Working moms and snow days

Uggh! We just had a full week of snow days. We generally found out the night prior (due to huge amounts of snow dumping) so that allowed for some planning/begging. We just spread it around; I stayed home one day, her dad stayed home one day, we set up a spontaneous play-date with a classmate (who's mom is a teacher, thus also off) for a day, grandma one day and an aunt one day. I don't know how people do it who don't have family around to help out. Duct-tape??

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I am very lucky that my daughter is still in before and afterschool care so my provider usually takes her. My husband works outside, and runs his own company so snow days are usually off for him or if all else fails, my mother in law isn't too far away to take her. I am a very lucky soul (i have a few teacher friends if all those alleys are closed too!)

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We were just having that discussion here last week. Between all of the random holidays, the teacher work days, the unscheduled (obviously) sick days, and then weather related cancellations, you're lucky to get a five day week in. Ever. My job has two perks. I work at a state facility on a federal project, so I get all of those obscure holidays off already. It also allows me the flexibility to do my hours at any time, day or night, weekend or weekday. It is still a struggle for me, constantly "making up" missed days, but for parents who don't have this flexibility, I have NO idea how they manage. How do they keep a job? I definitely feel for you working moms out there.

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I just found out that PHiladelphia has "emergency day-care" for all ages, which is intended for when daycare falls through and presumably for when weather or other unforeseen events intervene. Will be interested to see how reliable it is, but can imagine any number of folks with thin support layers finding it invaluable.

Yes, the system punishes working parents of all genders. But our politicians sure love to talk about how much they love families!!

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I took my almost 7 year old daughter to work with me recently (teacher in service day), and it was great - see http://vetmommy.blogspot.com/2008/01/mini-me.html

Fortunately my 4 yr old son's preschool was still open. He is much more active and mischievous, and could not have been left to color or read by himself for long stretches of time.

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I am fortunate enough to be able to work from home if I need to. However, my employees are NOT (I work in HR; most of my employees run machines). I have been amazed more than once when counseling an employee to find out that they made no back up plans at ALL for their children. This is the kind of thing that you have to plan out before you find out that daycare is closed for the day!!

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I am fortunate to be able to work very flexible hours, but what about having a daycare pool with some other working moms or friends. You could get a group of 4-6 moms and all rotate taking the days off and all the kids go to the same house. That way you would not all have to take off every time and I bet the kids would love it to! You could also try and pull something together at a local church.

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