Requesting time off for “things”
As if I haven’t been off work enough, what with the kids and the house, I find that I have to have yet another day off tomorrow.
There’s several things I need to do, including taking my youngest to a dental appointment.
But, lately, when I’m requesting time off, I find myself being more and more general about why I need it. I’ve got nothing to hide, I’m not ashamed, and, no one really cares why I’m out. There’d be no problem if I just said whatever I was doing, but, I’ve been off so much, I feel like a broken record.
My boss has adult children, and, my employee is young and single, so, neither one is really at the same stage in life as I am. But, again, it’s just me feeling like I need to stop talking about the kids, and, be off tomorrow for “some appointments”.
Does anyone else ever do this?
Tags: Career and Kids, work-scheduleRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Time off
6 opinions for Requesting time off for “things”
Ginger
Aug 28, 2007 at 2:18 pm
I have definitely gotten to where I don’t mention my child whenever there is an “issue” to deal with outside of the office. Sad, but it is looked down upon to miss work over your child. What used to irk me where I used to work is all of the time people missed going outside for smoke breaks (which would most definitely add up to hours per month), but if I needed to leave early or take a long lunch for my CHILD, it was a problem.
Just sayin’…
Princess Sparkle Pants
Aug 30, 2007 at 6:23 am
I SO hear you on this one! I still talk about the kids, but it’s with too much detail, and then I feel like I am lying (even though I am not). I think maybe we need to learn to ask for our time off with more dignity. My friends seem to assume they deserve time off, regardless of the situation, so they never have the whole, ‘Um, yeah, could I please take Tuesday off, ’cause my son, you know, the older one? he has an eye appointment and I want to be there for him… if it is a problem, just let me know…” blah blah blah.
lcreekmo
Aug 30, 2007 at 6:55 pm
I vacillate. Sometimes, I think it sounds better to say, I’m taking X to the doctor so I’ll be out half the day until the freakin’ pediatrician decides to process the damn paperwork and see us for 3 minutes. And other times, I just say, I’m going to have to leave early tomorrow.
You know my boss. I don’t think he really cares, as long as I’m doing my work.
I just wish it didn’t take half the day to see the pediatrician for 3 minutes. ;)
Do parents get more time off from work than non-parents?
Sep 8, 2007 at 2:52 pm
[…] do know, that since I’ve had kids, I feel like I’m asking for and explaining myself a lot more often, but, at my workplace, I don’t get any more than anyone else. And, as you well know, my time […]
A Worrrrking Mother
Sep 20, 2007 at 10:26 am
I simply say I have an appointment. If I’m using my alotted time off, then it’s nobody’s business what’s it’s for.
Sometimes it for a doctors appointment for myself, sometimes a dental appt. for the kid, sometimes it’s a hair appt. or Fiance and I just want to plan a “free” day together.
However if it’s an all of a sudden thing (like leaving in the middle of a meeting because Jr. has a fever and just upchucked…then I feel I owe an explaination.
Late for work? Do you reveal why?
Sep 20, 2007 at 8:06 pm
[…] while back, we talked about requesting time off for unspecified “things” when you are a parent, but, how much do you reveal when you are late to […]
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: