What do you do about work when your children are sick?
By Rocketj1
@rocketj1 (6955)
United States
September 29, 2008 10:49pm CST
Both of my kids are coming down with some sort of a cold tonight. I've given them both some medicine and sent them to bed long ago. I have a feeling that they are both going to be home from school tomorrow. That is one of the good things about being a homemaker. This will not goof up my day tomorrow at all. I don't have to worry about getting time off from work or having to find someone to stay with them. Or rushing home on my lunch hour to check on them or give them more medicine. Or, if they go to school and come home sick, I don't have to take time off work. Some people I know have had to keep their sick kids in school or have been in trouble with their bosses because they are missing too much work. I really feel badly for them.
How do you handle your schedule when your children are sick? Does it get you in trouble at work? Has your child been sent to school sick because you have no other option for them? Have you maybe even lost a job because of this type of thing?
1 person likes this
8 responses
@jazel_juan (15745)
• Philippines
30 Sep 08
i often find myself in that situation having 2 kids.. like last week my eldest got sick so i had to bring her to her pediatrician even if it is work day. I just have to make sacrifices, and luckily my immediate supervisor at work understands taht i have to leave for that day. Given that i also have to cope up with the pending work i have to miss when i was absent..so that is just how i handle it, the next working day i attend i must do whatever there is to be done, reports and all so that it wont jeopardize anything..and im lucky they dont get mad here at work:) But it is hard, but then sacrifices must be made in the name of our kids...:D
1 person likes this
@jazel_juan (15745)
• Philippines
30 Sep 08
oh yes it is balance, you have to balance things financially, emotionally and everything...you have to be a mom, a wife, a daughter, a friend, a companion! it gets crazy sometimes but you just have to cope up:D
1 person likes this
@doubleloveyou (2466)
• United States
1 Oct 08
Fortunately my wife too is a "domestic engineer". She is able to care for the kids if they are sick and need to stay home. However, the other day she too was sick. So I took the day off to care for both of them. Luckily I have an employer that is very understanding of this type of situation. That always makes such a big difference. Great discussion btw.
1 person likes this
@aseretdd (13729)
• Philippines
30 Sep 08
If it is just a simple cold... i still take my daughter to her grandparents house... and give them instructions as to when to give her medicine... i usually call just to check on her... but if it is something more serious... i call the secretary of my boss to inform her that i need to stay at home to take care of my daughter...
They usually don't mind... since most of the time... it is not busy in the office... and i just pay back the hours... but going to work on a holiday...
1 person likes this
@sandra966 (269)
• Spain
30 Sep 08
When my husband and I were both working, it was quite difficult.
I was unable to take any time off at all.
If the kids were too ill to go to school (as quite often I took them in when they were not well but could still go in), then my husband had to take time off to look after them.
After my daughter got chicken pox, his employer was not happy, luckily they weren't very ill after that, and soon after I lost my job anyway, so now it doesn't matter as I'm available for them.
People who have parents, or in-laws to help out are very lucky indeed.
We have no family support and it is very hard to do everything yourselves the whole time.
@lynnemg (4529)
• United States
30 Sep 08
I have acyually lost three different jobs due to my children being sick. I had to take off of work because the babysitter couldn't watch them as ill as they were. My bosses definately were not understanding at these times. Thankfully, I am now my own boss and if something comes up, I can re-schedule most appointments. That can be a challenge at times too, but it is much easier than answering to someone else, and my jobbeing in jeopardy.
For those out there that do work for someone else, here's a little advice. If you are married,and you both work, sometimes, it pays off to take turns staing home with sick kids. After I got married, and before I began working for myself, this system worked pretty well.
1 person likes this
@rocketj1 (6955)
• United States
1 Oct 08
When I worked part-time in dental office, I job shared with another woman who had 4 kids.I worked 2 days and she worked 2 days (the office was only open 4 days a week) If my kids were sick, she'd fill in for me and vise versa. It was a great set-up. If I missed a little work in one month, it might level out for me in the next.
@orniazhar (56)
• Bangladesh
1 Oct 08
I have one child. Daughter. Five years old. It is very hard for me to fully concentrated in my work during her illness.I made many mistake during that time of my office. My wife wake up full night if my daughter get fever. I think, it is very hard for every parents to stay stable during their children illness.
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
30 Sep 08
I would take time off of work and if my boss had a problem with that, then oh well. My family comes first!
1 person likes this
@fatmansmommy (751)
• United States
30 Sep 08
well, my little ones are not in school yet, thank goodness... they are 3 and 1 years old. i do work part-time, but i work nights, so it is nice because if they get sick, i can be home with them during the day and then my husband is home with them at night. i only work 4 nights a week, so some nights i am home also. i really hate leaving them when they are sick, though, even with my hubby. i just feel like, as their mommy, i need to be home to take care of them. sure, my husband takes care of them, but not in the same way. you know how it is- there is nothing like having your mommy when you are sick. :) plus, i always leave him with instructions to take their temperature however often, and i am lucky if he remembers to do it at all! when me or my kids are sick, i am a spaz about the thermometer- i have to keep the temperature check updated all the time. i don't know why- it's strange- but i do, and he doesn't, and it drives me nuts! lol
1 person likes this
@rocketj1 (6955)
• United States
30 Sep 08
Oh, there's nothing like mommy guilt, is there?
I know what you mean about dad doing mom's job. It's not that they don't do a good job, they just don't do it the way WE would do it. If my husband has to take the kids to the doctor's office, I will tell him all the things I want him to ask. When he comes home, he tells me nothing. He always forgets to ask the questions I wanted to know. I think that the stress of the kids being ill is part of the reason I get so picky too. It's difficult to know that your kids are ill.
Thanks for your answer:)
