Working parents - what do you do when kids/nanny are sick and you have to be at work

[Anonymous]

We have backup people. Dh has his own law firm so absolute worst case scenario is the kids go to work with him and lay on his couch all day.

But we call our backup people - often one person will do morning and one will do afternoon so it's not too much of a strain on anyone.

We have the kinds of kids who, when they're sick, just lay in bed and sleep or color or watch a screen.

[Anonymous]

Plus, talk to your supervisor to see if they have any suggestions for the next time this happens. Because it will.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 2 yo was sick last week and gave his bad cold to both my nanny and 5yo. Nanny just called in sick for tomorrow and I can’t send my 5yo to school because she has had a fever all day. Normally DH or I just stay home but it just so happens that we both have really important meetings we cannot miss or reschedule. And of course we have no local family.

What do others do in this situation that I am not thinking of? I have two college age weekend sitters and one is busy and one told me she really can’t afford to get sick which I understand. Before I screw myself over at work by telling my boss I won’t be there, any other ideas?

Nannypoppinz
Metro parent relief

[Anonymous]

We just figure out who has the less crazed day and then we deal with it. If one of us is on a 7am flight that's a problem! Decent employers know that sh.. happens and they can deal with it. Instead of meetings, it's conference calls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 2 yo was sick last week and gave his bad cold to both my nanny and 5yo. Nanny just called in sick for tomorrow and I can’t send my 5yo to school because she has had a fever all day. Normally DH or I just stay home but it just so happens that we both have really important meetings we cannot miss or reschedule. And of course we have no local family.

What do others do in this situation that I am not thinking of? I have two college age weekend sitters and one is busy and one told me she really can’t afford to get sick which I understand. Before I screw myself over at work by telling my boss I won’t be there, any other ideas?

Nannypoppinz
Metro parent relief

This. And White House nannies. It’s expensive, but this is solveable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Plus, talk to your supervisor to see if they have any suggestions for the next time this happens. Because it will.

This...would not land well at my employer. It’s really not your boss’s problem to solve your childcare.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't bring in a nanny when you are talking about a highly contagious bug that has already been passed between your kid and his regular sitter. Contain the germs! One of you needs to stay home unfortunately - or swap if one can take the morning and the other spouse the afternoon. Why expose someone else to the bug?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Plus, talk to your supervisor to see if they have any suggestions for the next time this happens. Because it will.

This...would not land well at my employer. It’s really not your boss’s problem to solve your childcare.

Totally agree. That would be like saying to your boss "there's a clog in my vacuum cleaner, what should I do?" or "I didn't know what to make for dinner last night so now i'm hungry.. Any suggestions?"

[Anonymous]

Nanny here. If it is just a cold, I would consider coming in for part of the day. First figure out what your limitations are, e.g. somebody goes in late and somebody else comes home early so you only need care from 10-3 for example and offer her double pay for the hours she works and tell her she can just plop the kids in front of a tv for the whole time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have backup people. Dh has his own law firm so absolute worst case scenario is the kids go to work with him and lay on his couch all day.

But we call our backup people - often one person will do morning and one will do afternoon so it's not too much of a strain on anyone.

We have the kinds of kids who, when they're sick, just lay in bed and sleep or color or watch a screen.

This is crappy of you to do. I’m sure the employees love being exposed to your kids’ illnesses and don’t see it all as your husband abusing his power as the boss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have backup people. Dh has his own law firm so absolute worst case scenario is the kids go to work with him and lay on his couch all day.

But we call our backup people - often one person will do morning and one will do afternoon so it's not too much of a strain on anyone.

We have the kinds of kids who, when they're sick, just lay in bed and sleep or color or watch a screen.

This is crappy of you to do. I’m sure the employees love being exposed to your kids’ illnesses and don’t see it all as your husband abusing his power as the boss.

?????? I’m an associate at a law firm and I love it when my boss’s kids come in even if sick. And sometimes my kids do too since he set that culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have backup people. Dh has his own law firm so absolute worst case scenario is the kids go to work with him and lay on his couch all day.

But we call our backup people - often one person will do morning and one will do afternoon so it's not too much of a strain on anyone.

We have the kinds of kids who, when they're sick, just lay in bed and sleep or color or watch a screen.

This is crappy of you to do. I’m sure the employees love being exposed to your kids’ illnesses and don’t see it all as your husband abusing his power as the boss.

?????? I’m an associate at a law firm and I love it when my boss’s kids come in even if sick. And sometimes my kids do too since he set that culture.

You’re nuts.

[Anonymous]

Neither DH nor I can really telework, so if we both have to be at work, we typically try to move meetings around, turn meeting into a conference call, or split the day. DH does have bright horizons back up care which includes a nanny service but from speaking to friends and neighbors, it sounds like the last minute nannies are not very good at all, and I haven't met anyone who has hired one when they were away from the home (most people can work from home and get the backup nanny to watch the kid while they're still at home). As a last resort, DH can take our older child into work and set her in front of his computer to watch TV, but we can't do the with our three year old. Fortunately it hasn't been an issue yet where we can't split the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sign up for White House Nannies temporary care service.
https://www.whitehousenannies.com/services/temporary-care/

The temp nannies at White House are not very good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Plus, talk to your supervisor to see if they have any suggestions for the next time this happens. Because it will.

This...would not land well at my employer. It’s really not your boss’s problem to solve your childcare.

Totally agree. That would be like saying to your boss "there's a clog in my vacuum cleaner, what should I do?" or "I didn't know what to make for dinner last night so now i'm hungry.. Any suggestions?"

Right? I hire people for their problem-solving abilities, so if someone came to me with this issue, it would NOT be good.