Christmas Leave 'I have kids'

[paintityellow]

Yes I know this comes up every year, but it's so bloody annoying. The Christmas leave list went around in September, with it being specified that priority for Christmas Day would be given to people who worked it last year.
Despite this we now have a couple of people really trying to pressure others to give up Christmas Day because 'I have kids'. One of these women has had the last 3 Christmas Days off, the other's kids are teenagers. One of the people they're trying to pressure wants to fly home to spend Christmas day with her parents, Another has no family in the area so also wants to travel home for Christmas. Both worked last year.
AIBU to find this attitude infuriating?

No one said you couldn’t 🤷🏻‍♀️

much like any childcare issues you may have, your thoughts on what is and isn’t ridiculous isn’t anyone else’s problem either.

That’s all I have, I’m afraid.

Why is it not fair to treat employees equally?

No, I can’t grasp it. It’s not fair, in my view.

Why?

In my immediate and extended family we have zero religious beliefs but we greatly enjoy a number of holiday traditions. They are woven throughout out family history and bond us, and frankly we just plain like the days and the celebrations, and we don't need to justify that to anyone else.

Christmas is about a lot more than kids tearing paper off presents at the crack of dawn.

How about every employer has to give an extra 5 days holiday to everyone, but is also allowed to assign some ‘premium’ holiday days that require the use of 2 days holiday to book the day off. Let’s say the three days at Christmas and the 2 days at Easter

Nice idea on the face of it, but I can hear the screams of discrimination already, as in "It penalises those with kids because they're more likely to need Christmas Day off"

@Tryingtokeepgoing that's not inclusive. You would have to do that to all of the faith based holidays.

No, she isn't. Your entitled attitude stinks though.

It is true, if you need Christmas off and are not prepared to do your fair share of covering then find a job that facilitates this. Don't put your selfish demands on other people.

My great grandmother died during covid so maybe I’m bitter but I focus more on what is important to me now

Stereotype much?

Hell no! I hate New Year. I'll always work it if it's an option. Easily the most depressing day of the year, in my opinion.

It's likely different when you're younger but as someone who is no longer young, I would much rather work NY than Christmas.

I’m not saying that, no. But personally, I’d always put a child’s needs above my own as an adult.

So the non-parent employee should work multiple Christmases in a row purely so the parent employee can sit at home on Christmas Day #makingmemories?

You genuinely think that is fair?

Unless you have kids you do not matter.

Don't you know that childless people only want what parents say they want and if they disagree they are wrong

(with the disclaimer than most parents aren't actually aresholes, just a few very vocal ones who trot out the same tired opinions every fucking year)

Do you at least have a different script to work from? The ol’ ‘woe is the children’ is less debate material, and more comedy hour.

Your life experience is very limited. You reveal it more with every post. It isn’t flattering, so I would consider stopping.

I've already posted but I am surprised at how many parents think it should be a right and yes I'm a parent to young children of 1 and 4 years.
Like anything work wise and within teams it should be fair and that means taking it in turns and making sure presumptions aren't made or guilt tripping others!

You can't expect to always have a date off just because and actually working in a team is about give and take and if you constantly take then its not a cohesive team.

I’m sorry if that’s the case. It wasn’t my intention.

Hmmm I get that but unless you book it off as annual leave then it’s fair game for any manager to allocate and most normal people will choose people with children

I absolutely put a child's needs first, my nephews.

It's just weirdly you seem to think I should put someone else's child's needs above my nephews

And I think that's bonkers quite frankly

I suspect that poster is unaware that there are faith based holidays that are not Christian.

Why?

I get people putting their own children’s needs first, or the needs of children they know and care about.

But I definitely wouldn’t be giving a random child priority. Adults matter just as much.

There are children in my family, I want to spend time with them. They want to spend time with me. Their needs take priority over your children's needs to me. They're more important to me.

Some people are really acting as though a parent being absent from the home for 8 hours on Christmas Day will cause serious damage to a child. It's almost amusing.

I would not put some random child's wants above mine. There is no "need" about Christmas.