Teachers... what do you do if your child is unwell?

[Redwineistasty]

And they need to stay off school?!

I’m thinking ahead and just wondering what teachers do? Thanks!

*ironic!!!!

DH and I are both teachers. One of us takes the day off, probably whoever had an easier day to work around, eg one day a fortnight I only have 2 lessons so I would stay off if it fell on that day.

When DD had a vomiting bug, I took DH took 1 day off, I took next day off, DH took third day off. Understanding head, and we're happy to cover each other's classes if necessary/possible (related subjects)

My husband takes the day off if we have a child off. It's just too hard to take time off school, I'd feel really awful if I wasn't sick myself.

I'm a lecturer so don't have classes every day but if I or a child are sick nobody can really cover my classes.

Option 1 swap directly (but nobody ever wants to do this at short notice)
Option 2 CM if child sick, not infectious, and she has no other children in that day.
Option 3 if DH has no immovable meetings he does it. When DC1 had chicken pox he did my teaching days and I took sick child/AL for the others.
Option 4 fall on the mercy of friends (I had to do this when the CM had a family emergency)
Option 5 cancel the lecture.

I should have said I have sent DS in when he felt generally unwell, but no temp. If he had a temp or sickness I'd keep him off!

My head is not the forgiving type for time off, especially for children.

We get three paid days off per 12 month period for dependents, after that it’s unpaid. We try and split it (between DH and I). One year I had so much time off that it triggered a meeting with HR. (Tonsillitis followed later in year by stomach bug followed later in year by chicken pox!). It’s not been so bad since though, that was a particularly bad run when he was 2/3 and at childminder’s/nursery. Also I’m only part time which makes it more manageable.