Our Week With Gastro – What We Learned

Before Little Leaf Kids ever opened its doors, we spent time speaking with other childcare operators about the realities of running a space for children. Many of them spoke candidly about sickness. They told us stories about illnesses that moved through their centres, situations that required quick decisions, and the constant balance between protecting children while managing a functioning space for families.

Some of the illnesses they described were things we had never personally encountered before. At the time, those conversations felt like helpful warnings, but they still seemed somewhat distant. It is one thing to hear about it. It is another thing to live through it.

Recently, we experienced our first gastro outbreak.

No childcare environment is completely immune to sickness. Even with careful cleaning, strong hygiene practices, and constant supervision, there are blind spots that exist in any space where children learn, play, and grow together. Young children share toys, explore the world with their hands, and are still developing their immune systems. These realities make childcare spaces both beautiful and vulnerable at the same time.

When the first signs appeared, our instincts immediately shifted into action mode. Our first thought was simple, protect the children. Closing the space immediately crossed our minds, but it was already early morning and parents were preparing for their day. As parents ourselves, we understand the ripple effect a last-minute closure can cause. Many families depend on childcare to maintain their work schedules and daily responsibilities.

In that moment we felt something new, the tension between the parent perspective and the responsibility of being the operator.

As parents, the instinct is often to ask, Why is my child sick again?The childcare space can quickly become the first place that receives blame, and understandably so. When something affects our children, our protective instincts rise immediately. It can create frustration, concern, and sometimes even distrust toward the space.

We understood that perspective deeply, because not long ago we stood in that same position ourselves.

So instead of trying to quietly manage the situation behind the scenes, we made a decision that aligns with the values we want to build Little Leaf Kids on: transparency.

Each parent was contacted directly and personally. We explained what we were seeing, what symptoms had appeared, and what steps we were taking to respond. Our focus was not on protecting the reputation of the space. Our focus was on protecting the children and keeping families informed.

The goal became clear: keep everyone safe, and care for the children who had already been exposed as they moved through the experience.

What many parents may not have known is that our own family was affected as well. The illness did not stop at the door of Little Leaf Kids. It moved through our home too. We experienced the same sleepless nights, the same cleaning routines, and the same concern that every parent feels when their child is unwell.

In a strange way, that shared experience helped us walk alongside our families with deeper empathy.

One of the most meaningful moments during that week was hearing from other parents who reached out not only to ask questions, but also to check on us. Several mothers expressed genuine care for our family as we navigated the situation. Their messages reminded us that childcare is not just a service, it is a relationship between families who are trusting one another with something incredibly precious.

That week taught us several important lessons.

First, communication is everything. When parents feel informed, they feel respected. Silence creates uncertainty, but openness builds trust.

Second, preparation matters. While our existing policies gave us a strong foundation, the experience revealed areas where our protocols could be strengthened. We have since added additional response procedures that will guide us more confidently if similar situations arise in the future.

Third, we learned that the systems we built before opening, including the guidelines outlined in our parent handbook, truly work when they are followed. Having those processes in place allowed us to respond calmly rather than react in panic.

Most importantly, we learned that this work requires both humility and resilience. Caring for children means facing unexpected moments. It means learning quickly, adjusting when necessary, and always placing the wellbeing of the children first.

The purpose of Behind The Veil is to open the door to conversations like these. Many parents only see the surface of a childcare environment, but there is an entire world of responsibility, decision-making, and learning happening behind it.

Our week with gastro was not easy, but it strengthened our commitment to creating a space where love, honesty, and care lead every decision.

And like every lesson in parenting, it reminded us that sometimes the most valuable growth comes from the moments we never planned for.