School, sickness, work... Arrggghh

j.e.j.

Buzzybee90 wrote: »

It's not normal for a child to be ill so often, if there is really nothing medically wrong with her could there be something at school she wants to avoid?

Five days over five years maybe, but so often since Christmas?

Pfft! what planet are you on? I've been ill on and off for a month! Luckily I don't have a nutter of a boss to report to, though.

ali-t

CHRISSYG wrote: »

Thank god I don't work for you -Family is my priority work is something I do for money.

And in reverse, I am glad I don't employ you. Both happy!

j.e.j.

Anyone who puts The Company before the welfare of their child needs to seriously look at their priorities.

tea_lover

Some of these attitudes make it harder for all people (women especially) of child-bearing age to find work. Not surprising when employers are referred to as bullies and nutters for expecting their employees to turn up!

Most working parents appreciate that they also have responsibilities to their employer and colleagues. Everywhere I've worked - including a couple of LAs - have offered FF time to arrange emergency childcare. If the parent is the one to look after the child they have then had to take this time as holiday or unpaid leave. Being given paid time off with no notice for sick dependents is really pretty generous.

alias*alibi

Thanks for all your comments.

I've spoken with the headteacher this morning and she agrees that DD shouldn't had been sent home on a whim yesterday. She was unfortunately not in school otherwise she would had been a bit more stern and ask DD to soldier on to see how she felt. She apologised and said she knows exactly how I must feel and that she will talk to DD to impress on her the importance of schooling and work and that she must be truthful about being sick.

I think what mumps has suggested is s great idea so I'm going to do some research in my area to see if anybody offers a similar service.

Takeaway_Addict

meritaten wrote: »

does the phrase 'workplace bullying' mean anything to you? the LA is supposed to have a 'family friendly' policy - yet it sounds anything but that to me.
take the time off and challenge them to 'do their worst'. at Tribunal they wouldn't win as they are going against their own policy.
your line manager sounds like a real bully.
oh and I think children come first - and I was by no means a 'helicopter parent'. but a sick child shouldn't be in school. in my experience the very last thing a school wants to do is send a child home for no reason, they must have thought she really wasn't feeling well.

You cannot possibly make these blind assumptions without the full information, for example of the OP had not been working there for 2 years the employer could sack her quite easily with a very very low chance of redress.

mumps

cazziebo wrote: »

What you are offering is an emergency on call service so it's a bit more than babysitting. You could ask parents to pay a "registration" fee which means they would name you as emergency contact, authorising you to collect from school.

Most of it is likely to be very short notice which means you having to shift your own arrangements around and you should be compensated for that. Settle on a rate you think reasonable and you're comfortable with. I think this would be a fantastic support for working parents.

I only retired a few weeks ago but as I am always on standby for the DGC I think I might look at doing this. I could be a professional granny as opposed to a nanny.:rotfl:

ALI1973

OP I feel your pain. I work in a school TT only. And we also have the 5 days per rolling annum of emergency leave (as an aside this includes carers of elderly parents, attendance for a home emergency etc so not just for parents iyswim?).

My DD3 (aged 8) went through a stage recently of having school call me due to her being "sick",the first time DH collected her and lavished her with attention, but within an hour she was ok. Second time I left work, brought her home, and again she was ok. I spoke with her about "crying wolf" and she said she hadn't. Third time I actually asked the secretary if she thought DD was really ill?, she said she didn't, but DD had insisted she had been sick, I then said I would collect her after I finished work at 1.30pm, (it was 11am), I duly went to collect her, and she was still saying she felt ill, but again, 30 mins later she seem happy, so I called her bluff and took her back to school! - she hasn't been "ill" since.

We do have staff though that do take the michael with this policy though (ie they consider them rightful days off), and maybe your boss has experienced this??

If genuinely ill your first obligation is to your child, but if you think she is playing you up, then just tell school to give her a drink and see how she goes (the suggestion of keeping some prescription calpol at school maybe a good idea).

I think its just part of being a mom that we feel guilty no matter what.

Best wishes

alias*alibi

ALI1973 wrote: »

OP I feel your pain. I work in a school TT only. And we also have the 5 days per rolling annum of emergency leave (as an aside this includes carers of elderly parents, attendance for a home emergency etc so not just for parents iyswim?).

My DD3 (aged 8) went through a stage recently of having school call me due to her being "sick",the first time DH collected her and lavished her with attention, but within an hour she was ok. Second time I left work, brought her home, and again she was ok. I spoke with her about "crying wolf" and she said she hadn't. Third time I actually asked the secretary if she thought DD was really ill?, she said she didn't, but DD had insisted she had been sick, I then said I would collect her after I finished work at 1.30pm, (it was 11am), I duly went to collect her, and she was still saying she felt ill, but again, 30 mins later she seem happy, so I called her bluff and took her back to school! - she hasn't been "ill" since.

We do have staff though that do take the michael with this policy though (ie they consider them rightful days off), and maybe your boss has experienced this??

If genuinely ill your first obligation is to your child, but if you think she is playing you up, then just tell school to give her a drink and see how she goes (the suggestion of keeping some prescription calpol at school maybe a good idea).

I think its just part of being a mom that we feel guilty no matter what.

Best wishes

Thanks Ali; yes the FF is the same as its any emergency to do with care of dependents including elderly parents etc.

I nearly asked DH to return her to school today but we decided after speaking to the headteacher that other chikdren had had similar illness this week we would keep her off til tomorrow. Hopefully the head will make her see that it's really important for mum and dad to go to work to keep us living the life we are etc and for her not to miss too much schooling.

My manager is fairly new to the LA so i think just going strictly by the book as she has no reason to disbelieve me.

j.e.j.

tea_lover wrote: »

Some of these attitudes make it harder for all people (women especially) of child-bearing age to find work. Not surprising when employers are referred to as bullies and nutters for expecting their employees to turn up!

Nothing to do with women's employment. Managers are bullies and nutters if they bully and harass.

But there are 2 separate issues going on here with the OP's child, I think? 1) is the child wanting the mum's attention so is feigning sickness or 2) is the child genuinely ill, in which case OP has every right to prioritise the welfare of their child.

You cannot be in 2 places at once, and it may be that you have to make a choice.