sick kids and work don't mix - moan, moan, moan

[Shimmy21]

Poor ds has been ill (cold, temperature, earache etc) for 5 days now. I've already taken 2 days off work, tomorrow have an important meeting that I really shouldn't miss (meeting clients in place of MD.) Dh's work has the least family friendly ethic I've ever heard of (disciplinary action if you take more than 3 sick days in a year without a doctor's note i.e. when the kids are ill.) My parents 500 miles away this weekend. His parents 3000 miles away. No brothers or sisters to help.
Something has to give and it nearly always ends up being me. How do people with no nearby family manage?

I have no real advice, but just loads of sympathy. My DD has been sick on and off all year and as a lone parent with no family nearby its awful. Have just spent the last 2 weeks on unpaid leave as DD had an operation.

Does your DS normally go to nursery?
Hope he gets better soon!

Hi Shimmy
I thought that the new flexible working for parents legislation allowed you to take up to five days paid leave a year, for "dependants leave"??? Could you check it out - I don't know where to look!

oh, here you go \link{http://www.aut.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=244\dependants leave}
and \link{http://www.worksmart.org.uk/rights/viewsubsection.php?sun=55\here}

Thanks for the prompt replies. If I am right (usually not) the new legislation only applies to those with kids under 5 when they made the law and that's not us. Ds1 is 8 now. I've probably got completely the wrong end of the stick though so don't quote me.

Aimsmum, you made me think. All power to you lone parents. I shouldn't moan when there are a lot of people with a lot more on their plates.

Thanks for the info Tillykins. Our posts crossed, but I'm afraid it looks from that as though it is only for children under 5.

Do they think that kids over 5 aren't so important???

Shimmy21 - I was just meaning i know how hard it is when your little ones are ill
I think I must work for the same company as your Dh as they are the so unfamily friendly too.
DD had an operation last Thursday at 9am - they told me they would expect me in after lunch then . Needles to say I just took longer (unpaid)
Hope your DS is feeling a bit better tomorrow.
Perhaps they expect over 5s to be able to look after themselves

Also my reading of the Dependents leave thing is that Employers are under no obligation to pay you for it (so you can have the 5 days per year - for under 5's, but unpaid)

Is ds at school, then? We have used someone who used to work at ds' nursery and is currently out of work. When I was at school my mum had a couple of friends who were SAHMs with children at school who would take me - one was the wife of one of her colleagues, another was the lollipop lady whose son was in my class! Thinking about it now she probably cultivated those friendships just so she had someone to look after me!