Ds's teacher has returned to work after mat leave and her baby has just started nursery full-time ...

[bibbitybobbityhat]

I wonder how many days she will need to have off to look after her poorly baby.

DS had a teacher last year with a small child at nursery, she did have a few days off probably about 7/10 days across the year but it wasn't too bad.

I do see where you are coming from though bibbity, and there where certainly mums in the playground posing exactly the same question as you have at the beginning of the year, and probably a lot more thinking it privately.

But that is not to say that I and the other mums didn't feel very sorry for her when she was off when her daughter was ill, it is difficut and I certainly didn't feel any resententment towards her at all I have been there, in fact it's why I gave up work in the end after my 3rd child was born as work where just not happy and obv with 3 children it was only going to get worse.

She was a great teacher and DS had a really good year, so in the course of things I would rather have the more experienced older teacher who might have to miss a few days than the fresh out of uni very young teacher.

raven huge symphaties, D&V with 3 children not fun at all, actually not fun with any children.

As I said above I would much, much rather have an experienced teacher like you and I'm sure all the parents are well aware that you wouldn't be off if you really, really didn't have to be.

Before anyone gets offended I'm sure there are some great fresh out of uni teachers, but I bet they are even better after a few years experience.

Get well soon all of you at raven's house.

to the OP: what a shocking attitude to have towards working women.

I bet if my employer was like you, they would not have offered me a job seen as I have 4 children aged 6 and under! As it happens, I have never taken one day off, neither sick or otherwise since going back to work 6 months ago.

Maybe you don't realise it but your attitude is one of scorn to all women out there who are juggling work and family life - in your opinion women should all be at home then after having children? Your post has really wound me up.

bibbity
At ds's school they use the same two supply teachers for all cover, so continuity isn't really a problem. I don't know how common this is, but it seems to work fine.

So aside from the fact that I'd imagine the teacher would have something in place if their baby was poorly, I wouldn't be worried if ds's teacher this year was just back from mat leave (in fact it's just occured to me that ds's teacher this year is fresh back from mat leave).

What an egocentric OP!

Shall we ask all teachers with DC to resign and rely on benefits instead then?

(thought I'd throw in a morsel there for anyone playing issues bingo - how can we get P & C parking in, though???)

None of my Dc's have only 1 teacher. They emply to subject specialists within the school to cover for PPA and management non-contact time anyway, so in a wek they may be taught by 2 0r 3 teachers. To my knowledge as of yet they don't require counselling, are receiving an excellent education and are being prepared (shock horror) for high school where they will be taught by up to 5 teachers A DAY!! (faints) OP get over yourself

THEY EMPLOY TWO SPECIALISTS

Welcome to a world where equal rights, flexible and family-friendly working are loudly demanded and defended... until it comes to the slaves we call teachers.

Welcome to a world where any employer denying a mother leave to look after a sick child would be praised... until it's the slaves called teachers.

Welcome to a world where women are judged on their merits at a job and not on their reproductive status - where their ability to work based on if they had/hadn't had a child is what matters - unless it's on MumsNet where it's perfectly acceptable to complain that a teacher hasn't got a family (I very considerately miscarried in the July/August holiday just for your convenience), or indeed that they DO have a family.

Continues to prove that women's worst enemy isn't male sexism, isn't lack of equal opportunities, isn't lack of parental leave... it's other women pure and simple.

Damn those teachers - let's just lock them up in school 24-7 so they're permanently available for convenience, never get caught in snow or traffic so the school has to close (but let's never ever judge or mark as absent a child that doesn't make it in because of the weather), never ever DARE go abroad and get caught in the volcanic ash cloud, they'll never have the cheek to get pregnant, or get married and force us to learn a new name for them and they'll be there 24-7 to look for Johnny's cardigan that hasn't been named "but you'll know it when you see it cos it's got the school badge on it and it's reception-sized".

I will be in a similar situation to the teacher in a few months time. Maybe I will have to take some time off (although I plan to split this with my dh). However, my colleagues have had erratic attendance for the past few years for various reasons. One got cancer. One lost her mum to suicide. One' marriage broke down. One was off with stress. One was in a car accident. I wonder what the op would have to say about them? Or is it just when children cause the absence that it is a problem?

I am a teacher (went back to work when dd was 11 months old and she went to nursery) I can see part of the reason you are concerned OP is because you mention your child being in a split class when the teacher is off sick/with sick child. I can completely understand you being concerned about this if this is the way the school normally deals with days when teachers are off (for whatever reason).

I would be asking the school why they arent using a supply teacher or even a HLTA in these situations? The teacher will recieve no pay if she takes days off with a sick child (although we do get sick pay if we ourselves are ill) so the school could pay a supply or HLTA to deliver lessons.

FWIW my dd wasnt ill that much, I have had about 4 days off with her in the last 5 years (touch wood!) and have had about 3 days off myself.

There isnt that much you can do about any teacher needing to take time off of work, and it happens for all sorts of reasons. But, if you are unhappy about the way the school handles the absences then you have every right to question THIS affects your childs education.

Dejavu , how awful for you.

BibbityBH i have no answer on school as dd starts next year.However her Nursery Teacher (a grad) has a young child, and she was absent twice last year, due to the bad weather.

I've been back at work for nearly 3 years now, i,ve had 4 official sick days, twas me that was ill not dd .
And a period of 8 days unpaid to look after my mum. I'm sure your DC school
will have strategies for covering.Good luck for your DC at school, i bet he has great teachers.