I'm up in the middle of the night worrying myself silly about DD13 (Year 9). We've had ongoing issues with school attendance due to a combination of physical and mental health issues. We're currently nearly two weeks in to a nasty bout of tonsillitis that isn't clearing up with antibiotics. Both DH and I are teachers - him secondary, me primary. She's had so much time off school that it's just becoming impossible to juggle. We have both taken days off or part-days off here and there, my Mum has come to stay when she can, I have even taken her to sit in the corner of my classroom. There have been days where she's had to stay home alone, although I try to pop back at lunchtime.
Now it looks possible that she might have glandular fever which I know can take months of recovery. I was wondering if this might be the sort of situation I (or DH) might be able to tale parental leave for? I understand it's a legal entitlement for all parents but I think you have to give a certain amount of notice. I know school would be really pissed off if I asked. They hate using teachers from agencies and we only have one regular supply teacher who probably couldn't cover a large chunk.
I'm at the point where I'm considering quitting anyway as our family life can't sustain the demands of two full-time teaching parents but it wouldn't help me out in the short-term as I couldn't leave before Easter now.
Has anyone taken parental leave as a teacher and how did you go about it?