Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Pull a sicky or tell the truth? Wwyd

107 replies

Subwaysalad1 · 11/08/2023 22:15

DS has a photoshoot next week for a huge fashion brand. I won’t be able to take a day off because other colleague is already off.

Huge opportunity for him would hate for him to miss out just because of my rubbish job.

They called me today and I had to confirm It within the hour before it was offered to someone else.

would you ask for the day off and most likely
get rejected. Or “pull a sicky”

OP posts:
LlynTegid · 12/08/2023 08:53

I think you have different views from mine if you think it is a huge opportunity.

vdbfamily · 12/08/2023 08:54

For those saying take a sick day, you do realise this is actually stealing from your company. It is not melodramatic. If your boss left £80 on their desk and there was a thread saying WIBU to pocket it, there would be 100% YABU. Fur some reason, pulling a sickie, where you get paid by your company when you are off on a jolly somewhere, is seen as different.
Be honest. Explain that this is important and you want to take annual leave but you really need to have a day off. Hopefully they will be fine. Why is it so last minute? Can they not give you more warning?

BlackOps · 12/08/2023 08:54

And you think employers really give a shit about their staff ? Their just numbers and they would dump the op in a heartbeat .

This little nugget of BS is always used on Mumsnet when someone wants to do something that wouldn't be acceptable at work. It's childish

justanothermanicmonday1 · 12/08/2023 08:54

Och pull a sicky. Isn't the end of the world.

Smithstreet · 12/08/2023 09:09

I am a manager of a team. I would try to make it work as it is obviously important to you and your child (we all find different things valuable even if modelling). Obviously if this started being requested every week we would need to look at a better solution but if it genuinely is a one off and would make the team short for one day only then I would try to accomodate, I can cover and as a manager I should at times. This would be for team morale and because we work a stressful job, all my team work hard and are dedicated so I do try and give flexibility where we can. Depends a lot I think on your manager and work place as I would be able to ask and discuss this with my team and senior manager and not be told a blanket no. I hope your son enjoys the day and you are able to go.

Saverage · 12/08/2023 09:13

I thought from the OP this was going to be a 14 or 15 year old who was looking at modelling as a serious career, not a 6 year old.

SlightlygrumpyBettyswaitress · 12/08/2023 09:22

Sickie.
But for the love of God, don't put on the sick voice

AuntMarch · 12/08/2023 09:33

@billyt "I have never, ever pulled a sicky and haven't had a single day off when actually sick in over 25 year."

I'm glad you don't sit next to me at work!

Topee · 12/08/2023 09:47

I loathe childhood modelling, so I vote go to work and save your son from the horrible industry!

toomuchlaundry · 12/08/2023 09:48

Will you also be pocketing the money your DS earns?

cansu · 12/08/2023 09:52

This doesn't seem like the kind of situation for this. It isn't an emergency or really important at all.child modelling is not important. Yes your son will earn some money from it. If it is because it is worth a lot of money then be honest. If you didn't mention it to him or told him it was cancelled he really wouldn't care given he is 6.

alwaysbelieveinyourself · 12/08/2023 09:53

Subwaysalad1 · 11/08/2023 22:22

Hubby isn’t his biological dad they put the parents name down on his child’s working license from what’s on the birth certificate.

My daughter does modelling.

My husband (not her birth father) has taken her before!

rosiebl · 12/08/2023 09:53

Can't you pull a part day sickie and try to get some of your job done while you are there?

billyt · 12/08/2023 10:03

Spacemoon · 12/08/2023 08:48

You say that like it's a badge of honor.

To most employers you are simply a number, a very replaceable one at that. Unless you're a top lifesaving surgeon or have a skill set nobody else in your entire field has, you might not be as important as you seem to think. There really is no pride in going into work sick, in fact that's pretty selfish for everyone around you.

