To think this school mums thinks my work sitch is weird?

[Chaiii]

So if for example my child's school has a morning event, I would be expected to book a couple of hours leave to attend. I understand it would be unfair to my childless colleagues if I just came in 2 hours left or left 2 hours early couple of months so I've thought nothing of it.

A school mum today was in shock that I'd have to eat into my AL, she said her work wouldn't make her book holiday for having 2 hours off etc.

What's the norm? If there is a norm?

wtf is a sitch?

My last job was like yours OP. I had to book AL for everything, even if DCs were off school sick. I'd love a job like that other mum you mention!

Depends on the job really - for less than 2 hours or so, I am happy for my team to just make the time up another day but the flip side is that I do expect some flexibility in return

But if your job can't be easily picked up another day or by working late, I can see it's different

I can take two hours off when I please but would need to make it back up - we have flexi time x

Situation.

I don’t think there is a norm necessarily, OP. I could take 2 hours and make it up throughout the week but I guess it’s down to the organisation. Have you spoken to your manager about it?

The norm is whatever your manager agrees with you.

For any time off I'd be expected to either book it off using AL, take it unpaid or make the time up. All would need to be authorised though, I couldn't just have a couple of hours off.

Where does she work?

I think she works from home a lot. I go into the office 3 of my 4 days.
She acted like I was unfortunate and she was surprised that i had to do it.. I never thought much of it.
My job is quite full on and I'm paid well for it, so to me it's understandable if I'm coming in late, and not able to make it up another day, I would need to take leave.

I wouldn’t be expected to book annual leave - I would just make the time up later in the week. We have flexi working though. I wouldn’t judge anyone one’s work situation though and think they’re unfortunate - I’m aware that every job is different.

I wouldn't have to use leave but I'd make up the time another day.

How do people make the time up? I have 2 young children, one in Year 1 and one in nursery, I work 30 hours a week so wouldn't have the time to make it up..

At my work we would probably have made the time up later . I did Flexi time and I was always in credit anyway so it's was easy.

Sorry I didn't mean to add that quote!

I used to commute to work and if I wanted to attend a school event I would have absolutely needed to book it as annual leave. I work for a large corporation now, mostly from home. It’s generally very flexible but how you’d take a couple of hours for a school event would probably be dependent on your manager.

I think she’s viewing this from quite a privileged position. Retail workers can’t make the time up, nor doctors or nurses. It’s really just a privilege that those of us in office work have.

Wraparound is open 7:30-6:30 at our school but we don't usually use the full hours - so we might use a bit more of that time. Or if one of us is doing a school event, the other might do an extra pick up that week to allow for working late. Or might do a bit on a non working day, evening, weekend

I WFH most days (office one day a week) so I can just work an extra hour in the evening one night. Could you maybe make the time up on your WFH day, working through lunch or similar?

I would usually work after kids are asleep, half an hour - hour throughout the week until I make the time up. However, I do have a flexible job. If there’s little flexibility in your job and you’re unable to, your only option would be AL. I wouldn’t give it too much thought, OP. The school Mum who mentioned this probably has a very different role.

It all depends on the workplace I suppose. My workplace is very flexible so if I need to start late/leave early for my little boy I just make the time up. I either take a bit of time off my lunch breaks or stay late (I normally finish work at 4pm but pay the nursery till 6pm so I can just do extra bits after work)

I’d have to take leave. Or I might be able to formally change my work hours for that day - starting two hours later and finishing two hours later. But that would be rare, and quite complicated to arrange.

For a couple of hours I would also make up the time but again I'm in the fortunate position of being in an office based role with hybrid flexibility. I have a toddler at nursery but would make time up at home, either early eg 6am while DH gets DS up, evenings after he's gone to bed or at the weekend. It depends on the nature of your work and if you can do it in your own time while others aren't around. For more than a couple of hours I'd expect myself or my team to book half a day's leave as that becomes a bit much to make up.

I would be able to make the time up under our policy, but in practice with one nursery and one school child, a 4 day a week job, a DH who works all hours and a messy house, I end up just taking it as leave.

Compressed hours is another one - I've no idea how people survive that.

I think it's linked to the DH working all hours thing - we do compressed hours and it basically works by us sharing pick ups and drops offs. Without that, it just wouldn't

Ask her how she thinks it works for parents who are teachers

My job would let you pop off, Rail Industry.
We do work irregular hours though, we usually put more hours in than we're rostered for, don't have to but it's sometimes the nature of the job.
They're very keen on keeping tabs on potential fatigue though.
Don't think I could work somewhere that was so strict but I understand there's a lot of employers that aren't very flexible

I’d be able to make the time up by working later on one of the days my DH is collecting kids (well, these days they are big teens so not an issue but that’s how it worked then). No problem working flexibly, coming in a bit later some days and earlier others. Plus frankly, as long as we all get our work done (and we all deliver above and beyond, put a lot in) nobody is counting hours and minutes. Normally I am having to stop people working far too much. Bits of flexibility here and there are the least we can offer.

My DH is a uni lecturer though and would sometimes have to take actual time off for these things, as he might otherwise be called in to cover for another teacher or similar. Depends on the line management.

My job is flexible with hours bit my last one was AL for all time out of office. My husband's is. It's not that unsual I think.