I don't work Fridays anymore- now meeting scheduled for a Friday

[Tatat]

It's quite an important one and I am one of about 15 attending
It' also 350 miles away so would need to fly up the night before, stay over in a hotel etc (which I don't really mind doing as I quite like the hotel stay, bit of a treat!) then fly back the next day.
I can swap my day off with work and nursery easily enough
Chap who has organised meeting doesn't know (wouldn't have any reason to) that I don't work Fridays, so do I:
a) let him know that I don't work on Fridays but will make special arrangements so that I can still attend
b) say nothing and attend as if it was a normal working day for me
c) say sorry I can do it as I don't work Fridays?

Don't really want to do c) as want to be as flexible with work so that if I ever need them to be flexible with me they are more inclined to be so, but would welcome thoughts on the matter!

Will miss 2 bedtimes and an early morning (before dropping off at nursery) with ds.

I'd probably do c) but I have had problems with one of my employers expecting me to be available on non-work days so I was especially firm about it otherwise it set a precedent and they were forever going 'it'll only be an hour....'

If it's easy for you to go, I'd do a) - would defn tell them its not a normal work day (depending on how flexible you want to be) as otherwise you can bet your bottom dollar ALL future meetings will be Fridays

I think the problem with being flexible with work is they expect it to always be possible - so i'd be clear that you have managed to rearrange ON THIS OCCASSION...

What happens if you say c - could meeting be changed at this stage to a day you can do?

Happens to me too on an ad hoc basis. I generally do a) if important and c if not.

I work 5 days but leave at 4pm so if anything is arranged after that I would do (a) if I considered it to be important and not able to be changed (which would be difficult with 15 others attending I guess!) and (c) for anything else - I have been quite open about this from day 1 and now my boss and many others will say "oh we can't do that time because jellybellie leaves at 4pm" so it works pretty well. Only you can make the call on how important the meeting is.

a). In smae situation at the moment - don't work Weds but a meeting scheduled for this week. If you tell them, it makes you look flexible and dedicated for going to the meeting - if you don't you lose your brownie points!

Thanks chaps, think I will do a) - and then also let my boss know about it by double checking that he is ok with me swapping my day off, then he will get to see how flexible and therefore angelic I am.

Ta for input peeps

I also vote for a)so he will be aware that you are being flexible but also so that next time he does not arrange it for a Friday. I work termi-time only and sometimes ahve this typ of problem. i used to agonise originally, but now have been doing it for two years, I am more matter of fact about it, and people are aware not to arragen meetings if I am needed unless it is a time I can do. Also, as the DC get older you will need to swap days for your own reasons (like sports days etc). Loads of people even director level that I deal with now don't work Fridays ( even some men!)I also find that Fridays are increasingly used even by full-timers as Work at home days, so people tend not to schedule off-site meetings for then, so it should get easier.