To not want to waste annual leave on unwell child?

[coffeeforone]

DH & I work full time and DC (age 1 and 3) go to nursery. If they are ill we alternate staying at home with them. I can do my job from home but my employer doesn't really encourage it, if DC is unwell and its my turn then I usually say I'll work remotely, doing as much as I can and make up the work in the evening once DH gets home. I don't think they are keen on this as I've done it 3 times since October and I don't get the impression they like it. They say 'ok, as a one off' but try to make alternative arrangements for next time. My alternatives would be:

1. emergency unpaid leave (legal right I think). Can't really afford lots of these days, and I don't think they'd like this either.
2. call in sick myself (I would get paid but it's a bit fraudulent). I'm never Ill myself if that makes a difference.
3. last minute holiday (which could potentially mean needing to cancel booked holiday or asking for unpaid leave

There are no alternatives are there. What would your employer ask you to do?

Are there any other relatives who could look after them? I had to ask a distant (but nice) auntie a few times. I'm a teacher so no annual leave so fewer options than you.

They aren't keen on you working remotely as you aren't working within the hours you agreed with them.

If your work is more flexible then they wouldn't mind what hours you worked as long as you got the work done.

I take annual leave sometimes, but we have had a bad run of illness recently. So I'm planning to take parental leave instead of our week of annual leave in October. I'm entitled to 4 weeks per year per child, unpaid. I think it might be a legal thing so ask if they have it.

Unpaid leave. That's why we used a nanny so the children could still be cared for if they were ill. If they were very seriously ill I would stay home too but I would be able to work a bit (eg while they were sleeping) as nanny was there too.

Ps. Parental leave has to me taken a week at a time, not odd days.

No other relatives unfortunately. We relocated so I'm 350 miles from my family, and DHs family live in another country!

I’ve always used annual leave - it’s a shame to lose the leave but it’s just one of those things when you’re a parent

I would wonder which is more important. Looking after your poorly child or keeping the boss happy.
Businesses having adults with children working for them need to factor in the possibility of a child being ill and an adult needing time off.
Adults with children need to find employers who understand about children getting sick

That's just how it goes though, that's what annual leave is for

I take annual leave, and save some for the purpose. My boss has actually offered for me to work from home but that's because she's never looked after a toddler - I'd still need to be constantly in email contact, available for long phone calls, etc. so it just wouldn't work. I work from home fairly often so I don't want to take the piss by pretending I'm working at home when I'm not in case that jeopardises that flexibility.

You had these children, but don't want to "waste" time when they are ill......

I think I am just going to have to start using annual leave. It's a bit annoying as I'm paid a salary to get the job done, which often includes evenings and weekends, but I still have to be there 9-5 every day.

My employer would also give me those three options, which are fairly standard. Unfortunately it’s something most people accept when they have children.

Wouldn’t a nanny be cheaper than two in full time nursery?

We get up to a week’s paid emergency leave for dependents per year, that we can use in situations like this. I can take annual leave and unpaid leave too. Otherwise my DH and I alternate. My mum might help, but I wouldn’t ask her if it was something horribly contagious like norovirus

DH or I have to take annual leave. It’s rubbish but there’s no other option as we don’t have family to help. We are planning to not to book any holidays away until DS is through the worst of the nursery illness years.

We get up to a week’s paid emergency leave for dependents per year, that we can use in situations like this.

That sounds amazing!

Unpaid leave or annual leave. I wouldn’t be happy with one of my team repeatedly working from home with a poorly 1 or 3 year old, as a parent I know they’d not get much work done. I’d be happy for them to make up the hours over the course of the next week or so though.

I’d use annual leave. As a parent it’s just one of those things. Surely that’s the norm?

I take unpaid dependents leave.
I'm a LP and need all my annual and parental leave for school holidays.

Is your employer aware that you and your DH takes turns to cover sickness? As you’ve had a bit of a run of it they might think that it’s all on you. As it sounds doable to work from home; just not preferable to them I would tell them what your options are and they decide it is the best option. Hopefully come spring the sickness will reduce.

We don't have any family either - we both get paid if we have to stay home with a child under seven (or a child who's in a life threatening condition over seven) but need a doctor's note confirming the child's illness. We're abroad where all of that (including doctor's notes which I know aren't expected for short absence in the UK) is normal.

DH can sometimes work from home and I can sometimes swap shifts. We can often juggle between us with shifts and his flexitime.

I don't think we've ever taken an unpaid day here but in the UK I was a teacher and had to take the days unpaid and send in cover work and mark the work my classes did - so I not only lost the pay but still did a couple of hours work for absolutely nothing and was roundly scolded for lack of loyalty to the school and students if I took the unpaid day and worked for free because my own baby was ill - and she was an actual baby (this was when maternity leave in the UK was only 6 months).

If DC2 is 1 then you’re probably not long back from mat leave, and in 4 months you’ve had to “work from home” 3 times, actually taking care of your kids during the day and making up the time in the evening.

I can see why their patience might be wearing thin. Do you otherwise show lots of flexibility?

I always take unpaid leave. My company wouldn't be happy with me working and looking after kids as I'd get fuck all done.

I work in a school so don’t have annual leave to take. I have to take unpaid leave.

I try and alternate with my husband if possible as he can work from home or take leave if necessary.