OP, pull a sicky. It's a one off. (I'm assuming you'll look into arranging chaperones with the agency going forward when you have more time). Especially if you're someone who usually has great attendance, most people in reality, not the warped MN, would be pulling a sicky in your position! Ignore the majority of people on here who are acting like pulling a sicky is equivalent to murdering a puppy. They are either arse lickers, deluded or, most likely managers - the bad type of manager who cannot possibly cope when they have to actually manage a team, or God forbid do some extra work their selves when things crop up.

Show quote history

From your response I guess you're someone who will pull a sickie at the drop of a hat. Warped to say be honest? Arse lickers to do what you are being paid to do? Deluded?

And why does it make someone a bad manager when their team is left short because someone decides to take an unnecessary day off because they want to? You make it sound like Managers are sitting around twiddling their thumbs.

That is one hell of a chip on your shoulder, I'd take the day off if I were you.

And nothing to do about a badge of honour, of course not. I'm just one of the lucky one who don't need days of when sick. I object to people who pull 'sickies' at the drop of a hat, and usually because they are lazy or something that is not that important happens on a day they re supposed to be working. Fine of you're on a zero hours contract, just don't let people down.

billyt · 12/08/2023 10:04

AuntMarch · 12/08/2023 09:33

@billyt "I have never, ever pulled a sicky and haven't had a single day off when actually sick in over 25 year."

I'm glad you don't sit next to me at work!

No, I meant I haven't actually been sick to need a day off of work.

It's the way I've worded it Grin

billyt · 12/08/2023 10:05

AuntMarch · 12/08/2023 09:33

@billyt "I have never, ever pulled a sicky and haven't had a single day off when actually sick in over 25 year."

I'm glad you don't sit next to me at work!

No, I meant I haven't actually been sick to need a day off of work.

It's the way I've worded it Grin

billyt · 12/08/2023 10:05

Posted twice to make sure I'm understood Grin

Testina · 12/08/2023 10:09

@Subwaysalad1 “DS loves his modelling it’s probably the only thing that he really enjoys!!”

I find that really sad.
He’s 6
There should be loads of things he really enjoys.
I’m not even against child modelling or it being his favourite thing. But an occasional photo shoot is all he really enjoys?
You need to start doing more with your kid 🤷🏻‍♀️

And get “hubby” to take the day off.

sunglassesonthetable · 12/08/2023 12:04

^*I find that really sad.
He’s 6
There should be loads of things he really enjoys.
I’m not even against child modelling or it being his favourite thing. But an occasional photo shoot is all he really enjoys?
You need to start doing more with your kid 🤷🏻‍♀️

And get “hubby” to take the day off.*^
^
Really?

That judgemental.

You know what he needs to be doing?
^

Jellycat43 · 12/08/2023 12:11

Go sick - life is too short to miss stuff like this

Un7breakable · 12/08/2023 12:13

Any adult can usually chaperone, you may need to write a letter authorising it and let the production company know.

sunglassesonthetable · 12/08/2023 12:14

I really don't think you've got it quite right about the chaperone thing OP.

But the its probably too late to change that if the licenses have been issued.

When I've worked in situations with child actors /models they have been chaperoned by grandparents, step parents, uncles, aunts , etc

Check again.

coreas · 12/08/2023 12:20

Subwaysalad1 · 12/08/2023 00:48

DS loves his modelling it’s probably the only thing that he really enjoys!!

Sicky it is

I would spend some time working with him to try and find more realistic, fun and normal things for him to enjoy. You won't need a sickie for it either, just your usual day off.

Doingtheboxerbeat · 12/08/2023 17:25

How does a thread that starts with pulling a sickie end up being about bashing child models and their parents? So much bitterness 😔.

Jellycat43 · 12/08/2023 17:31

Doingtheboxerbeat · 12/08/2023 17:25

How does a thread that starts with pulling a sickie end up being about bashing child models and their parents? So much bitterness 😔.

Agree - some awful comments. Why can't people be happy for others?

Go along and have a wonderful day both of you x