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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that that employees with small dc huold have preference on having xmas eve off work?

332 replies

pippylongstockings · 30/10/2010 22:01

I work in an office with over 15 employees - 4 of us have young DC ranging from 11 to 2 years old - Surely at christmas it is not being unreasonable to think that the minority of 4 could have Christmas Eve off work?

BUT No, it is done on a random lottery - why ?

Honestly, I feel christmas is for the children and working til 4pm on xmas eve is not a happy place to be if you have kids at home waiting for you.

OP posts:
HeadlessPrinceBilly · 30/10/2010 22:29

I really hope you weren't just counting the women with young children? Hmm

Appletrees · 30/10/2010 22:30

Yabu..sorry. You must know this.

gaelicsheep · 30/10/2010 22:32

I do think a mother with children should get priority, yes. There is so much to do on Xmas Eve! I always make sure I book it off as soon as the new leave year starts. But I do think it depends on the job. Mine is not a life or death thing and if it turns out no one in the team is there Xmas Eve, well it's just tough.

onimolap · 30/10/2010 22:33

Perhaps the. Best way wild be to combine taking turns with a lottery, in that those who worked the previous year and are still there do not go into the hat.

Clary · 30/10/2010 22:33

I can't see why people without children should have to work Chr Eve if those who have children don't tbh.

And I speak as someone who has worked Christmas Day, and yes, since I had my DC. Crap, but somebody had to do it. It was my turn.

"Christmas is for the children" really? why? I enjoy it too.

Sorry to all those who have to work Chr Day, it is truly grim - and if you are in the emergency services (I wasn't!) then thank you as well.

TimothyWerewolfTuppennyTail · 30/10/2010 22:33

I must be weird. Am I the only one who wants to work on Xmas Eve? The thought of trying to occupy an over-excited DC fills me with horror.

YABU OP. And a tad silly.

gaelicsheep · 30/10/2010 22:33

Obviously a mother without children is a different kettle of fish Hmm. (It's been a long day!)

booooooooooyhoo · 30/10/2010 22:34

no OP, no-one should get preference!! why do you think kids mean you should get preference over holiday choices? fwiw, i left my bank job in may and everyone had to work xmas eve. no-one was even allowed to book annual leave in the week before xmas.

greenbananas · 30/10/2010 22:34

pippy, I think I know what you are trying to say. Maybe some staff that are young, free and single wouldn't mind working Christmas Eve and would rather have New Year's Eve off instead.

Having said that, Christmas is for everyone, not just for the children.

hubblybubblytoilntrouble · 30/10/2010 22:35

When I worked, we always tried to arrange holidays so everyone got what they wanted.

It was a small office, only 6 of us, but the women with children usually wanted the time off leading up to Christmas and those without kids were happy to have the time off leading up to New Year.

We never ran into any problems, not sure why folk can't take turns if their requirements clash.

Tbh, we always went out boozing Christmas Eve, so I was happy to work Grin

hifi · 30/10/2010 22:36

yabu, what about people who have to travel far?
are you one of those who thinks they have priority to time off in school holidays aswell?

booooooooooyhoo · 30/10/2010 22:38

gaelic lots of people have so much to do on xmas eve, why should those with small children get priority? why are their things more important?

HeadlessPrinceBilly · 30/10/2010 22:39

Only mothers then? Hmm My DH has to work late on Xmas Eve, you don't care about that then? Just yourself and the ladies.
Bet you don't have to go straight back to work on Stephens' Day either. Envy

onepieceoflollipop · 30/10/2010 22:41

If it is really important to you op that you don't have to work Christmas Eve, then you really need to give priority to finding work that doesn't require you to do this on occasion.

I never complain about having to work bank holidays, when I took a job as a nurse that involved shifts, I was fully aware that this was a requirement. I didn't think that when I had dcs then this would change or give me some sort of entitlement to preferential treatment.

Did you see my earlier question? i.e. if so many of your colleagues don't want the time off, why not just swap if they are rostered not to work?

Milliways · 30/10/2010 22:41

We take it in turns. My kids are no longer little, but I do love going to a Christmas Eve service on a farm a bit of a drive away. If I am working then DH takes the kids as all our friends go too.

We have a single woman having a total meltdown at not having Christmas Eve as all her family is hundreds of miles away and she would be alone for Christmas day if could not travel (where we all have our families). I feel for her but a Mum of 2 pre-schoolers cancelled her leave so other lady could go, and that Mum worked last 2 years, and it seems everyone feels the single lady now has a right to Cristmas Eve every year! That is not right either.

booooooooooyhoo · 30/10/2010 22:42

also, when i worked xmas eve, we shut the doors at half 4. the customers that were in had to be served, on xmas eve, tehre were loads, we had to then balance tils and then load the cash machine for the holiday. rarely were we out before 7. we were paid til 5. my dcs go to bed at 7pm, so at this point i was rushing to get them from CM an hour away, get them home, fed and ready for bed before they were past themselves with exhaustion and excitement. getting out at 4pm would have been absoloute bliss.

onepieceoflollipop · 30/10/2010 22:42

Agree Milliway the only fair way (imo) is that everyone takes turns. (and if someone is rostered to be off but doesn't mind, then they could possibly offer to swap!)

gaelicsheep · 30/10/2010 22:44

Because like it or not, Christmas is for children. For adults it's just an excuse for a gorging fest and booze up. For young children it's a really important part of their life. The build up on Christmas Eve is the most important bit of all, and as a mother I personally need to be there.

I would quite happily work over Easter, New Year, whatever - but not Christmas Eve.

HoneyIatethekidsdragon · 30/10/2010 22:46

UABU - it's a standard working day. You'd expect other ammenities open I am sure that would be staffed by parents. It sucks I hate it, but so does everyone else.... I also hate finding childcare for my dc's too on christmas eve Sad but that's the way it is.

What do you specifically have to do during the day with your children that cannot be done once you get home?

booooooooooyhoo · 30/10/2010 22:46

gaelic, erm, where did you learn that christmas was for children? if you honestly think all adults jsut see it as a chance to eat and drink then you are hugely mistaken. you do know it is a deeply religious occasion don't you?

BitOfFunderthepatio · 30/10/2010 22:46

People still Make Plans though. Especially when travel is involved.

greenbananas · 30/10/2010 22:46

why this idea that the needs of small children are not so important as the needs of adults?

Sidge · 30/10/2010 22:48

I disagree gaelicsheep, I would say Christmas is for family, not just children.

Many people would like to spend Christmas Eve with their families and grown up children! And if they are travelling then may well prefer to do that before Christmas Eve.

onepieceoflollipop · 30/10/2010 22:48

For me Christmas has a religious Christian signficance which possibly means more to me than my young dc.

However, I did choose to work in a career which requires me to be available 365 days a year. I don't demand certain days off (Christmas, Easter or whatever) due to my beliefs or due to having young children. For the reason that I knew I might have to work these days.

booooooooooyhoo · 30/10/2010 22:49

greenbananas no one said teh chidlren's needs were less important. the issue is with teh idea that chidlren's needs are more important than those of adults. which is just untrue.