Home with sick children

For all of you with children and a full time job you will know the dread that you feel when you have to call in sick because the children are not well and cant go to school

There are two parts to calling in sick when its the kids - I'm sure those in my position will definitely will agree with me on this.

Firstly its the whole dealing with the fact that its not you that's sick.

You call the boss , and you're not sure whether you should sound sick as well , by virtue of the fact that you are calling in for sick leave . You know that sounding sick yourself crosses your mind, even though you know that thinking like that is nonsense.

You explain to the boss who is at work at 7 am and you havent normally left home by then that the kids are sick Then your guilt gets the better of you and you provide too much information

As a boss I am sure that he/she really doesn't want to know what is going on in your darling sons gastrointestinal tract, but you want him to understand why you REALLY need this day off, even though YOU are fit and well.

The boss normally mumbles that's fine and hangs up , with his breakfast now firmly at the back of his throat

You're thinking to yourself damn they wont admit it but they are not happy about the fact that you want a day off which brings me to the second much more meaty issue GUILT

When the kids are sick , even though they are the darlings of your life and you would do anything for them , you feel guilty, having to take time off work to spend it looking after them admit it , you do !

Guilty for letting the team down , they look at you when you come back with accusing eyes saying well it wasn't you that was sick , why weren't you here? Especially those that dont have children , those who have children will understand what I mean here , Im sorry those of you who dont will never understand what we mean ,no offense meant :o)

Guilty knowing that the work you left behind is still sitting there not getting done , ( lets get real here , no one does the work you have left behind when you are away . )

Then there's the guilt around making someone else cover for you , knowing that there workload is horrendous and you just added to it with no warning

The worst guilt is if the sick leave is pre-arranged becuase one of the children need surgery you are sure they think you are making it up , Cross section of the right upper freindium , I am sure you don't need two weeks off for that , it sounds like minor surgery ,

Then there is the final guilt when you are home with the kids . The first few days its nice to spend some extra time with them and be just mum , by the end of the week , you are itching to know what has happened at work , and what work is to be done and you WANT to go back .

The worst part of the guilt is that on top of this you feel guilty for all of this running through your mind the second you pick up the phone to call the boss to tell him , I cant be in today one of the kids are sick...