To be panicking about new job and taking time off if children are unwell?

[WreckTangle]

I went for a job interview a few weeks ago, I had been looking for a job for months and was pretty desperate. Anyway the interview was fine but the manager questioned me about what I would do if my children were ill. On the spot due to desperation I said it would be fine as I had family I could call on. I was offered the job straight away.

Now, I have no family close by and I'm panicking about the kids being unwell now. I have no one to call on. Shit! She kept stressing at the interview that the children were a worry and she can't have me being off all the time with sick children ( I have 3 dc btw). I just needed the job so badly and reading this back I can see I probably was Unreasonable to say I had it covered. I guess what I'm asking is is it unreasonable to employ someone then with children under the basis they are never off due to their child being ill.

Also my youngest came home from school today with a sore throat and runny nose so this is what prompted my post. Crap!

This isn't ideal but if a child is ill, can you pretend it's you instead?

I always feel embarrassed phoning in sick when a child is ill (don't know why) so I sometimes tell a little white lie and pretend I've got D&V.

You can only do this occasionally and I'm sure it's not the 'right' thing to do but it may help practically.

Can you say where you are op? I would be more than happy to help you if you ever get in to any bother!

This is (partly) why I don't have a proper job. I work freelance and although I'd love a job that gets me out more, my husband is in no position to take time off if the kids get sick. He's the breadwinner so we have to protect his position and ensure he is performing, available, and getting good reviews, etc.

So I have to figure it out. No family near, and friends all have kids too so of course they don't want our germs. To be honest my family wouldn't want the germs either.

Who on earth looks after sick kids but the parents? I simply don't really believe that a nanny will come into a house of proper sickness as then they might get it and lose money. We have spent weeks with serious illness in the house before, first one child, then another, then an adult, etc. Swine flu, other flu, nasty sickness bugs, chest infections, staph infections, etc.

And yes, I'm sure plenty of parents send their kids to nursery and school with bugs but then everyone else gets it...thanks a lot.

Sorry to be pessimistic, OP, I just don't really understand how people do it.

I'm just so that employers would not allow you to have time off to look after your children when they are sick. I've worked for large financial institutions and small companies and they have never had a problem with this.

My mum runs a smallish company and would never stop someone having time off to look after their children (they take annual leave or unpaid leave)

I get that companies need to continue etc, but still.

I know that in my line of work, it isn't so much that an employer wouldn't let me have time off work, so much as how would the work get done? It is one thing being ill yourself but add two or three kids and the germ-soup that is school or nursery, and that is potentially a lot of days.

I'm not totally replaceable in my line of work...in a very big company people there are resources to get cover for a lot of days, and in some types of roles people can be replaced or covered for a short notice absence but not every role or organisation is like that.

If I'm running a project to a deadline, or have a big meeting with clients, or anything that has any level of responsibility, I make sure my husband books leave or at least working at home on those days so I don't have to worry if the kids get ill.

Anyway, yes to getting a lovely Mrs Doubtfire type to come in for the minor sniffles, and such a good idea to be building up goodwill by covering extra shifts where possible.

Huge sympathies with you. This is a massive concern for many working parents (mainly mums), but if you're a single parent with no family support it's even more difficult.

When my DC were little I had a horrendous 6-month period where I couldn't go more than 3 weeks without taking time off for one of them being ill. Fortunately, that became very rare once they started school, so hopefully yours are past that and it will only be the odd day you are affected by it. I'm sure that won't affect your job adversely.

I can only echo other people's advice that by giving all at your job and being accommodating when you can, you are much more likely to be treated considerately when you need it in return. Sadly it doesn't always work out like that in practice, but most people are decent. Your manager may have had issues with unreliable workers in the past and confused unreliability with parental status rather than a character attribute. Hopefully you can overturn that attitude.

As for practical solutions, try a babysitting circle. You may not be able to reciprocate with daytime care for work, but you can babysit someone's child for the occasional overnight in return for that person being available if you need short-term day care. The exception is obviously a D&V bug or something nasty and contagious, but no one can do anything about those.

Congratulations on your new job.

No, don't get me wrong alark I'm not complaining I fully understand businesses still need to run etc. I've just never worked in an organisation where it would have been a problem. I must have just been lucky.

A few replies to read through.

I'm not in some high flying job btw :) it's a shop, serving food etc. 3 people on the rota per day so if I can't go in it leaves them really short, they need 3 staff on minimum so colleagues would be under pressure (it's very busy)

doubtfuldaphne that's a very kind offer but it's highly unlikely you're near me (Northern Scotland) but thank you!

I'm still no further on with a solution, the childcare link has nothing near me unfortunately.

Hi OP, I wonder if there is someone you could recommend to be on standby for them? A friend who could use the extra cash and would be able to go in at short notice in most cases?

Be better off if the friend looks after the ill child/ren

Not sure many shops would want a total novice as a help

Prob be less helpful then no help iyswim

Another one here who doesn't have a "proper" job for this reason. My DH is the main earner and I work from home (paying tax n everything so it really is a job) and hopefully earn enough to pay for my car, credit card bill etc and any extra goes on whatever I fancy. I realise that I am in this position purely because my DH works his arse off so I feel like its important to make sure he can work and not be expected to take time off to look after the kids (not that we could afford him to)

As a wahm I would not want to look after someone elses ill child tbh but I would do it if needed and wouldn't be offended.