to think that you shouldn't be working if it means you can't do your job when you child is sick?

[childcareneeded]

I had an appointment this week, but the person I was meant to see couldn't come because her DS "had a cold". There was no one to replace her. I feel let down.

I think if you can't do your job because your child is sick, and thus letting other people down, you shouldn't be doing particular jobs.

I once worked for a small charity where everyone but me went down with glandular fever. I felt let down! Oh well that's life! Get on with it OP.

YABU. Where I used to work my boss used to regurlalry have to take time off to look after her sick mother. I had to have a day off when I was broken into (this was before children).

Npw wher is my copy of Billy Goats Gruff, I must go and read it.

Ahh you remind me of the woman who asked me if her "job would be finished by christmas" when our son was in hospital on oxygen!!

YABU (extremely)

I have been inconvenienced by the same thing a few times myself and yes it is annoying but at the end of the day family should always come first. Neither you boss or your clients will nurse you if you are sick, comfort you if you are upset or take care of you in your old age.

It is exactly this mentality which stops 1000s of capabable and willing women returning to the workplace.

childcareneeded I hope you wrote a strong letter of complaint to her boss and got her fired.

That is clearly unacceptable behaviour. She shoould have put your needs ahead of her child's.

Goodness What is the world coming to?

So we're supposed to not work at all in case our dc get ill don't be so stupid.

How do you suppose employers cover holidays?

You had better let us know what type of job it is so that no Mums apply for that type of work in future

op, thanks a lot

I'm off work today as my son is poorly and so I can't do the job I'm supposed to be doing

So who do I leave my son with? my mum who is 81 and needs care herself? My siblings 400 miles away? My MIL who has dementia? The neighbours cat?

You need to join the real world

Perhaps as you feel so strongly about this you can lobby the government so that one parent out of each two parent family, and all single parents, are given the option to remain at home caring for their children until they are 16 ..... whilst at the same time receiving benefits equivalent to the average working wage.

The same guaranteed sum can also be paid to all those who have to take unexpected days off work and who therefore have cause to inconvenience others: self employed people who don't get paid when they take odd days off for sickness, people who have to care not only for children but for elderly, disabled or mentally ill relatives, people who have genuine emergencies which can only be sorted out during working hours, such as flooding, people who occasionally find themselves stuck in 5 hour traffic jams following an accident and so on.

Sorted (obviously not).

and don't tell me, either you don't have kids or you have a mum/sister nearby who drops everything when you call?

Yes yabu. I have had to take time off to look after my sick children and as I am a teacher it causes the school a lot of hassel if I am not there but what else can I do? I have no family near to help out so if they are too sick for the childminders on of us has to stay home. Ishould also add that I don't get paid for any time I take off to care for my children.

I find that the people who are smuggest about a womans ability to return to work and not let childcare/illness disrupt it are generally those with great family support. You know Gran/Grandad does pick up drop off every day and takes care of grandkids when they are sick.

Everyone else is in the real world sometimes your kids have to take priority.

For what its worth I DO think its a wind up...I also KNOW a lot of people ACTUALLY think like this.

Wily, I agree

too many times I've heard "oh you must have someone who can take him" from parents with grans/grandads/siblings coming out their ears, it drives me mad

I had to give up a job earning over £10 an hour 5 years ago to take a job at £3 an hour, as my mum couldn't babysit anymore, she was 76, and I had to take a menial job that fitted round the kids. my mum that has her fifty something mum at her back and call told me to my face that I was mad and should be trying harder

I could have knocked her out(in my dreams!!), I had to avoid her big time

my "mum" that has her fifty something mum at her back and call

meant my "friend"!

I don't have family support either.

My DS2 has many regular appointments, and as it was not possible to pick him from am nursery at 12 every day, nor desirable that he come to appointments with us (how boring for a 3-4 year old!), I had to put him in practically full-time (9 till 4). But at least he was being looked after and being stimulated, and it was less stressful for me I didn't have to worry about being back too early.

Off-topic though!

i havent read all the posts but im 100% sure that no on will agree with you op. of course you are being vvvv unreasonable.

i am hopefully starting an evening job v shorly and dh works days so childcare shouldnt be an issue. but if one of the dds were very ill i wouldnt go to work as a) sick children usually want their mummy and b) i wouldnt trust dh to know what to do if they got worse/needed comforting etc.

should i not bother looking for a job then? incase one of my children gets sick.

YABVU. But let's play along with your point of view for a minute, where we live in the world you describe..... anyone with a child who didn't have round the clock fall-back childcare, on the off-chance their child was sick, wouldn't be allowed to work. Imagine the waiting lists for GP appointments, hospital beds, queues in shops etc. I think you'd be a lot more inconvenienced then. But would be interested to hear how you think we could get round this, just to be open-minded....

A sick child comes first.

ridiculous op. Same as saying parents can't work - as children invariably fall ill.
havent read op, just colditz post about not having a penis which made me lol

duh, did read op, obviously didnt read thread. shoudl ahve done, wouldnt have wasted my time making my poiht - which has already - i am sure - been made

Obviously single parents should not work, as we are the only ones who could take time off sick when our dc's were ill. We would all much rather be a drain on society and live on benefits forever, which your tax will pay for while you are sat at work smugly because your child never gets ill.

Fraid that wipes out recruiting parents altogether. Besides I would never give that as a reason to a customer, how unprofessional. Mind you I have answered my work phone with my sick dd on my knee coughing before ..

right so you'd rather I sat at home on benefits than went to work on the offchance my DS might be ill?
Perhaps nobody of childbearing age should get a job just in case?