Working Mummies Support Group

**Cally** · April 21st, 2013, 06:45 PM

Days of DD off sick - very dependent on the year. We had a year where it was nothing, but last year she had at one whole week off at a time, as well as a few other days. DD was at day care 5 days a week, but DH is a teacher so she had every holidays off which may have helped with reducing illness.

If you're being paid as a contractor, your income would be higher because of the no leave entitlements - but if you had days off for sickness where you're not getting paid (say 10 a year if you were FT), wouldn't the wage allow for that? So yes, your daily rate is higher, but works out to be the same over the year (unless you had no leave/sickness).

As for who looks after her when she's sick, it usually falls to me for the first day. As DH is a teacher, he has to give plenty of notice and can't walk out if she comes down with something in the middle of the day. If it's going to be more than one day, we try and alternate, with lots of emails in the afternoon discussing if we think she'll be right the next day.

**wysiwyg** · April 21st, 2013, 07:00 PM

If you're being paid as a contractor, your income would be higher because of the no leave entitlements - but if you had days off for sickness where you're not getting paid (say 10 a year if you were FT), wouldn't the wage allow for that? So yes, your daily rate is higher, but works out to be the same over the year (unless you had no leave/sickness).

Yes the rate would work itself out somewhat at the end of the year if have the days off - is more the impact on cash-flow I am trying to work out, as that higher rate impacts the CCB level and as childcare is main expense - until we have some sort of buffer in place maybe permanent would work better.

**veus** · April 22nd, 2013, 07:58 AM

I've got a pretty flexible workplace. So far I think I've taken abt 4 days off due to DD being sick (abt 8months worth of work). DH hasn't coz he can't put her down for nap so it has to be me. But when she's ok, I catch up on work at night or when she's down for naps. I've actually got time in lieu to use too from extra work.

**crumpet** · April 22nd, 2013, 08:41 AM

im really lucky with my work as well, they are very flexible and have a strong belief in work/family life balance so if my DD is unwell, then they are rushing me out the door to be with her!

DH is self employed so generally i pick up the slack wheh DD is sick but when i need him to he steps up no complaints.
we also have flexible working hours so as long as i do my 7.25 hrs a day i can start and finish when i like

**~clover~** · April 22nd, 2013, 10:50 AM

I'm lucky there too. Completely different when you work for a small business. Family & school are number one for my boss. I take DD with me every day, but I've had both her & DS with me sick & was told to take them home

Its only me, so I'm not exposing anyone else to the sickness, so depends on how they are. Since they both slept for 3 hours I was able to get my work done quicker & get out earlier.

I'm only a casual worker. So no sick pay etc here. But I don't do school holidays

I have no one who can care for the kids (no day care, after school, holiday care at all) & even though I could probably take them all with me, this way I still get to do camping trips or whatever. I've let them know I'll still come in any time they need me though.

I'm trying to organise for exSIL to come stay in Aug/Sept to be my nanny for a few weeks. We have a huge agricultural thing on here & the caravan park where I work put out an extra 70 odd beds around town for workers to stay in. So I'll be doing full time for about 3 weeks & will need someone here. She's 20 & still at home not really doing anything other than a few hours work at the local pub a week, so I think it'd be good for her to get out & kind of leave home for a bit. Her mum agrees

Better go start getting my house back together since I've done nothing for 2 days...

**Astrid** · April 22nd, 2013, 12:25 PM

Probably 50/50 sharing the sick days. Really depends on who has unbreakable commitments at work or who may also be feeling unwell also. There are days where we share, or I might take the sick on into my work for an hour or so, then DH picks up to go home.

I did find with childcare only it was easier to work due to the hours. School, kinder and childcare is a nightmare to juggle. Sadly no after school care that is accessible. Waiting till next year when both girls are at school, will then need to have both at Vacation care (which DD2 seems so little for

)

wysiwyg: I would be more inclined to go permanent rather than contractor, just for the certainty of pay and knowing leave days are paid for. Even with permanent though, it pays to keep track of actual vs reported income through the year, as bonuses, pay rises and overtime can throw things out. I always overestimate a few grand to cover those.

