Thanksgiving Project – Sick Days

I have a very liberal sick day policy at work. A policy I rarely get to take advantage of. It seems that even if I’m not feeling well, I have something that I really can’t reschedule. So I work no matter how I feel. Besides, who wants to have a day off and feel yucky. More vacation days would be better.

But yesterday Soren was feeling bad. Poor thing can’t breathe out of his nose. And he sneezes a lot. I decided I needed to stay home with him again today. He has spent much of the day laying on the couch with grandma. But he just got up from a nearly two hour nap. I hope he sleeps tonight!

Of course, it was that long nap that gave me the chance to take a shower and get some things done. He still can’t breathe very good, but the nap helped.

Today I’m really thankful for that liberal sick day policy (and that I hadn’t scheduled much this week in anticipation of Soren’s visit). But I can’t begin to imagine how hard it is for parents of young children who have to go to work no matter what.

I want to take this opportunity to get on my soap box. Employers need to be offering even part time employees benefits as basic as paid sick days. I get that there will always be some who will take advantage of it, but what about all those honest, hard working parents. They are working and barely making ends meet already. If they are sick and don’t get paid, they go to work and spread germs to the rest of the employees…and the public. Or they send their kids to daycare and spread germs that way. Just think about it.

Okay, off my soap box and back to being grateful for what I have.