in the infant room of this. Najla wanted a doctor's note for this as well, but the office would not provide one. I ended up writing a note myself, explaining the situation. I was also told that in order to stop feeding the Pedialyte to Isabella, I would need another note. For any over the counter medications, which would include pedialyte, we must have a doctor’s note to be able to give it. This includes things such as benadryl, hydrocortisone, Tylenol, etc. Unless it has a pharmacy label or a doctor’s prescription, we cannot give it. This is a child care licensing regulation, part of the Michigan law. Medication is a very serious issue, particularly with young children, which is why there are such strict rules for what can be dispensed, and how it must be done. I cannot get these notes. I spoke to the pediatrician's office this morning, and in the future, they will not provide instructions unless it is for a prescription medication prescribed by Dr. Ciesliga. Because Pedialyte is an over the counter item, and not really a medication, they will not provide instructions for it. They said that my instructions should be sufficient, because I am her mother. The same goes for Isabella's feeding times. They will not provide a note for that either. I understand that the ECDC would like doctor's notes for documentation, and I don't mind writing these notes myself, but there will be no doctor's notes unless it's for prescription medication. If you would like to set up a meeting to discuss this further, I'm available between 12 and 1:00pm, or after 5pm. My husband Adam is available from 8:00am to 12:00pm. Over the counter items are medications, just not prescription medications. You, as the parent, are welcome to come and give medications at other times, but we are not allowed without doctor’s instructions. I am very familiar with these policies and have never had a doctor have a problem writing these types of things out for his patients. I will work with you as much as possible, but we must comply with all licensing regulations for the ECDC. If it would be helpful, I can speak to your doctor. Let me know what you would like to do from this point. Thanks, Tara Huls Now. I realize that they need to cover their asses as much as possible, but COME ON. My doctor's office will not cooperate here, so what the hell am I supposed to do? This is ridiculous. I refuse to change doctors, because I like her doctor a whole hell of a lot better than the daycare, only I'm in a CONTRACT with them until May. Now what? Oh, yeah. One more thing that pisses me off. Isabella only ends up being at daycare about 22 hours a week. I still pay that whole fucking $150, regardless of that. If I want to bring her in any earlier than 7:45 or pick her up after 5:15, I need to extend her contract?! WTF?! Even if I did pick her up late, or bring her in early SOME days, I would STILL not exceed 47.5 hours. So that is such bullshit. I fucking hate that place. I am NOT going to pay 35 more dollars PER WEEK when she would still only be there a max of 30 hours. Bullshit. Bullshit. Bullshit. God. I am so pissed. 11:49 a.m. - 12.02.02 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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