**wysiwyg** · April 22nd, 2013, 01:23 PM

I think you are right Astrid permanent would be better if can wangle it - it sucked today leaving DS sick at home with DH when he wanted me (he has never napped for DH) and the decision had to be made on purely financial basis - if we were both permanent at least could take all factors into consideration (although as they get older the need for it to be me will decline I would think - DS is still BF and would have liked to be able to feed him while sick). I think once is next financial year will be easier as we get no CCB at moment even though within rates because we had CCB while I was looking for work and for DD while on mat leave so now I am effectively paying that back (a fact I hadnt quite grasped when calculating child care fees) - is a shame they don't treat it differently if you are returning to work after a child like they do with FTB B.

**wysiwyg** · May 2nd, 2013, 10:44 AM

You know the thing I hate about working most at moment - is having to wake the kids up and get them out of bed and dressed in this cold weather - they are so peaceful and snug - it seems so mean. Is funny the set patterns you have in your head, 7:00 is so fixed in my head as being appropriate time to get up, just need to convince myself that is perfectly fair to get them up at 6:30.

**crumpet** · May 2nd, 2013, 11:55 AM

i feel your pain, DD is terrified of the ducted heating at the moment and so DH doesnt put it on so she can sleep as long as possible before i wake her and dress her to get going.

we have had issues with child care and DD being bitten, its a long running issue and this week i was seriously considering why i was working, i just wanted to be home with my girl kowing she was safe and not at the risk of being bitten.

child care have moved her now after me putting in notice to remove her, its so annoying it takes so long for proper action to take place!

**wysiwyg** · May 2nd, 2013, 08:20 PM

Crumpet - that is awful about the biting, glad they have eventually done something. We seem to have avoided that although DD bit me tonight and I cried and she was so sorry but when I asked her why she did it and is generally having lots of strops at moment she said someone bit her at childcare but there are no marks and she didn't complain to anyone so think she is fibbing - although she has had bite marks before but has always said she has done them herself - kids eh who knows.

**crumpet** · May 3rd, 2013, 08:32 AM

we have been really lucky DD hasnt bitten anyone. the staff seem to think the 2 kids that have bitten her have been lacking communication skills so are hoping things improve when they can speak.

**Astrid** · May 3rd, 2013, 12:54 PM

The guilt still happens at school age. DD1 carries on that she misses me when she is at school, kind like blaming me for working, hard to get through to her that she would be going to school regardless of me working, it is just that I am less able to help during the day. Same with DD2 and her days at Kinder.

**phebee** · May 3rd, 2013, 02:34 PM

Can I join in? I work 2 days a week. I'm a Visiting Teacher of the Deaf and I was FT until about 8 weeks before DD was due, but I didn't need to take mat leave until about 3 weeks before thanks to school holidays

She took another 2 weeks to arrive so I had my longest school holidays ever! She's 14mo now and I've worked the last 3 months. The hardest thing I've found is trying to fit all my work into those 2 days. I just donor have enough time and usually end up doing work while she naps during the day (so housework suffers) or in the evenings (less time with DH). I'm so glad I only took on 2 days!

**wysiwyg** · May 3rd, 2013, 09:02 PM

Welcome phebee - sounds like an interesting job. I think most jobs you always end up needing more time than you have - even when full time I still managed to bring stuff home - although DH never brings stuff home - I think he is very good at saying 'No' - whereas I have a real need to do things properly and often find myself thinking would rather spend extra hour at home on this than leave it as it is, I find it very hard to detach from it. I used to hope that contracting instead of being a permanent employee would give me more distance from my job and not get so (I want to say emotionally attached but it is IT and logistics - so you can't really be emotionally involved with it) - so I will say entwined with it, but hasn't really made any difference.

**veus** · May 3rd, 2013, 11:42 PM

Welcome phebee! I'm with u, struggle to accomplish/feel productive with 2 days so end up doing albeit here and there. I keep forcing myself to remember this is DD's time. I try anyway.

**MummyNaomi** · May 17th, 2013, 09:08 PM

Today's the last day of my maternity leave. I'm totally gutted, teary and emotionally spent today. Back to full time work Monday. DH is off for the next 18 weeks on long service leave then I go part time in September.
I'll be popping in to chat with you guys if that's cool x

**wysiwyg** · May 18th, 2013, 09:08 PM

Hugs MummyNaomi, you think is harder this time leaving two or easier because you have done before?

**peanutter** · June 10th, 2013, 11:33 AM

Yes. It means that I can sit in my bed in pyjamas resting my (laryngitis filled) throat, and do my work, instead of doing it in a suit in my office. DH is delightful and is taking the kids out for a bit, so I can finish my work.

I guess that means I probably shouldn't be on BB, eh ... ?