To want to get out of this

[Crazycatlayde]

So work have suggested that we have to go into the office for a training session. However, it is an hour away and it is £10 to park, I also will not be back in time to pick the kids up as I haven’t booked them into after school club. How can I get out of this?

Not an excuse. People go to work who too have suffered break-ups, bereavements, family illness, their own illness....
This is not a valid reason for not reading your emails, or not doing your job, much as some may think it is.

I don't really know why you're asking then?

You definitely can't go from what you've told us, so are you asking us to help you make up a lie?

Why can't you be honest about missing the email? It's not like it would've made much difference if you hadn't, as you don't have childcare.

It sounds like there are several reasons why you say you can’t do this. Your break up, the parking and the after-school club. I would think of only one reason and give it to the boss if you really can’t go. However, I know your situation I would be ensuring somehow that I could go unless it was completely impossible.

What is the normal routine for your childcare on this certain week day?

Does your work day usually finish in time for you to do the school run?

It is impossible. Even if I went I would not be back in time to pick them up from club.

My mum usually picks them up and drops them off when I finish. Unfortunately on this occasion I will have to collect them on my break and work the last hour with them.

I would just call in sick.

Not an excuse imo.

Yup, make your colleagues do the job you are paid to do because you didn't do your job properly in the first place.

For 1 day...

There's always one who suggests that. It doesn't sound like a good idea to me.

What do you mean you must have missed the email?

Was there an email or not?

If there was no email you can legitimately say you've only just found out about this.

If there was an email and you missed it, I'd speak to your boss and say something like this:

"I'm really sorry but I missed the email sent out last week about the training tomorrow and I have a childcare issue. If I come into the office I can't get back in time to pick my children up from school, and there's no one else who can do it at the moment because my parents are on holiday. How important is it that I do the training? Will there be another opportunity to do it in the future? Or is there any way I could connect remotely or leave early so I can still pick my kids up from school?"

I don’t think that is a good idea either. I never call in sick and it will be obvious

If there was an email that you missed (and we all make mistakes) honesty seems to be the best course open to you. You're already going through a hard time and there's no need to be making it any harder for yourself.

Principle. As in all things.
Time does not matter.

So just own up to your mistake.
You missed an email - it happens.
Are you saying that if you had childcare you would go?
The other personal stuff doesn't matter.
Do you really have no other person other than your parents to help with your children as a one off?
I have good friends I could ask as a one off - "I fucked up with a work meeting, can you mind the kids for an afternoon please?"

Really you shouldn’t be relying on being able to pick your children up whilst still on duty at work so this may be a lesson for the future to have after school club booked when your mum can’t do pick up. What would have happened if you were asked to take a work phone call or a last minute meeting request etc bang on pick up time?

If I were you I would speak to whoever you need to and be honest with them. Tell them you’ve dropped the ball and missed the email due to having a challenging time in your personal life and you’re left with no option but to collect your children. Offer a compromise of still coming to the training but leaving in time to get to the school. This shows willing.

Be honest, and if you are not a person to miss emails usually, there may be some understanding.

Exactly this.

I think in your position, rather than admitting that you didn't read your emails properly, I would say that your kids' after school club was already fully booked when you got the email last week, and you've not been able to find another option for childcare.

If you missed the email sent last week and have now realised the training session is tomorrow, then you have no choice but to be honest with your manager. You need to explain that your parents are away and there's no one to pick the children up from school, and it's too late to book them into the after school club. Are you able to remotely join the training session? Could you attend the session at another time? Apologise profoundly. You'll need to be honest, in that you can't attend or at least for not all of the session. The rest is up to your manager.

I think you need to either come clean to your boss and say you dropped the ball with everything you have going on and forgot to book kids into childcare after school so you are unable to attend and ask if you can join remotely or do at an alternative time....

or

White lie.... Call tomorrow morning and say the childcare you had in place has fallen through as your parents are ill and you are unable to book in after school club on the day, again, offer to join remotely or do the training at an alternative date.

I would just tell work that your childcare has fallen through last minute, and that although you've tried hard, you can't find alternative care. Ask them will there be another training session organised at a later date, and if so, make sure you are scheduled on it.

OP your first post says you can't get to the training because it is an hour away and it is £10 to park, I also will not be back in time to pick the kids up as I haven’t booked them into after school club.

Then you go on to say you don't fancy seeing anyone as you're going through a break up.

It sounds to me like the travel, parking and childcare are just excuses. As is the "I must have missed the email".

Sorry but it's poor whichever way you go about it to your employer but you obviously know this...

I can’t believe there are so many people on this thread who think it’s ok to not do the job you are paid for because of lack of organisation and childcare issues.

Taking unpaid or annual leave is the only acceptable way to ‘get out of’ doing the job that pays you , in working hours!