to feel irritated about the lack of men taking time off for half term?

I work for a company that is 70% male. I can always tell when it is half term (I work in payroll so deal with holiday requests).

My husband has always worked in education so it was always him who did the school holiday childcare.

It’s fair to say they do in my office.

But between my exh and me there’s definitely this divide!

Last Feb half term, it was his half term, he was ill, and the kids just stayed with me in the background climbing the walls whilst I worked. Had to take some last minute leave.

This time I’m ill. He’s gone ahead with his plans to go away with his partner and younger kids. Now granted my youngest is refusing to go anywhere near him at the moment but it just doesn’t enter the equation that he should have to alter his plans.

And he doesn’t have the same urgency re making sure there’s always something in place, as my youngest will just drift back here and climb the walls here if ex is also working during his holiday time.

My eldest is old enough that she doesn’t need arrangements making - I means she’s old enough to be paid to babysit but tends to have her own plans!

DH is taking two days off for half term, and doing the holiday club drop off and picks ups the other days.

I took a few days off recently when DS2 had a virus - if it's not something like half term where all the DC are off, then you probably wouldn't hear about it if your colleagues DHs/DPs were taking time off for random illnesses/assemblies/sports tournaments while their partners were at work.

I don’t have this in my current workplace but recognise what you’re describing from previous workplaces.

My DP is taking the same amount of time off as me, and his job is more senior and with more responsibility than mine at the moment. But he understands that we are both equally responsible for the children when they’re off school.

Not the case at all where I work

I work in an almost entirely male office. Leave for school holidays is still very much in demand.

Interesting I'm seeing the opposite. The men tend to have nice managerial type office jobs so it's very easy for them just to take time off when they fancy. A lot of their wives have jobs where they work shifts or it's much more difficult to get specific time off (so they tend to save doing that for particular needs).

Most of my colleagues who take leave during school holidays want to do it. I’m sure there are women who feel forced to because they’re married to men who refuse to, but for the same reason there are more SAHMs and part-time woking mums than there are dads, there will be choice there in a lot of cases.

Not the case in my office.

Is your DH taking time off for half term OP? I totally understand your point but Im not sure what the use is in being annoyed on other people’s behalf in your office.