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Original poster

Who goes to work on this day?

45 replies

BikeRunSki · 11/07/2019 19:53

DH and I alternate days off during the first couple of weeks of the school holidays. On one particular day, one of us has won a prestigious (albeit internal, but large household name type employer) award and wants to go to the ceremony to collect it. This person didn’t originally have the day off, but arranged a swap when the award ceremony came up. There will also be a meeting at the same location afterwards which this person really ought to go to, and has been arranged for this time/location due to this person being there. It would be very much frowned upon to put in a leave request now.

The other one of us has been asked to go to a meeting with a very big global organisation (the type of people who get in the news for not paying enough tax)as a potential new client. This person is director of a small company, and all the other directors will be away.

No local family.
Kids clubs all booked.
Friends are away.

Who stays at home with the dc?

OP posts:
Mammyloveswine · 11/07/2019 19:54

Get on sitters.com for emergency childcare. I very much doubt there is no one at all who could watch the kids..

timeforakinderworld · 11/07/2019 19:56

A friend?

pallisers · 11/07/2019 19:56

There has to be someone who could mind them. Someone from the kids club who has a day off? Ask them do they know a babysitter? Could you throw yourself on the mercy of their friends parents?

brainfrying · 11/07/2019 19:57

Childminders often have space in the holidays as parents take kids on hols and some work term.time only.
If you really have no other option the one who won the award should stay home.

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 11/07/2019 19:58

Well given the amount of tes either DH or I have set off to London (2+hr journey) or, worse, to the airport for a flight, only to discover en route that the meeting is cancelled, I’d say second person stays home and award winner goes to ceremony.

Mendips · 11/07/2019 19:59

Book with sitters

xyzandabc · 11/07/2019 20:03

Neither trumps the other. Both parents try their hardest to find emergency one off childcare. Just this once you'll have to not be precious about who looks after DC, they will survive without one of you.

It'll only be what 8 hours tops, hopefully one of you won't have to do a full day so could leave a little late or get home early as soon as the essential stuff is done at work/meetings.

Ask friends who they use for babysitters, does DC normally go to nursery? Ask all the nursery staff, if they can't do it, do they have any friends they could recommend?

Sitters.com

Childminders, they may have mindees on holiday in the summer and could do a one off day for you.

Call nanny agencies, it may cost you but you will be able to find someone somewhere.

JoxerGoesToStuttgart · 11/07/2019 20:03

Babysitter website
Ask on Facebook
Neighbours teenager
Ask around everyone you know.

NoHummus · 11/07/2019 20:03

It's a tricky one, but I would say potential new client trumps award and meeting.
Could the first person dial/skype into the meeting while working from home, if the DC are old enough to amuse themselves for a while?

Original poster
BikeRunSki · 11/07/2019 20:04

I hadn’t thought of child minders, that’s a thought. I’ll look at Sitters again, but last time I looked, there was no one registered locally.

Seriously, it’s the first week of the holidays and all the families we are friends with are away. Will ask less close friends.

OP posts:
SilverGiraffe7 · 11/07/2019 20:04

Know anyone with an older teenager who would watch them? Assuming award ceremony + meeting wouldn't be a full day. Putting a plea on Facebook sometimes turns up alternatives!

Original poster
BikeRunSki · 11/07/2019 20:06

The meeting can’t be Skyped, as it involves the person who is going to it showing the client around a construction site.

We’re on the waiting list for any cancellations at a couple of clubs.

OP posts:
Butterymuffin · 11/07/2019 20:06

Ask now at their schools if any parents of their classmates can do a day's childcare swap.
However, if there's no other option, I would go against the grain and say the award winner goes in as their event is already in the diary, and the potential new client will have to be told the director can't meet them that day.

LL83 · 11/07/2019 20:07

Whoever won the award should go and collect it if the partner can get an additional day off or a sitter can be found.

If partners work can't give the day off then and a sitter cannot be arranged then the award ceremony will have to be missed.

NoHummus · 11/07/2019 20:07

Hang on, I've just read your OP again. Does the person with the client meeting have the day booked off already? If so, I change my answer, that person should honour the original arrangements and stay at home with the DC.

BlueSkiesLies · 11/07/2019 20:11

Avail yourself of a childcare provider and cough up the £ to sort this out. Honestly.

Original poster
BikeRunSki · 11/07/2019 20:11

Originally the meeting person had the day off, but agreed to the swap 4 weeks ago when the prize winner was notified of their prize winning.

OP posts:
Yabbers · 11/07/2019 20:11

This person is director of a small company, and all the other directors will be away.

All the directors are off. So the meeting is either rescheduled or another director comes in on their time off. Why does it have to be you? Surely this person’s response to the other directors is “sorry, I’m off, can’t do it”

Alb1 · 11/07/2019 20:14

Take the kids to a further away kids club or find emergency childcare. Childcare.co.uk has babysitters too, doesn’t sound like either of you should miss the day really

Stompythedinosaur · 11/07/2019 20:18

Beg parents of classmates to take them and offer to have their kids another day in exchange.

Ihatemyseleffordoingthis · 11/07/2019 20:18

This person is director of a small company, and all the other directors will be away.

Not if they want the work they won't be.

Except that person has already said yes they will do it haven't they?

There will be a way of paying for childcare.

Amibeingdaft81 · 11/07/2019 20:20

I can’t believe all kids clubs are booked

Or that all your friends are away

But if that is the case - then I’d be looking to an agency.

What childcare do you usually utilise during term time?

Amibeingdaft81 · 11/07/2019 20:21

How old are the children?

Floralnomad · 11/07/2019 20:24

Take children to family the weekend before and collect when convenient after the disputed day , you must have some family that would take them .

Amibeingdaft81 · 11/07/2019 20:25

Ah just seen from previous thread - 14 and almost 9.

Can you trust the 14 year old? And give less close friends (seeing as all your close friends are away) to see if you could give their contact details?

But really - I can’t believe that at those ages there really is nothing available