When your child is sick, what do you do?
Thursday, November 12, 2009
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Posted by Tamara O.
I'm sitting at home today feeling guilty -- guilty because I'm missing a busy day at work as we finish December's issue and guilty because I feel guilty for putting my kids first. The reason I'm home is probably a pretty common one for moms and dads these days -- a need to get my daughter to the doctor. Arlee has asthma that is generally pretty controlled, but when she's very active, she struggles to breathe. Lately, though, the struggles are getting harder for her and scarier for both of us.
I'm lucky I work for a company that always puts family first, no questions asked, a policy for which I will always be thankful. But I've had jobs in the past that would refuse to let me have the time off even though I put in way more hours than required every week. It was the one area where my husband and I would argue as soon as the fever rose: Who is going to stay home?
So sitting here today waiting for the appointment, I'm thinking a lot about parents who are literally between a rock and a hard place when their kids are sick. How do they decide between their child and work? Of course they want and need to be home with their child, but are compelled to work.
I wonder, what can and should other businesses do to help parents with sick kids? How do you decide what to do when your child is sick if you work for one of those unfriendly companies?
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Parent Guilt and Breathing EasyBy Walter on Tuesday, November 13, 2012 Asthma, although somewhat commonly known medical condition, is nothing to take lightly. Breathing is one of life's essentials. Parents need to do what they need to do to care for their children. It is our God given responsibility and our job before our job. Many people can take sick or personal days and still not have it affect their pay checks. Other people have jobs or own small business where they don't make any money when they are not working. This makes the choices(if you can call them that) even tougher. Feeling guilty is understandable and conscientious. Maybe your daughter's doctor has the right medicine for working parent guilt AND asthma! |
Not a questionBy Kim on Tuesday, November 13, 2012 While this might not help much because we do, in fact, work for the same company....I always put them first when they are sick. In the past, I employed a nanny 40 hours a week and so when they were sick I would do the doctor's office visit and then head to work. The guilt was overwhelming because when they are sick there is one thing that they want (other than feeling better)...and that's their parent (mom or dad).....It's a different day in the Kutnick household now..... We employ a babysitter now who works "as needed" because we couldn't justify a 40 hour employee when our kids were in school much of that time.....And, the days of having care with a care-taker in my home are fading. I have always been the one to miss work (not my husband who needs to be in court typically) and it's usually my schedule that gets messy.........I also had to put my child (I only had one at the time) in front of work when I worked in my last job....which was very corporate and very inflexible. That was very hard.......People wouldn't understand that I had a newborn and he was sick and I had to be there...regardless of employing a nanny. So, even today.....where we battle sick constantly.....it's hard. Even in a flexible job. It's hard. We can't pick WHEN they get sick.......So, I think that other businesses should let parents do the best that they can do that day from home...whether that means-returning phone calls or emails. Or, just checking in with their superior. I think that people on the other end of business (clients) usually have a decent amount of compassion when you are home with a sick child...or even sick yourself. I don't know what the answer is, but I know that I have struggled with this much over the past two years where both children have been in the school environment...picking up more germs than ever before. Good luck and I hope she feels better soon! |
When your child is sick, what do you do?By Maritza on Tuesday, November 13, 2012 I am lucky to have a job like yours in which the family comes first! My husband does alot of contracting so it is harder for him to stay at home on a deadline. I feel sorry for those that work with companies that just do not understand and on top of that daycares and schools will not take your child if they are sick. I personally will be at my child's side 100%. Companies need to be more family friendly at the end it will pay off. |
my child is sick
By bernadette on Tuesday, November 13, 2012
my child is sick to but i don't know what to do and i am sleepy