Many childcare centres frown upon parents who still bring their children to the facility when they are clearly sick. While this may seem irresponsible and disrespectful to the centre and the perfectly healthy children, what are you to do when there are no other options?
Many permanent or full time positions now offer family leave for situations such as this and some parents choose to utilise their own sick or holiday leave to stay at home with their child. This is particularly difficult for parents with relatively young children who often get repeatedly sick with colds and minor viruses when first attending daycare.
The other concern is what if you have a deadline that has to be met? While the good ol’ grandparents, aunties, uncles and friends make great babysitters, often these situations arise at short notice and during the working week. Gone are the days where it was deemed appropriate to bring your child into work and sit them in the corner with some crayons and paper, so what options do you have?
With the latest technology many jobs can be completed from home. This is an option that you should talk about with you boss prior to a child becoming ill. Utilising your time in lieu is another option. Many people work extra hours and combine this time to take a day off a month or fortnight. If you recognise early on in your child’s life that they are prone to getting sick, then maybe this a way that you can collect extra family leave. This option should also be spoken about with you superiors. Remember preparation is the key! Discuss your options when you first start back at work so everyone knows the plan. It is probably wise to keep other colleagues abreast of your projects and have a ‘wing man’ if you for some reason you cannot meet a deadline
