Why Your Child Care has Snow Days

I often hear complaints from parents about their child care closing on snow days. If it is a center the parent tends to take it pretty well because they understand the center has to be able to get enough staff through the door to keep ratios. When it is an in-home child care however, the attitude is very different. I hear comments like "I don't know why she needs to close, she's at home and doesn't have to drive anywhere. I'm the one who has to do the driving" and "If I'm willing to go to work she should be open to watch my child." The most insulting are the parents who remark that their provider is just using the school closing as an excuse to "Take a paid day off."

There are some very simple reasons child care providers close on inclement weather days, and some not so simple reasons that parents may not want to hear. Here are just some of the reasons your in-home child care closes when the school closes for a blizzard or extremely cold temps.

1. Snow ordinances: Many cities have snow ordinances that require sidewalks to be cleared or cars moved off of the road within a certain amount of time after a snowfall starts. With snow ordinances non-compliance means civil citations that can be very expensive. As child care providers we don't get a pass from these laws. We have to shovel our walks, move our cars and uncover our mailbox for the mailman just like everyone else. The problem is that we can't do these things and watch your children at the same time. Since we don't have a staff to send out to do it, staying open means we have to live with the consequences of violating the snow ordinance, and pay the fines or risk having our car towed or damaged by a snow plow.

2. Slip/Fall Liability: One of the biggest liabilities any homeowner or business can have is the risk that someone will slip and fall on their property. This is even more serious for child care providers because parents are coming up our walk, driveway and stairs carrying children, or walking with them. A parent slipping on ice and falling while carrying a 9 month old can fall in such a way that their child can hit the ground with the force they would falling from a second floor. In addition the parent can actually fall on the child, resulting in crushing injuries. When there is a blizzard or ice storm, child care providers cannot leave the children in the house alone to go out every hour and clear and salt the paths, the driveway and the steps. Since our commercial insurance requires that we log every time we shovel, put down ice melt or snow blow, should a parent fall and we haven't taken reasonable steps to prevent ice/snow buildup our insurance company will likely cover the cost of the fall, but we will either have enormous premiums or be cancelled and be unable to get new coverage. In addition, if the parent or their medical insurance decides to sue (it may not even be their decision under subrogation laws) we then have a record of being sued by a parent for injury to their child, which will absolutely make it more difficult to attract future clients. Should the child die as a result of being dropped on the driveway, the news won't lead with "Parent drops and kills child." It will print in bold black ink "Child dies in fall at local child care." and if the provider isn't registered the headline will include that as well, even though it isn't relevant to how or why the child was hurt. Even more frightening, what if we slip and fall or have a heart attack while shoveling outside? How long would the kids inside the house be alone and without care? The average parent is gone 10+ hours, so if the provider falls at 9 AM, several small children could be without bottles, diaper changes and care for hours before anyone came to the door.

3. Loss of power/water: Often when there is a blizzard or ice storm, thousands of homes can suddenly be without power. During ice storms and blizzards child care online groups are flooded with questions about how to keep children warm while trying to locate parents and get them back to pick up their child. Many in-home providers don't have car seats or enough seat belts to take the children to safety, and providers don't make enough to keep back-up generators lying around. Without water hands can't be washed, food and bottles can't be prepared and toilets can't be flushed. In a blizzard it can take a long time to get parents back to get their child, and in below zero weather this is a life threatening situation.

4. Managing Pets: Many providers don't expose their personal pets to the daycare children, either because the pet is not yet socialized, the child has not yet learned to be kind to animals or the provider's insurance will not cover it. In a blizzard or ice storm it becomes necessary to keep pets inside, and take them out to go to the bathroom, which cannot be done while watching children because they cannot be left inside the home with the provider outside.

5. Our school age children: When schools have late start or early dismissal due to a winter storm, we have to arrange to get our children picked up just like any other parent. If we are at home with 6 kids we don't have the option of throwing them in the car. Closing gives us the ability to keep our children safe as well.

6. The no return risk: When the weather is bad enough that schools and businesses are closing and the highway patrol is closing roads, there is a risk that a parent will not be able to return for their child for 24 hours or more depending on the weather. If your provider depends on daily supplies in a baby bag, they may not have what they need for that amount of time, especially if you bring breast milk daily and supply just enough to get through the day.

7. Keeping our helper safe: Providers with a license for more than a certain number of kids are required to have a helper whenever there are more than the maximum number in attendance. Just like any other employer, our helper may have kids of her own in school that need to be picked up, or small children she brings with who shouldn't be out on the road any more than yours should. She may be unable to get to work because her vehicle is snowed in or won't start because it is -20*. If we stay open without a helper we either have to send parents away once we reach the maximum number (making them go back out with their child) or violate licensing laws by watching more children than we are allowed to by ourselves.

8.Best Practices: This is the reason parents hate, but it is an undeniable truth. Schools close for inclement weather for the safety of the children. It has nothing to do with the wants or needs of the parent. We understand you need to go to work, but we cannot make that a consideration when we are deciding to close for weather. We are closing because at 20* below with wind chill and icy roads, your child should not be going anywhere, and if we are truly advocates for what is best for the children we care for, then we have to make our decisions based on that one consideration, and parent inconvenience can't be factored in.

We hope you understand we don't close just to get an extra day off. We spend that day shoveling, putting down ice melt, storing up on supplies and groceries and planning what we are going to do with the kids for the next few days, because usually following a big storm it is too cold and the snow is too deep to go outside for the next several days, which means we have to plan activities to keep everyone busy and happy while stuck in the house. What we need for you to do is plan ahead for these closures. You don't have to know when a snow day is going to be to have a backup plan. Start by getting on your local neighborhood app or sites like www.care.com and find a stay at home mom, teenage babysitter or family friend who would be willing to act as your backup on inclement weather days. Choose someone within a few blocks from home to limit your child's exposure, and try to find someone who would be willing to come to your home. High school students are great for this because if school is cancelled they love the chance to make some cash and eat the snacks in your fridge. The home-school mom 3 doors down might like a little extra money for textbooks and school supplies in return for being on call for snow days, because her children are already at home and don't have to be picked up from school. Your other option is to save PTO days, watch the weather and warn your employer you may need to work from home or take a personal day. Inclement weather days are going to be a part of your life for about 16 years before your child can drive themselves home and hunker down without you. Ignoring them will only lead to chaos.

REMEMBER.... AMAZING CHILD CARE ONLY HAPPENS WHEN YOU CARE AS MUCH ABOUT YOUR PROVIDER AND HER KIDS AS SHE DOES ABOUT YOU AND YOURS. IT'S ALL ABOUT THE GREATER GOOD.