Do you feel bad being off work when dc is poorly?

[gingajewel]

Just that really! I’m three months into a new job and dd1 is poorly so I have had to call in work and have the day off. I feel so so guilty does anyone else?
Just as a disclaimer my dh also has time off when the children are poorly but my other dd was sick last week and he had two days off with her, so it’s my turn!

Yes I do. My manager is really understanding so it's not that really. I think it's the worry of looking unreliable in some way. My husbands job I has meant he works away alot and has 'important' meetings so the majority of it has fallen to me. But that's just life and if he is around, he will stay home.

Yes I do. I'm off today with poorly DS; I'm ill too but could have managed at work. I always feel horrific about it as my boss isn't impressed with parents when we return.

no! i mean what can you do about it?

Its just one of them things. I wont feel guilty about looking after my poorly child. Nothing is so important it cant wait for a couple of days, and if it is then someone else can do it!

I also dont get upset if colleagues are off because their children are sick, and will happily cover their work if it is something that needs doing whilst they're off.

I feel guilty when I need to take the day off, but I feel just as guilty when I leave an ill DC with their dad or grandparents! I just can't help feeling guilty whatever I do.

I’m also off today with 19 month old DS. Will have to take it unpaid as I’ve used all my A/L. I do feel a little bit guilty but like a PP said, it’s nothing that can’t wait a couple of days. Plus childminder won’t take him if it’s anything more than standard kids coughs / colds. What can you do, that’s life.

No, not really. If my DC are ill then there’s no other option. I share the load with DH, depending on who is more able to rearrange work commitments. If it’s my turn to be off then I will think through what I had planned for my work day and pass on any instructions for things people need to do that day or how to rearrange. I also make myself available to answer emails/phone calls (but only internal ones, not those with clients). However, I only do this because I am a manager with teams that expect to be able to call on my input. When members of my teams need to be off to look after their DC then I don’t expect them to be available.

Having read that back I think I do feel a little guilty, but make up for it by doing as described.

I am lucky that I live in a country where you are given an allocation of child sick days to use (10 a year) and it is expected that you take the time off

What else can you do if they are sick???

Not at all but like others I share it with dh and we both have a reasonable degree of flexibility so can rearrange stuff and share the leave. We have been known to do half a day each when we have had stuff we couldn't move: dh went in early and did 6 - 12 and then I worked the afternoon 1pm - 8pm and we both worked a bit from home.

I do however feel terribly guilty if it is me who is sick and needs to take time off

No. Never. My younger son spent time in intensive care and has had repeat hospital admissions since. But even if it’s ‘just’ a cold I never feel guilty because looking after a child when they are sick is also part of DH and my ‘job’. I do however always suggest a couple of ways I could be productive from home if I have to take unexpected leave. Or DH and I will each try to do half a day of work and then make up the rest later.

Bad but not guilty. I feel bad that I have let people down etc. But I don't feel guilty because I know that my child has to come first

I only feel guilty about the things I've done where I think I took the wrong path of the two (or not sure which one was right). I have never felt conflicted about prioritising my child (even when other people have tried to make me feel like I should have just dosed them with calpol and sent them in!)