Sick kids

Posted: Tue, Nov 02 2010, 10:25 am Post subject: Sick kids

I'm planning on going back to work (out of home) and I'm wondering what do you do with your kids when they're sick?

Do you have parents/family that can watch them? Do you get a day babysitter? Do you take off of work?

I'm not talking about a baby, but older, till they can stay by themselves.

Posted: Tue, Nov 02 2010, 10:33 am Post subject: re: Sick kids

Is working from home an option for you? That's what I usually do if one of my kids is sick and I either ran out of sick days or have some urgent work that needs to get done.

Active Poster Joined: Nov 01 2010 Posts: 77

Try to arrange yourself a support system.
I have a baby sitter on call and my mother as a back up.
My mother works as well as me and she still has a young child.
So we take turns staying with the children when they are sick.
Its not the greatest but it is a plan
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Platinum Member Joined: Dec 27 2007 Posts: 7370

many cities have an emergency babysitting service that you can call if you know you will need childcare and they will send someone over, for a fee of course.

Posted: Tue, Nov 02 2010, 12:33 pm Post subject: re: Sick kids

Both my mother and my MIL live nearby, but are not always available. The older kids I can send to my SIL who has a gan in her house, but they have to stay away from the gan kids (ie, spend the 3 hours bet. when I leave to work and when my dh comes home alone in a room, occupying themselves). I've taken my oldest dd to work with me when I had no other arrangement. The boys sometimes go to work with my dh. And if nothing else works out, I will stay home from work. (I would imagine that if it were more than one day my dh would have to switch off with me, but B"H that's never happened.)
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Posted: Tue, Nov 02 2010, 6:30 pm Post subject: re: Sick kids

OP, you'll need to think about multiple safetynets. Neither DH or I have families in the same city. For us, it's a combination of DH working from home (he has more flexible schedule), me working from home, asking if our part-time nanny is available, calling all the babysitters on my mobile memory.

Most temporary drop-off/childcare centres I know won't accept sick children. (Come to think of it, would you like YOUR healthy kids spending a day with a sick one?)

Gold Member Joined: Jul 14 2008 Posts: 2107

Funny you should ask....
On thursday and friday of last week, dd was teething and therefore had fever, so she couldn't go to daycare. So I had to stay home. Then I got sick over the weekend and have had to take Monday and tuesday off. I've not missed FOUR work days in a row. OUCH!!!

We live in a city without any family, so it makes it really tough. I do miss work when my daughter is sick. My DH tries to stay home with her as much as possible....We kind of just juggle like that...whoever MUST be at work gets to go!
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Diamond Member Joined: Nov 14 2007 Posts: 2572

There is an older, single Russian lady who is usually available if I need her. I try to use her as a babysitter other times so that the kids feel comfortable on days when they're sick and are left home with her.

Posted: Tue, Nov 02 2010, 8:55 pm Post subject: Re: re: Sick kids

Posted: Wed, Nov 03 2010, 2:04 am Post subject:

4 years ago I started a new job. (November 5th, it was a Sunday.) Tuesday I got a call that DS#1 (at the time, DS) had a fever, please come get him. Wednesday evening my SIL got married. Thursday DS was sick again. It was the first week of the job so DH took time off. Now he doesn't work Tuesdays, so he's the back up plan for Tuesdays, and we've since met several neighbours who can babysit backup if necessary. Luckily I have a TONNE of unused, accrued sick days, and if they sleep I can also do some work from home.
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Posted: Wed, Nov 03 2010, 2:47 am Post subject: re: Sick kids

my parents and in laws live in other continents. my sister lives too far away to come watch my daughter. my SIL is not an option. my single brother and single brother in law are busy with their own lives (army and work) so its either me or my husband who watch my daughter. we take turns or whoever can do it that specific day.
I remember growing up that if we were sick one of my parents would stay home.
I dont mean to bash, but I would never dream of getting a babysitter for my sick child.
if family lived closer by I would in a heart beat have my mother or MIL come stay, but its a mute point as of now.

Posted: Wed, Nov 03 2010, 3:52 am Post subject:

Posted: Wed, Nov 03 2010, 4:01 am Post subject: re: Sick kids

Take off work. I get 18 sick days, I think DH has 30. We can take a lot of those days for the kids.
Mostly, we pray they stay healthy.
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Posted: Wed, Nov 03 2010, 4:45 am Post subject:

When I was young and was sick I went with my Mom to work and hung out under her desk or in an unused conference room. Unless I was really contagious, like chicken pox then she took off. After about 9 I stayed home alone.
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Silver Member Joined: Feb 23 2010 Posts: 706

Thats why parents are here for.......lol