Out of interest, for working parents - if your DC is ill and has to be collected.....

[fishnet]

how often is it the mum who has to take the time off?

Just wondered. Sorry if its been done to death before

[TigerFeet]

Pretty much always me

My job is far more flexible than dh's - he is often away.

He does it when he can but it is rare for him to be able to

I don't mind tbh - I hate being at work when dd is ill.

[flatmouse]

Usually me, as i have the flexibility that i can work from home. If DH has to take time at home to look after sick DC he looses pay. Occasionally i can't, so he does.

We are fortunate tho that often Grandma will help out.

[Lazycow]

Well it all depends really.

Dh works from home 2-3 days a week but on the other days is over 2 hrs away. On the other hand I work 5 mins from the nursery on 3 days a week (used to be 4) and dh doesn't drive, so an early pick up for illness would be done by whoever was most available and had least work/important meetings on.

As dh works in education he has much more available time over the summer. He still works every day but can be much more flexible as he has fewer meetings and no teaching so in those periods he tends to do more illness cover on the days I work.

On the whole it varies from 70:30 to me in the parts of the year that dh is more busy (eg Autumn - start of year and early Spring Summer when he has a lot of exam boards)and 70:30 to him during the summer and in more slack times for him.

Probably evens out to 50:50 overall.

[HuwEdwards]

Generally me as I work from home, but if DP was woring from home, he'd do it.

[Marina]

60/40 me, but that is because we try to work on the basis that whoever would have done the pickup that day anyway downs tools
Conversely, if they are chundering at dawn, then it is 60/40 dh as he does more drops than I do
so, er, that would make it 50/50 overall then
We both WOTH full-time but as I am the boss of me and several others and he isn't, I have the machiavellianism managerial scope to run my department flexibly to benefit all team members in this sort of situation - and that includes the childless ones with ailing boilers or hobbling parents

[hana]

would me me as dh works in central london and I'm closer to dds (geographicall when I'm working) although dh has taken tiime off to look after sick dds so I can work.

[OrmIrian]

Mostly me. But I work 5 mins from school and I can work from home if need be. DH is self-employed so can take more time off but it costs us a lot when he does that and once he's at work it normally takes him quite a long time to get home again.

[Fennel]

It would be 50:50 for us though I can't remember it happening in school, it used to happen in nursery occasionally.

[Milliways]

100% me.

When DS was long term ill I drafted in the Grannies! When DH gets home he brings his office with him

[Acinonyx]

Me - but I've only had to do it once.

[oi]

dh generally does it most of the week. I'd do it on a Friday. He'd probably cover the other days unless he was horrendously busy in which case, I'd step in.

But we're flexible, if one of us has an urgent meeting or is v busy, then the other one covers.

[Fizzylemonade]

It was always me as I had a much less demanding job and it was much easier to get away.

However, when DS1 had chicken pox I did 2 days and DH did 1 day (I worked 3 days a week) now I am sahm so it is always me

[mumtoone]

We share taking time off to look after sick children 50/50.

[ChippyMinton]

Happened once, I collected because a) school range me and b) it meant leaving work only an hour before my usual time.
DH's work is nearer, so in an emergency he'd get there faster than I could. Either of us could work from home for the rest of the day if necessary.

[rookiemater]

Fingers crossed, has only happened once and then it was the CM rather than DS.

That time it was me, but it would really depend on what meetings each person had on and how busy their day was. In reality more likely to be me, as DH is a contractor so we wouldn't want to lose the money whereas I could use holiday or accrued time.

[Sexonlegs]

If it's a Monday then dh. If a Tuesday or Thursday, we tend to do half a day each where possible.

[Orinoco]

Message withdrawn

[Janos]

Yes, it was with me, even when I was still with XP.

But now it's more even, although luckily DS is very rarely ill.

[pointydog]

Nearly always dh.

[Nappyzoneneedsanewname]

Its always me - dh teaches so a bit tricky as his lessos are planned whereas i can kinda walk off the job and hope/ pray it gets covered which it generally is...

[Hulababy]

If one of my work days - DH would be the one to collect her. He works about 10 minutes drive from school; I work over an hour away.

We do have friend's numbers as back up in case DH cannot get away (unlikely) though.
If DD is ill in the monring and can't go in then it tends to be mainly me who takes time off, but DH will do too where possible.

[WideWebWitch]

It's always dh for us as I work 2 hours away and he can be there witihn half an hour. When I worked nearer it was sometimes me, depended on what meetings etc I had and how important.

[janeite]

It's usually dp, as he works part time and can also be a bit more flexible with his timetable (college) than I can (secondary school).

[Cicatrice]

Usually me so far, but its early days. Easier for DH to take the next day off if the LO is still sick though.