Working mums: who looks after your child when they are too ill for nursery/childminder?

[Meid]

Every time my dd has a runny tummy, bad cold or conjunctivitis her nursery understandably won't take her. I have no one to fall back on and am unfortunately using up all my holiday entitlement looking after her on her sick days. My DH does his bit but he is a contractor and doesn't get paid if he doesn't work so I am the better option.
I have to admit I've also done sickies when she's been ill and struggled into work when I'm poorly so my sick record isn't too bad.
I know I am entitled to unpaid leave if necessary but don't think the entitlement is intended for the odd day here or there - more for longer chunks off work.
I was wondering, are there any other mumsnetters in the same situation? Who do you fall back on? Can you offer any advice?
None of the other mums I work with seem to need days off here and there which makes me look worse to my employers.
I am really worried as I don't have much holiday left for this year, what am I going to do if she gets a long illness?
[Obviously, if my dd is really poorly and needs her mum I wouldn't want her to be with anyone else but usually with something like a runny tummy she's as lively as ever - it is just messy nappies!]

I'd like to ressurct this thread because I've just had this problem, and this time we managed to stay at home one day each with dh, but this was very unusual, he's always very busy, and I don't think he'll be able to do this again.

It's really stressing me out because I only work 2 days a week and if dd is ill on those days I'll soon use up all my holiday entitlement.....

Has no one found any other solution other than friends/relatives????

I'm starting to undestand why none of the mums I know work..........

dd was ill and off nursery Friday pm - Wednesday. Apart from Monday when I felt she was jsut too ill for me to leave her, dh and I shared it quite well. One of us would go to work v. early until lunchtime, one would work from lunch until late. We then fought over the PC in the evening when dd was asleep. It helps that we both have flexible jobs. Is there anyway you could work other days instead and switch your child care to those days as well? And aren't you entitled to at least some compassionate leave for dependant child illness?

prufrock

I've told I have 5 days a year for compassioante leave and that would be if I was fulltime.....so basically I only have one day left to go until decemebr!!!

DD is down for 2 days at nursery an it would be a matter of luck to be able to fit in another day her and then so I could go to work, and an additional expense!!

I've just started a new job and already find it difficult, at least it's in teh public sector and they are very understanding...

This really is a pain in the posterior!! I don't get any entitlement to paid time off for general sickness of a child. I have had 4 weeks off myself this year for a miscarriage (paid - which I am so grateful for). Two weeks or so for my daughter being ill with scarlet fever/ various snotty nose coditions that made her ill and now have no leave left! I'm stuck now until my fresh lot in April 2004!! As I have a holiday booked for June that's it! Going part time next week - yippee!! So even less leave!!!
I have heard people say at work that they would completely disagree with parents time off for sick children - you know the type single - no kids with tons of time on their hands!! They annoy me - they haven't got a clue!!!!!

I remember saying to my headteacher that time (see below) ... that I felt like I was caught between a rock and a hard place ...
What alternative is there? None, when you have no-one around to look after your child ... bar nursery or childminder. And besides that ... shouldn't a PARENT be looking after the child if he or she was ill? When I was little all I ever wanted when I was ill was my mum ... why can't employers be understanding of this?????
BK ...

I'm lucky as my childminder takes my son when he is sick. She has a backup childminder who I can contact when she is on holidays or sick. If I stay home with my son then I just ring my boss and let him know I'm working from home for the day. I don't log it as a holiday or sick day. Lucky for me he's never questioned this and I have the ability to log on from home to do some work.

quackers,
Even though you get less leave when your P/T, it does relieve the situation alot.
When I was F/T I also used all my annual leave when my DS's were ill, but it got better when I was P/T.If their only in nursery for a few days, you can sometimes keep them going, by doseing them up, until your off, for minor things.

Also my employer sometimes allows me to swap my days, if the boys are ill.
It's sometimes difficult to arrange this with nursery though,but does allow a bit of flexability.

Cheers. Yes I think it will ease it from that point of view. They now want me to do every day part time, but I need 2 and a half days as the nursery is 15 miles from my work and would be impractical. I am waiting to hear if I can do 21/2 days! Fingers crossed for tommorow!!

Message withdrawn

quackers,
I'd try to stick to your guns about the 21/2 days, as if you went for 5 shorter days it would cost you more in child care, and proberbly not be worth it, as you would still be in the same position with covering illness.

I got what I wanted! Well almost. I got 3 days per week. Monday, Wednesday and Friday! I'm really pleased. I work for a very strict and prehistoric type company, this is a first for them! It will be much easier from a sickness point of view! thanks for encouraging me to stick with it Jac 34!!
xxx