Anybody else stressed about missing so much work because child sick?

[RadioFanatic]

I'm a FT out of home worker and a mother of a 21 month old. This past year, I have to miss a ton of work because my son has had multiple ear infections, surgery on his eye, pneumonia, coxsackie virus and other contagiouis things for which he was not allowed in daycare. Unfortunately, DH and I do not live near our families so we do not have that back up support. Thankfully, DH and I have been able to pretty much share duties; however, I still have missed about 8 or 9 days of work. It stresses me out terribly. Anyone else in the same boat?

[Echo queen]

I was in the same boat with our first child, It was as if I had to take the first year of his life off work (I was the only person in my dept that had a small child at the time, so they were understanding because they had all been in the same place as well). Once he turned 2 things got much better and my employer gave me no grief about it. Good luck, hang in there and I hope your employer is understanding.

[Manda]

Yep, like the PP said, I missed a lot of days during his first year in day care. Eye stuff, ear stuff, breathing stuff, every common kid virus (roseola, etc.). But at 2, he was pretty much done with all of it. He's six now and we usually just have a couple sick days a year (and then, he's not even really that sick - just being cautious and following the 24 hour rules, etc.). Of course, as I type this, we're home with flu-like symptoms. Heh.

[jpeka65844]

I was in the same boat last year. DS had diarrhea for 6 weeks straight. I think in those entire 6 weeks, I never worked a full week.

At some point, you just have to let it go. Taking care of your kids is your first priority and missing work now seems inconsequential. I used to be one of those "work can't function without me!" people but having kids changed all that.

[princessmom29]

we are home with suspected flu today, so I feel your pain. I am running fever too though so I would not have been going to work anyway as I am a teacher. We are headed to the doc. at 11 for a diagnosis.

[Disneychix]

I just informed my DH that I am out of sick days so between now and Dec 31st he will need to be home for DS in the event of a sickness or I will have to use my vacation days. It shouldn't be too bad though as I only work 3 days a week as it is.

My employer is great and will allow us to work from home if need be or use vacation days as sick days. I am really lucky!

[Bren's Mom]

I hear you mama! We're in the same boat. Like you op, my dh shares the duties. In fact, he's been with his company for 25+ years so he has buckets of sick/vacation/personal time at his disposal. He also has the ability to work from home, so he often does the 'sick' days. I've been with my employer almost 4 years and still have only 2 weeks vacation and haven't had time to 'bank' alot of extra sick time since ds is just 4 and I've been using alot of it as fast as I've been earning it.

Fingers crossed that we stay healthy until the end of the year! LOL

[RMulieri]

yup.My 5 yr old is in before care daycare and PM kindergarten..I am a RN with limited sick time ( I get 5 a year then suspension/termination) .DH is a little more flexible , but not much.We have no family within a 3 hr drive, and even if we did, both sets of grandparents work FT. So we are so trying to stay healthy.It ends up being that I have to go to work when I am not feeling well so I can save my time for her.But now with H1N1 ,they are cracking down about us coming to work sick, yet we need to stay within the attendance policy...I am stressed.

[Heidijs]

I'm right there with you. Daughter was out for like 4 days with H1N1 and DH and I took turns staying home with her. I could have asked family but I didn't want to. My boss had a fit cus it was sooo busy in my office and I'm the only one who knows how to run the dept and I'm the only one here besides two men...so there's your answer...then his boss said there's nothing he can do about it cus it's my earned time off and if my kid is sick, so be it. Oh and the same time I was off, one of the other guys was out cus his kid was sick too, they're in the same daycare, yet it was no big deal that HE WAS GONE!!!!! But I had to hear how crazy it was when I was gone and I need to find someone who can come in and answer phones when I'm gone. Then my superior said that's not my problem and not to worry about it. When I went on maternity leave it was a nightmare...I try not to take it personally but it still irritates the S**T out of me that they're so incompetant and can't handle the office when I'm gone a few stinking days!!!! Can't wait to be off a while week for our trip! Screw em...

[RadioFanatic]

Me too! I can't tell you the number of times I've gotten what DS had and have to go to work, even after losing my voice, because I don't have the time to spare. Thankfully, I have an office, so I can hole myself up in it and not contaminate others, but it's really hard.

[DisneyNutMic]

Last year it was my son with pneumonia 3 days before Halloween. This year it was me with Hepatitis A and missing 1 1/2 weeks straight. I ran out of sick time and had to move to vacation days. Good thing I had saved up those for the week between Christmas and NYE but I guess I will be working now.

[pixiewings71]

I am always out of sick time, and vacation time. They messed up my vacation time (didn't take away days I had actually used so I thought I had a week more then I did!) a few years ago so they don't penalize me when I run out every year.......and I've got 2 kids and I'm the one who usually stays home with them when they are sick. And I tend to get really sick every year (bronchitis or pnuemonia) and end up using all my sick days by March....sucks but I really don't worry about them firing me over it, they knew when they hired me I would be the one to stay home with my sick kids so they work with me. I wish they would network me so I could work from home when the girls are sick tho...that would help a lot!

[LilGMom]

I feel for you! We have family nearby but all of them work and the one that doesn't work I wouldn't leave my children with so we dealt with it too. My oldest DS started going to daycare when he was eight months old and for the next two years I was constantly having to take time off because he was sick for this or that. Luckily my employer allowed me to occaisionally do comp time and make up some of the missed hours. I never had any sick or vacation time but it does get better. Our ped. said that it can either happen now or when your child starts elementary school and those missed days really count against your child which isn't the case in daycare/preschool.

[bigbabyblues]

We have to use vacation days for sick children, and as long as I have time, I don't worry much about it. However, at a previous job I had, it would have been a problem.