DD unwell, had to take a day off, works reaction..

[Raincloud997]

I am a single parent and have limited childcare. My DD is in reception and was unwell today so couldn't go back in to school today after the half term. I had to ring up. My manager sounded very annoyed on the phone and said they have other staff off too, said she is struggling for cover and that I really must try and make it in tomorrow and that someone else will have to look after my DD. She also sighed before putting down the phone. I don't have a lot of time off at all, this is the first time its happened and my contract states they allow for emergency parental leave but her reaction has got me worried and I don't think I have childcare for tomorrow if she is no better by morning. What would ou do?

I helped my friends over the school holidays, but I would never look after a sick child. The reason is simple — I didn’t want to get sick and miss my part-time job. My child needed to stay healthy and not miss school, and my husband had to work.

You do need to be prepared for this and of course if lots of people are off the strsss on the manager will be immense

these systems are there to help us but we also need to recognise the costs and be mindful

so YANBU to take the leave but yabu to not recognise the position and stress that places on others and you would be unreasonable if you don’t start to think about emergency plans - when you can’t take the day off or where you are in hospital yourself

I never said random - check my posts. I’ve said meet in advance - of course you don’t know when your child will be sick as pointed out here - but you can check out the organisations in advance. WFH isn’t always possible. All the posters here advocating no support network and endless time off for kid sick at home - no wonder single parents can find it hard to get a job. I’d certainly be hesitant to employ someone with absolutely who had no intention of finding childcare. Statutory rights in place - it’s not time off all the time.

I do find it quite bizarre the way people regard employment has shifted massively in my working lifetime.
These days, people seem to regard it as something they do as long as there is nothing else going on in their life that needs attention, but they get paid regardless. Any hint that work should be prioritised is met with hostility.
Today's workplaces operate on fewer staff so any absence is felt more keenly. You being off will impact your fellow workers.
I'm not sure what the answer is beyond building up a network, as you absolutely can't expect work to suck it up and pay you to stay home every time your child is ill.
At the end of the day, your family are not your employer's responsibility, regardless of what the majority of pps on here think

That sounds reasonable, but not everyone has that option. You need a reliable person, who’s also retired (or unemployed), relatively fit and with no other obligations.
Most of our neighbours and friends work themselves.

It's an impossible situation. Difficult for you and difficult for your employer.

But I think the solution is to take this day as emergency parental leave and then any further days off needed will have to be annual leave - with an apology to your manager as the annual leave won't have had prior notice/approval.

The thing is, little kids are ill a lot. If you were allowed to take time off for the duration of their illness every time they were ill, it could amount to weeks a year. When my DD was in reception, she had about 20 days off in total. Which for a parent is like 3 weeks annual leave.

I didn't say wfh was possible. I said it was FOR ME. I wouldnt ever leave, nor would anyone I know, leave their sick child with a stranger off a website. It would be a stranger.

No. I would not. I’m just interested how many people seem to think this is a solution. I’m not convinced they would do it to their own kids, it might be only something expected of other people.

So what do you suggest the OP does then?
Give up work?
Expect her employer to pay her for staying at home looking after her child and not doing what she is paid to do?
This very situation surely must have crossed the OP's mind at some point?

How many of you would actually be willing to look after a sick neighbor’s child? Before writing about community support networks, please ask yourself this question

Sounds like shes under pressure herself! No excuses here though .How can you leave a sick child with someone else?DGM would be at risk of catching the illness surely . Just explain DD is ill and you dont have alternative cover

I would if I knew the neighbour would do the same for my child and if I was at home that day.
It's called a support network and it used to be very much a thing before people started being suspicious of everyone and micromanaging their children's lives.

I would expect the employer to let the op take parental leave. Obviously. Unless the child is really ill, for weeks etc. Which Obviously something else will have to be arranged. I would never expect someone to hire an online pissing babysitter for a couple of days like others are suggesting.

Would you? Have you?

Exactly. If they were of an age where they could sit in front of the TV etc. Then I would offer IF I was already working from home for friends or family.

or just make use of your statutory rights and look after your ill child yourself on the rare occasion

No because I had a support network, as per my post above.
Before employers were as accommodating, they were a big part of being a working parent.
These days people just expect the employer to pick up the problem.

This. No strangers required.

As is their right for a reasonable amount of time. Which in ops case, of possibly 2 days, it falls under

Yes but there is a limit to time off.

And who, then, will look after your sick child? The main point is that the child is ill—and sickness usually spreads. You might get sick, your child might get sick, and people often carry these bugs into their workplaces.

whats the limit???

Someone in my support network. As I did for them. As per my post

After a day I’d expect childcare in place. Some kids are sick often with runny noses, tummy bugs etc and for days at a time in the younger years and start of primary.

Yep and as in ops case that can't happen. Because organising a stranger to look after dc for a day is just not something people will or should be doing.

It is just so hard to work as a single parent💔