with this back to work request?

[ShouldILTB]

I cannot work out if I am being unreasonable or entitled to ask for this as part of my return to work package.

I want to request some kind of priority for annual leave around school holidays due to childcare issues. This is only going to be a problem around Christmas time.

In a nutshell I am asking to have the Christmas period as guaranteed leave (for one year at the very least) which I know is incredibly unfair but it's purely down to childcare issues. My CM has a week off at Easter, 2 in the summer and 2 at Xmas... essentially I want to make sure these are roughly covered by me.

Dad's working situation isn't determined yet so he may or may not be able to pitch in (It's long and complicated and we are no longer a couple) and I don't have a big support network.

For disclosure - I have worked several Xmases over the years, including one when I was heavily pregnant. However the department is only small and we do need cover. I probably live closest?

Am I a fool to even ask?

[DinosaursRoar]

There's another point in the favour of a nursery over a childminder if you are on your own, if you use a childminder you are going to have to save all of your holiday leave for their holiday and possible sick days, whereas if you use a nursery, you'll have a place available every day expect bank holidays and a few days between christmas and new year - so if you need a day to yourself - to get your hair cut, to go christmas present shopping, to just catch up on your life stuff without a toddler in tow (and they are out of buggies and distroying shops quickly!) - you can take a day's leave and still use the nursery for the whole/part of the day.

[Spartans]

So you want Easter an christmas off. Honestly op, sounds like this childcare arrangement isn't practical.

So what are plans if your circumstances don't change after the year?

[DinosaursRoar]

(the above assumes your exP is as much of a twat as you fear and you don't get time off when your DC is with him, if you might well never get time to yourself, being able to take a day off work and still put your DC in childcare for a few hours might be a sanity saver when your DC hits the terrible 2s...)

[ArendelleQueen]

5 days over Easter (another time when people will want those times) and 8 over Christmas?! Sorry but if I were your colleague, I'd be fucked off. You know your childcare is going to cause issues but you need to make an effort to deal with it.

[EBearhug]

We can book leave from January, so if it's that important, do it as soon as you're back in the office - I'd be surprised if it's booked up by the time you're back in March.

[NotMyMonkey]

You say you don't seen your circumstances changing anytime in the future, so what will you do for all the other Xmas' , Easter's etc? Will you be expecting to be given priority every year? Not being funny, genuine question.

[TheOddity]

You're not thinking about this like your boss, which you should always do when making special work requests. Things I'm thinking as a boss are 'even if I ask the team, what if the team changes this year?', 'will this cause resentment?', 'will this be an annual problem', etc...

Even with a partner, I have at times needed a plan b. I'm thinking for Christmas could you not ship a family member up to help you out for a week? You have do much time to sort this out yourself. Have you offered your childminder extra to work christmas? Have you asked any friends for ideas?