hi, after having a couple of days off last week due to myself being ill. it seems that is now my poor childrens turn to be ill. of course i have to be off work taking care of them. i have no family in this area and all my friends work too. is quite a new job as well. i just wondered if anyone else finds this tough, and if there has been any reprocussions from simular curcumstances
2007-01-31 19:00:25 · 12 answers · asked by rachealuk 5 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
it is a tough job. im a single parent of two, i have no family or friends in the area and their dad is practically invisable. some times you feel like you are not coping but the reality is that we are coping, we have to just keep plodding on. ive just started a new job and had to take a day off with my son after only two weeks there. thankfully my kids are rarely ill so i think employers are ok if its rare. unfortunatly or fortunatly what this means is that my kids go to school even when complaining of symptoms.. they only stay off if they have vomited on the floor!!! makes them hardy though. keep going, we will look back at these trying times and laugh(i hope)
2007-01-31 21:57:28 · answer #1 · answered by slsvenus 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i can understand what you mean.
I always worry that employers will be less willing to employ single parents for this reason, but if u think about it, even if i were married, it's always the mum taking time off work to look after the ill kids and only rarely does the dad do it!
This is how i handle it: Everytime i into a job interview, i always make them aware of the situation, and explain that my kids are more important than a job and i will at some point need time off if they are ill, and that i refuse to miss their school plays etc..i have never been turned down for a job because of this, and a few have said they liked the fact that i am honest and love my kids so much!!
2007-02-01 05:07:40 · answer #2 · answered by ? 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Here's the thing that bothers me. Before I was a parent my friends who were parents used to describe to me the things that their employers would let them get away with. It seemed like they never worked a full week or even a full day. But ever since I've become a parent I've had the hardest time trying to take off. I'm given the third degree any time that I even want to be a few minutes late. My friends however are still allowed to take off whenever for whatever reason even though they're all married and I am a single parent. It doesn't make any sense.
2007-01-31 21:40:28 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hey there, I hear you!!! I struggled with being a working single parent for years... It's just SO hard!! I lived 4000 kilometres away from my family and friends, at times I felt so isolated all I did was cry! I just found being completely honest worked best for me, my boss then was a legend! She understood my situation and whilst I never abused my position when it came to the likes of being sick or my child being sick all I had too do was ring... I'm sure that if it doesn't happen all the time then they should understand, we are not superheros and nor should we try to be...
I commend any single parent giving it a go, there are so many people out their that are just too lazy to try. I believe that I have instilled great ethics in my sons future by getting out there and earning money and building a career..
I wish you all the very best for the future & congratulations on being a great parent!!!
2007-01-31 21:06:42 · answer #4 · answered by psycho_faerie 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes I am a single parent too and find these situations really hard aswell. You find yourself willing your kids not to get sick because you can't take anymore time off work and you have no-one to look after them.
It's the school holidays that are a killer for me - They have been back after Christmas for 4-5 weeks and now they are off for 1an a half weeks next week. I am totally fooked!!! And you feel really guilty on the kids cos they know what your situation is.......
The kids get around 17 weeks off school throughout the year and the workers get an allowance of 4-5 weeks holiday - what the hell are you supposed to do???
2007-01-31 20:28:24 · answer #5 · answered by EMA 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i symapthize with your situation. thogh i'm not a parent and currently i do not work in paid employment. due to my own health problems (i will not go in to those problems here).
as for your situation you are entitled to compasionate leave for the care of your kids. and your boss can not penalize you for this by either refusing to pay you for the time off or by worse dismissing you for your time off.
all you should be worried about is your children, and the speed of recovery.
i hope they get well soon.
you say you have no family in your area, could you not phone the kids dad and ask him to come and look after the kids for a day or so while you work? or if that is not possible or viable consider asking your mom to come to you to look after the kids.
but then life is very hard and we all have little problems to cope with. I just wish there was we could help you.
good luck. I hope you are back to work soon and your kids are better soon.
2007-01-31 19:37:21 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is the time of the year when everyone is ill. I don't have much to offer you except my sympathies. Being a single working mum is one of the hardest things in the world, in my opinion, especially if you have no backup.
Have you tried having a word with your Personnel department and seeing what the policy is? Many jobs are more sympathetic now.
It's no wonder so many go on the dole. Good luck to you.
2007-01-31 19:16:37 · answer #7 · answered by True Blue Brit 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have been in your shoes. It is hard to deal with missing work because of your children. I have had some understanding jobs. I hope that your job is the some way too. Hopefully they understand that your family needs to come first. What I do is get a doctors note to excuse me from work so they can not fire me. I do not have alot of family either to help me out. If your child is sick there doctor should give you an excuse to protect you. It is against the law to fire someone with a doctors excuse.
2007-01-31 19:10:41 · answer #8 · answered by Allie 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i develop into in precisely your place a 300 and sixty 5 days in the past. I had long previous decrease back to artwork while my son develop into 5 months and started a point 3 which develop right into a 2 3 hundred and sixty 5 days direction. while he develop into 15months i found myself a single mom which develop right into a marvel to the equipment. I had to artwork, learn, cope with my funds besides because of the fact the overpowering emotions of loneliness that come hand in hand with being a single mom. i'm unlikely to lie and say it develop into undemanding, because of the fact it wasn't. yet i did it....i've got been given my point 3 qualification, and next pay upward push at artwork, and that i'm particular that still is possible to. you in basic terms might desire to be particularly strict with your self. set aside an hour as quickly because of the fact the toddler is going to mattress (and if the toddler's no longer in a recurring....get him right into a recurring. I had to undertake the controlled crying physique of innovations, even though it develop into the final element i ever did. my 2.5 3 hundred and sixty 5 days previous now asks to flow to mattress on the dot at 7pm!!) in case you may get the toddler into nursery for 0.5 an afternoon or an afternoon, then don't sense too in charge approximately it. It isn't continuously,and as long as you spend some good high quality time with him on the different 3 days then it won't do the two of you any harm. i'm now doing yet another qualification, and questioning why!! yet, the seen earning greater funds for my eye-catching little boy keeps me going. the main intense element is keeping your self healthful. If all of it feels too lots, supply your self a smash. rigidity will in basic terms make you sick and thats no best for you or your son. communicate on your tutors and your boss. communicate your suggestions; area-time final touch, artwork-learn launch time,etc. Do whats appropriate for you and your infant. good success, i myself wish it works out for you. xx
2016-11-02 00:54:12 · answer #9 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need medicine for your kids, and a babysitter. I don't know many companies that like new people taking a lot of time off work.
2007-01-31 19:18:00 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