Can I take a day off work - or is it too soon?

[erja]

Started 6 weeks ago - 3 days a week.

Have had perfect punctuality up until last week.

Monday - Had an urgent doctors appointment. Rang and told them I'd be an hour late coming in. Tuesday - In on time.
Wednesday - Bus routes were completely stopped near where we live due to ice and I needed to get DS to nursery - don't drive and too far for him to walk. Rang and told them I'd be half an hour late.

I've been so run down the past few days. I've got recurring tonsillitis and it's fairly bad right now. DS isn't sleeping properly so I'm running on low energy too. And to top off the tonsillitis and the lack of sleep, I woke up today with the worst blocked sinuses and sore ears.

I feel like I'm just whining on but I just feel horrific. I'm so panicked that if I still feel the same in the morning and I call in sick, that they could just dismiss me as I'm on probation and 2/3 days last week I was late! I feel like it's just one thing after another at the minute and I can't recharge (the doctors appointment was related to this illness now!).

Good luck today OP

DS had the worst nights sleep he's had in his life and didn't go to sleep until 4am with teething pain feel like a saint today but going to grab some OTC medicine, water and a lot of coffees, thank you everyone for making me see sense about going in, I'd have only spent the whole day panicking otherwise!

I really feel for you, tonsillitis and anything to do with the sinuses is nasty. If you feel you can't cope, tell your boss. But like the others have said, I would go in. My friend recently wasn't kept on after his probation because he'd had to ask to work from home a few times when his DC were ill. It's not how he is all the time but like you, an unfortunate run of events.

Feel better soon

Oh OP, that sounds rough! I do sympathise.
I think you're making the right decision to go in though. Can you pick up a ready meal for tonight, then go home and tell DS that you're building a camp in the bedroom this evening and watch tv in bed with dinner on a tray?
Drink loads of water today, keep dosed up. I hope you're quickly better.

When the baby is under the weather and whingy I find being in the office preferable tbh! I hope the day goes quickly for you.

Op I'm so sorry. All these things have been so out of your control it must be really hard. Are you a single parent? I only ask because you mention your child and being a bad sleeper. Do you have any parents who would be able to take your child for 1 night so that you could get a good night's sleep to give yourself some energy? It sounds like you're taking on so much! Really hope he starts to sleep soon and you feel better. It sucks that you can't take time off when feeling really poorly for fear of being sacked!

I think if you are genuinely to sick to go to work, or are at risk of infecting others, that's one thing , and as frustrating as that is for employers they have to abide by sick notes and self certification policies. Obviously it won't help with your probation.

What will be more of a concern to them is an employee who is unreliable or not punctual due to childcare issues. Unfortunately as parents we have to get used to going into work sometimes on very little sleep if they have bad nights, or arranging our lives so stuff like nursery drop offs don't impact on work if they don't go smoothly .

The childcare aspect is probably more of a risk to your job at the moment than illness I think.

Go in, speak to boss. AND if you’re late for any reason make sure you make the time up, and make sure boss knows that you have. It’s tricky. It you need to bank some goodwill/ being reliable before you get leeway!

The main thing, as a manager myself, is communicate with your line manager - if these is really unusual make sure s/he knows it. If this is par for the course for you the. You need to think whether or not this job will work for you- Once someone’s through probation it’s much harder to get rid of them if they are a piss-taker ( not saying YOU are of course!) so your manager will be thinking about that as they don’t know you very well yet.

You won’t be the only parent struggling through the day with not enough sleep btw, you’ll find sympathy i’m Sure for your exhausted state but not for. It xomingnin becuase of it...

Top Tip: I once went back to work after a week off - and when I got there my boss told me to go home! I felt well and keep saying so - but they insisted I had come back too early. When I got home I realised why - I had put on foundation without any make-up include mascara - all the colour had drained from my face. So if you want to be sent home go easy on the makeup!

Haha this happened to me once, I wasn't ill in the slightest but everyone asked if I was.