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Original poster

How much time did you have off work when DC started Nursery

17 replies

WhatsMyUsername89 · 06/03/2023 18:42

DC is 11 months and started nursery 3 weeks ago. She has had a continuous cold, ear infection, throat infection, chest infection, conjunctivitis and now norovirus. I have had to take time off today due to getting norovirus.

I know that she won’t be ready to go back to nursery this week, so will need to take time off. DH doesn’t agree with sending her to grandparents when unwell as it’s not fair on her as she doesn’t nap as well.

how long did you have off work when your child first started? Everyone’s really worrying me I’m going to get in trouble!

OP posts:

BernadetteIsMySister · 06/03/2023 18:58

Is DH taking time off with her too?

notshowingoff · 06/03/2023 19:07

Poor pet. My DC were sick for nearly 6 weeks each time. Can your DH not take time off?

FWIW we had agreed with grandparents that a snotty cold, conjunctivitis, cough (basically nothing involving projectile body fluids) they could reasonably take. We did the real gross stuff.

WhoLetTheSprogsOut · 06/03/2023 19:50

My DS2 had a settling in day on my last day of maternity leave, next day was a mone working day for me (part time) and the day after I dropped him at nursery and went to meet my new boss as had moved companies. By 11am nursery phoned me to say he'd thrown up everywhere so had to collect him 🤦🏼‍♀️. I sent DH! I think there were only a couple of days either DH or I couldn't work during the 5 years total we had 2 DC going through nursery, not withstanding Covid closures when thank god I was furloughed! It may be brutal to start with but it will get better, you just have to share it with DH and only keep them off when they really need to be at home (D&V is an always home non negotiable though)

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UnaVaca · 06/03/2023 19:52

Why is it falling to you?

SparkyBlue · 06/03/2023 20:12

I started a new job just as my DD started crèche at approximately 10 months as my previous employer closed down during my maternity leave so poor DH ended up taking all the time off at the start as he could do some work from home. It was an absolute nightmare . If it was going she caught it. I hated work as I was always on edge waiting for a phone call to say she was sick again. I can't say exactly how much time was taken off but I know at one stage I don't think she did a full week for five weeks

Anoisagusaris · 06/03/2023 20:18

Honestly - very little. None of my 3 were sick regularly when they were at nursery.

Southlandssue · 06/03/2023 20:30

My DD didn’t do two full consecutive weeks at her childminder for the first winter. Fortunately my PILs stepped in frequently. After the first winter all fine.

Eatentoomanyroses · 06/03/2023 20:37

Tons. Bad times. They get so sick from nurseries

Hidingawaytoday · 06/03/2023 20:44

By some miracle, DD has only had one day off since starting in September - probably helps that she only goes in 2 days a week, so she isn't constantly exposed and has time to recover from any bugs before going back. DH took that day off to look after her as it fit better with what we had on with work.

BelindaBears · 06/03/2023 20:45

Very little but I think we got lucky. A day or two in the first year maybe? One day since starting school. She’s got a really tough immune system, somehow!

NerdyBird · 07/03/2023 00:10

Hardly any - DD seems to have a very effective immune system! It's continued into school as well.

converseandjeans · 07/03/2023 00:59

I've never taken a day off with children - they're now 13 & 14 so stay hone alone if ill.

It was a combination of using child minder rather than nursery, going part time, not using childcare in the hols - so they were not as exhausted & not mixing with as many kids. Also luck that often they were ill during school hols.

We also used MIL for illnesses such as cold, high temp. I think you need to use any help you have available. Obviously you can't really send them to in laws if they have norovirus.

DH needs to take time too so it's not just you racking up the days off.

ToLongToCharge · 07/03/2023 01:04

I worked in a nursery for many years

We would always suggest a baby start 2 or 3 months before the parent was back at work, due to this very reason

StClare101 · 07/03/2023 01:28

Split it with DH.

In the first three months DS1 got gastro (two work days and a weekend - we all got sick as a result) and an ear infection (three days in middle of the week). DS2 got HF&M in the first three months and of course gave it to his older brother before we realised. That went for a week and a half because DS1 was two days behind DS2.

NextToTheRadio · 07/03/2023 01:44

We were pretty lucky, DS was never sick.

Send her to the GP... or DP could always take the time off.

2ndTimeRound90 · 07/03/2023 04:01

DS1 was a 'lockdown baby' so when he started nursery he had barely had a cold beforehand. DH and I both alternated sick days off with him but over the first 6 months I had already used all of my 'dependents leave' and was on to unpaid leave at work. They also obviously didn't seem delighted with it, but we have no other available childcare so that's all we could do!

UsingChangeofName · 07/03/2023 04:13

None.
Mine had been mixing at groups long before they started Nursery.
I never had this bout of being ill I read about on here.

Over the years though, as and when any of them have had to be off sick (Chicken pox, etc) then dh and I obviously split the time, so it didn't impact either of us as much as it would if I had been a single parent.

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