Xmas issue

motorguy

Samsung_Note2 wrote: »

Well what if you have children and the children want to see Mummy and Daddy or Mummy and mummy or even Daddy and Daddy or maybe Gender neutral parent and gender neutral parent on Christmas,but they cant as the single person who has no kids doesn't want to work on Christmas day,id say that single person is being pretty selfish.

If parents cant do their fair share of working at holidays and set times, then they should find other roles that suit their particular requirements better? Why should someone with no children - whos still entitled to spend time with loved ones, family, friends, etc feel obliged to work in their place?

Samsung_Note2 wrote: »

I've got kids and whilst working in security quite a few years people have offered to work despite having christmas off,as they know i've got children and its greatly appreciated.

Before my boys came along id happily roster myself to cover christmas to allow family men to be with there loved ones,this year i've rostered myself to work so others dont have to as my boys are now old enough to understand why i'm at work and not with them.

If people want to offer then fine, however not offering doesnt make them selfish.

motorguy

Pricivius wrote: »

Sorry to OP for continuing slightly off topic, but a blanket rule that people with children get Christmas off is inappropriate, in my view. If people without kids choose to let those with kids have Christmas off, then that's fine, but forcing those without kids to work shows a lack of appreciation for various life circumstances.

+1

Wholly my view. :beer:

bouicca21

I did say he was self seeking. I'm willing to bet that had he stayed in post longer, the rule would have changed to include primary school age. But the alternate xmases was a good idea and worked.

motorguy

Given how many years this has been an issue for the O/P and his colleagues, you'd think between them they'd maybe sort it out among themselves?

clairec79

TBH I find (at least where I work and have worked) that most people accept they need to work their share over xmas and it all works out alright.
I have younger children and don't like to work the early shift (I like to be there when they open their presents) - but will work the afternoon or night shift (am this year)
Those with grown up or no children seem to prefer the earlier shifts so they can have xmas afternoon/evening with their family and friends

Also if you work xmas you get new year off (so always work one but you alternate) - this year they said no requests over what to work and I think it resulted in less arguing

DCFC79

Not an issue where I work, in fact its not been an issue where ever I have worked, for example in the past who ever worked boxing day would get new years day off, we would take it in turns to work new years day.

OP its easy to sort out, you each just need to do your part to make sure the xmas period is covered.

NeilCr

Pricivius wrote: »

Sorry to OP for continuing slightly off topic, but a blanket rule that people with children get Christmas off is inappropriate, in my view. If people without kids choose to let those with kids have Christmas off, then that's fine, but forcing those without kids to work shows a lack of appreciation for various life circumstances.


For example, a few years ago, as a single person without children, I was asked to work at Christmas because of colleagues with kids. It was my mum's first Christmas as a widow and she was due to spend it on her own. Just because I didn't have children did not mean that I wasn't needed somewhere to make someone's day a little less lonely - in my view, possibly more important than being with children who already had other family around them. Another example,last year, my sister visited from overseas with her children for the first time in 8 years. My mum wanted her three children and her three grandchildren in the same place for the first time ever at Christmas. To achieve this, I travelled the length of the country 6 times in 8 days to get back to work in between being with my family, because of "the children at christmas rule".

Quite agree.

To be honest, when I was working, I was happy to come in over Xmas (especially the bit between Xmas and New Year which can be a real drag), I live on my own, have no family and Xmas is not my favourite part of the year.

There were a few like me so it made easier for those who wanted Xmas off (for whatever reason) to be able to do so. It was quite good, actually. The trains and the office were quiet and we’d decant to the pub at a respectable time. And I had some leave I could take when I wanted to later in the year.

But, yes, as Teillit says, I did get peed off with those who thought having children meant they should have first dibs at annual leave.

takman

Samsung_Note2 wrote: »

Well what if you have children and the children want to see Mummy and Daddy or Mummy and mummy or even Daddy and Daddy or maybe Gender neutral parent and gender neutral parent on Christmas,but they cant as the single person who has no kids doesn't want to work on Christmas day,id say that single person is being pretty selfish.

Like others i completely disagree with what you are saying here. For some people Christmas is the only period when their entire family get together. So i would say it's more important for a single person with no children to spend Christmas day with their family they only see once a year compared to someone who sees their kids everyday. Ironically it's selfish to assume that seeing your children on one specific day of the year is more important than someone who only sees their family once a year.

If not working over Christmas is so important then you should get a job where you won't need to. In my industry there is no need to every work on Christmas Day or New Years Day and it's very unlikely they would allow people to come in between, although it does happen if people ask to and can justify it.