My unvaxed child and my childcare business

[kewpie-o]

Not sure where to post this question, so I'll probably x-post it in the vaccination section as well.

I am a SAHM to my unvaccinated 20-month-old DD and am thinking about babysitting in my home....nothing huge, just maybe 2 or 3 kids. I have the flyers to hang around town made up and I am working on writing up a contract/handbook for parents to sign.

It just occurred to me that some parents who vaccinate might have a problem with my child not being vaccinated. While I'm sure there are other parents out there who don't vax or selectively vax in my area, I'm guessing they are pretty few and far between.

Is the fact that my daughter is unvaxed something I should include in my contract? Should I mention it at all?? I would just hate for something to come up like my child giving their child an illness of some sort (God forbid) and then me being held liable for it, KWIM? Obviously, I think it's silly for parents of vaxed kids to be worried about contracting diseases from unvaxed children, because I know their kids could just as easily pass something to mine....but I know there's that fear there.

My gut is telling me to just be open and forthright with prospective parents about the fact that my daughter is not vaxed, but then it almost seems that me bringing it up would make it a bigger deal than it really is and cause the parent to think it's something they need to worry about. I don't know. What do you think?

[phathui5]

I have an unvaxed children and I do childcare. Some of the parents know because it has come up in conversation, but I don't announce it as if we pose a risk to their vaxed child, because I don't believe that to be the case.

[readytobedone]

i've been on the other end (parent with an unvaxed child in an in-home daycare setting), and i didn't say anything. i wouldn't if i were in your situation, either. the main reason is you're not required to. if you were looking to get licensed and so forth, it would be different. but at least in my state, you don't have to be licensed to take care of a couple kids in your house. i'd just not mention vax status either way, at all. if a parent directly ASKS you, is your child vaxed, then i would tell the truth. JMO.

[moondiapers]

It's none of their business. It's private medical info, no one has a right to that.

[kewpie-o]

Good point. I don't know why I didn't think of it as being private medical info, but you're right - that's what it is. Thanks for your replies!!

[moondiapers]

I've only had one parent ask me. I told them I'd be violating HIPPA if I shared any medical info with her about the children in my care. I also pointed out to her that our county has an 8% nonvax rate at the local schools, so she'd better homeschool if she was so worried about it

[lilyka]

Its none of anyones business. you really never know who is or isn't vaxed. No one in my children's classes know they are unvaxed. and I would be no more responsible for spreading measles than I would be if my child were vaxxed. Also if my children did start some horrible outbreak the school would not be allowed to tell who started it. or if they were vaxxed or not. If the public school cannot tell then you have no pbligation to. Your child is not a threat to anyone (although in a daycare situation where kids are getting vaxxed frequently they may be a threat to your children. viruses are shed in fecal matter and saliva. this is something to be cautious about)

[boigrrrlwonder]

For me, I rather have a family not hire me for childcare than for them to later discover that my child is not vaccinated and then pull their kid. I think it's because I have my little one at home that I want to provide as much consistency as possible, and I rather have fewer gigs but have the same families with us long-term, than a lot of gigs with families with whom I'm not compatible. (So yeah, I tell often tell them.)

[AurorasMommy]

I agree, I dont think you need to disclose that information!

Good luck with your daycare!!!!