MILLBURN, N.J. - s4story -- October marks the start of cold and flu season, when many working parents face a difficult decision when a child falls ill: stay home and miss work, or send the child to school. In many cases, that decision is driven by the availability of childcare rather than the child's health. Oliver's Nannies, a nanny agency that opened in 2018 and has since expanded nationally, is helping families address this challenge with on-demand care for sick days.

• 41% of parents admit to sending their child to school or daycare when they probably should have kept them home.¹
• Among those parents, 19% said they had no childcare, and 17% cited work obligations.¹
• 42% of parents with young children in child care missed work in a single year because their sick child was sent home or could not attend, and half said finding backup care for a sick child was difficult.²

When sick children attend school, illness can spread to classmates, teachers, and their families, leading to additional absences. According to the CDC, staying home when sick can lower the risk of spreading infections, and more than two-thirds of children miss at least one day of school each year because of illness or injury.³ Research also shows that parents without paid sick days are more than twice as likely to send a sick child to school or daycare.⁴ For many families, the challenge is not knowing when to keep a child home, but having someone available to care for them.

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Oliver's Nannies provides a solution. Through flexible, as-needed care options, parents can request a nanny when their child is ill. While parents attend to work responsibilities, the nanny supports the child's comfort and recovery at home, encouraging rest and hydration and preparing simple meals. Families with ongoing care can also rely on a nanny they already know and trust, helping them maintain their schedules during sick days.

This cold and flu season, Oliver's Nannies is helping parents make the healthiest choice for their children, classrooms, and communities, without having to choose between family and work responsibilities.
¹ Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, survey of 1,007 U.S. parents, October 2025: https://www.luriechildrens.org/en/blog/preventative-care-statistics/

² C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health, "Sick Kids, Struggling Parents": https://mottpoll.org/reports-surveys/sick-kids-struggling-parents

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³ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "When Students or Staff Are Sick": https://www.cdc.gov/children-and-school-prepare...

⁴ National Partnership for Women & Families, "Healthy Kids, Healthy Schools: The Case for Paid Sick Days" (citing NORC at the University of Chicago): https://nationalpartnership.org/wp-content/uplo...