Navigating Sick Kids, Single-Parenting, and Missing Work
I took yet another sick day today.
One of my boys woke up sick, so I needed to keep him home. At their age, convincing my other non-sick boy to go to day care can be a challenge. But I can deal with that. And it is really important to emphasize persistence and a diligent work ethic. I do not want to foster skipping school willy nilly. I want them to understand that missing a day as a big deal and only allowable when absolutely necessary. I want them to carry that same ethic into their eventual work lives.
One of the more difficult secrets of single-parenting is handling sick days. Day care is basically germ paradise, so sick days will happen. I do a pretty good job of keeping the germs at bay. But even so, I take a good deal--way more than if I didn't have kids. If you were an employer, which worker would you prefer?
With twins,if...when a viral cold strikes, they tend not to get it at the same time--so one will be sick for two to three days and then the other will catch it and be sick for another two to three days. This may translate to me missing a full week of work. Yes that has happened, and will probably happen again in the future.
I am extremely fortunate to have an understanding boss who also happens to have kids around my age. This year, luck, in terms of the timing of colds--close to the weekend or holidays--also seemed to play a role.
I also have a good relationship with my boss, and I am pretty reliable in all other respects.
But bottom line: there is always the threat of pushing it too far. What if they get a really nasty cold that keeps me home longer?
When my wife and I were together, we had a nanny for this very reason. We were simply missing work too often due to the boys getting colds from day care. After we got the nanny, our boys practically never got sick.
Post-divorce, I can't afford a nanny, and I also felt it important for the boys to get more social interaction, as well as some of the educational benefits of day care.
So what about single parents with less understanding bosses? I would guess many loose jobs for this reason.
I am very luck in many regards. My boys are extremely healthy (knock on wood). I don't have to deal with chronic health or developmental issues. I'm not even sure what I would do if I did.
It's looking like I will have to keep my boy home again tomorrow. I do have some other resources and a social support networks to tap into. They are minimal but there.
Like I said, I am among the more fortunate single parents...
One of my boys woke up sick, so I needed to keep him home. At their age, convincing my other non-sick boy to go to day care can be a challenge. But I can deal with that. And it is really important to emphasize persistence and a diligent work ethic. I do not want to foster skipping school willy nilly. I want them to understand that missing a day as a big deal and only allowable when absolutely necessary. I want them to carry that same ethic into their eventual work lives.
One of the more difficult secrets of single-parenting is handling sick days. Day care is basically germ paradise, so sick days will happen. I do a pretty good job of keeping the germs at bay. But even so, I take a good deal--way more than if I didn't have kids. If you were an employer, which worker would you prefer?
With twins,
I am extremely fortunate to have an understanding boss who also happens to have kids around my age. This year, luck, in terms of the timing of colds--close to the weekend or holidays--also seemed to play a role.
I also have a good relationship with my boss, and I am pretty reliable in all other respects.
But bottom line: there is always the threat of pushing it too far. What if they get a really nasty cold that keeps me home longer?
When my wife and I were together, we had a nanny for this very reason. We were simply missing work too often due to the boys getting colds from day care. After we got the nanny, our boys practically never got sick.
Post-divorce, I can't afford a nanny, and I also felt it important for the boys to get more social interaction, as well as some of the educational benefits of day care.
So what about single parents with less understanding bosses? I would guess many loose jobs for this reason.
I am very luck in many regards. My boys are extremely healthy (knock on wood). I don't have to deal with chronic health or developmental issues. I'm not even sure what I would do if I did.
It's looking like I will have to keep my boy home again tomorrow. I do have some other resources and a social support networks to tap into. They are minimal but there.
Like I said, I am among the more fortunate single parents...
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