Am I being daft or is this OK? Go into the office or not?

[Houseofteenbots]

My 16 year old was sick yesterday afterschool/work. He still doesn't feel well. I worked from home yesterday. It was scheduled that way. Today I'm down to work in the office. Due to do 10-6. My ds still doesn't feel well today and won't be going to school. I'm thinking of working from home today. Simply because if he's sick again he won't be sick in an empty house. Work are absolutely fine with it. They said I could take a day's unpaid parental leave if I wanted to despite knowing his age. Ds hasn't said much yet this morning but he's happy with this. Dh thinks its daft at his age and he'll be fine and I should go into the office. Yes of course he'll be fine but I just think everyone wants their mums if they're poorly no matter how old they are don't they? Whys that daft?

I wouldn't take parental leave (also have a 16 year old) but if they're fine with you wfh I'd do that.

I've got a 16yo too and I'd wfh if she was sick. They're still your kids even if they're more or less independent.

I'd find it hard to give a shit that some sanctimonious joy sponge like @FrenchandSaunders would take the piss out of me about it, because I don't care about the thoughts or opinions of people boring enough to find someone else's schedule a topic of conversation worth any of their time or ire 🤷‍♀️

I'd have just reframed it as 'there's a sickness bug in our house and don't want to risk making everyone ill'.

In the kind of environment where it makes little difference if you are at home or work in terms of getting the job done, no one wants the risk of being sick all weekend.

If a stomach bug is causing his vomiting, there’s always the chance you could start soon if he’s passed it to you, is this part of the reason you want to stay home just in case you come down with it? If not, I can’t see why you would want to stay home with a vomiting teenager. It’s not nice hearing someone retching for one thing, and there’s not much you can do to help him.

WFH by all means as that is fine for your work.

However, when do you stop staying at home because someone has a vomitting bug so they aren't at alone? 17? 18? Do you stay for your husband? Do they stay for you?
I would just provide DD with a bed on the sofa and all the supplies she needs next to her and give her a ring at lunchtime.

You and your colleagues sound horrid.

Work from home just incase it's a sickness bug you don't want to spread it

Just work from home, a days parental leave seems a bit OTT for a 16year old!

Don't take unpaid leave, that's madness!

I think it's overkill to wfh purely because your 16 year old is ill (unless they're hospital level ill), but if that's what suits you, and your boss is fine with it then crack on.

I guess it depends what you do. If I work from home I can't just stop a call to go and tend to a poorly child.

But if you've got the kind if job where you have all day to do certain tasks then it would work.

If your work are happy, work from home. Why is your 16 year old sick? If you're not sure and it turns out to be a bug, work will thank you for not spreading it round the office.

Lol! I see your point. And I wouldn't do it for my husband but I'm not his mum! Whilst there at home? Whilst it feels right? Kindness and care is never wrong if you can do it is it

I probably would WFH but more to avoid spreading the bug.

At 16, I personally would have actively preferred being left alone though

"We take the piss in our office , grown up you sound like a nasty bitch" typical
Office gossiper 😂 so sad ....

I think there's less and less commitment to going into the office nowadays

Sounds like WFH is not a problem for the flimsiest of reasons so do it. It's nice to have company when you're feeling rough.

Are you sure your work weren’t being disapproving/pass agg by offering the unpaid parental leave day? (I.e. they think you’re taking the piss by saying you’re WFH when actually you’re looking after a sick child?). I only ask because I used to have an office manager who would be like that.

Ah yes. Why on Earth would a parent decides they wanted to be home with their sick teenager? Why wouldn't the people in the office want sick bug germs bringing in and spreading round.

What silly, responsible people those ones were.

@Houseofteenbots if you've no need to be in the office, it's easier and nicer for everyone to work from home. I wouldn't want to risk passing on sick bug germs to others (and I definitely wouldn't want them!).

I would chose to work from home if I could too but I wouldn't take a day's parental leave for a sick 16 year old unless they were very unwell.

I would have WFH if DS was being sick but mainly because if it had turned out to be a bug, it’s not great to spread it around the office. I would have been absolutely no use to DS however as I really can’t deal with vomit.

That's exactly how I view it. I've spoken to my boss again and it's all confirmed I'm working from home. She said I'm always OK with things like that you should know that by now. My dh can't work from home and he views these things differently

Hmm, how would it seem to you if your husband's mum came over for a few days to look after her sick son? I hear what you are saying but I think there surely comes the point at which you need to decide that a phone call at lunch and a hot dinner is plenty of kindness in these circumstances.

Sadly my mil is no longer with us. Wfh whilst he's still at home and school is fine though. It's all decided now anyway

I think it's sweet you are staying home. Obvs if you couldn't he would be fine but your work seem flexible about it so why not. He will remember his mum minding him when he was sick !

Honestly OP, you really don't need some random woman in Stockport's opinion on what you should or should not do with your own son!

Have some faith in your own parenting abilities and do what YOU feel is best.