Childfree by choice #5

[Eggsandbeans]

I do wish you weren’t perceived as a second class citizen if you are childless. I mean all social polices are addressed at ‘families’ as if single / childless people don’t need any sort of help with anything. As a childless professional, I often feel I am cannon fodder for people to rely on if they have ‘childcare’ needs or whatever.

I do like children though, but I also wish there could be such a thing as areas in pubs etc which are a no kid zone as I hate screeching etc. the reality is I don’t have a kid as my life would be over - I have no social capital to rely on so It would just be me and my husband and kid.

 

[Your Da Sells Avon]

Sorry if it’s already been mentioned but also with Christmas under a couple of months away, I’ve found at times that if you don’t have children some colleagues who do have them assume that they’ll be getting all of the Christmas leave they want and that you’ll be in to cover seeing as you don’t have a family - eh but I do! I’ve parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, grandparents who I want to see & spend time with.

 

[Aemee00]

Sorry if it’s already been mentioned but also with Christmas under a couple of months away, I’ve found at times that if you don’t have children some colleagues who do have them assume that they’ll be getting all of the Christmas leave they want and that you’ll be in to cover seeing as you don’t have a family - eh but I do! I’ve parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, grandparents who I want to see & spend time with.

This really infuriates me!!!!

Colleagues automatically think they get first dibs on leaving over Christmas, Easter, half terms, summer, duck off!!!!
I too enjoy a summer holiday. I like using the Easter Bank Holiday weekend to take a week off without having to use a week's level. I enjoy Christmas and don't want to work Christmas eve! Entitled twats!

 

[HoGi]

Sorry if it’s already been mentioned but also with Christmas under a couple of months away, I’ve found at times that if you don’t have children some colleagues who do have them assume that they’ll be getting all of the Christmas leave they want and that you’ll be in to cover seeing as you don’t have a family - eh but I do! I’ve parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, grandparents who I want to see & spend time with.

My husbands company is first come first served and people with kids will book Christmas off 4 months in advance. This means he has worked the last 12 Christmases.

Last Christmas while he was working and no one else was I told him to book next Christmas off. He was horrified and was like...that's taking the piss a bit isn't it? I said no what's taking the piss that you have worked 12 Christmases! So he booked it off and no one noticed until about 6 weeks ago and they are all up in arms that one of them will have to work as he isn't. They assumed he would be working.

His boss has tried to convince him to cancel it but he has stood his ground. So we have the whole of Christmas off together for the first time ever

 

[rosemarina]

Well done.

 

[shadowcat5]

I remember once one Easter I had to work 12 days of the 14 over the Easter holidays cause those with kids wanted it off. 1 day off a week (and one of those days was the closed easter sunday!). The worst bit was that I was in college doing A-levels at the time which meant I had no time to study or relax. When I told my boss she said they needed cover cause it was Easter and the mother's wanted the time off with their kids.

Another time, I had worked christmas (Eve and Boxing day as closed Xmas day) so imo it was only fair that I had new year off. Nope. The people with kids got that off as well. So i did Xmas eve, boxing day and the new year's eve and new year's day Why should I not get to have fun over the holiday season cause I don't have kids?!

 

[Your Da Sells Avon]

@HoGi fair play to your husband& I hope you guys have a lovely Christmas

 

[Anne1448]

I remember once one Easter I had to work 12 days of the 14 over the Easter holidays cause those with kids wanted it off. 1 day off a week (and one of those days was the closed easter sunday!). The worst bit was that I was in college doing A-levels at the time which meant I had no time to study or relax. When I told my boss she said they needed cover cause it was Easter and the mother's wanted the time off with their kids.

Another time, I had worked christmas (Eve and Boxing day as closed Xmas day) so imo it was only fair that I had new year off. Nope. The people with kids got that off as well. So i did Xmas eve, boxing day and the new year's eve and new year's day Why should I not get to have fun over the holiday season cause I don't have kids?!

You're so kind. I would have called sick in a heartbeat.

My manager tried to pull a similar thing on me. A colleague needed to take Easter off to celebrate it with her newborn kid. So, my time off got cancelled. I couldn't care less and flew to Spain for a whole week and did 0 work. When she told me that it wasn't right, I took all my personal days at once

She never tried to cancel my days off ever again.

 

[shadowcat5]

You're so kind. I would have called sick in a heartbeat.

My manager tried to pull a similar thing on me. A colleague needed to take Easter off to celebrate it with her newborn kid. So, my time off got cancelled. I couldn't care less and flew to Spain for a whole week and did 0 work. When she told me that it wasn't right, I took all my personal days at once

She never tried to cancel my days off ever again.

I was 16 and my first job. Now I would take a similar approach to you

 

[givemethegossx]

I remember once one Easter I had to work 12 days of the 14 over the Easter holidays cause those with kids wanted it off. 1 day off a week (and one of those days was the closed easter sunday!). The worst bit was that I was in college doing A-levels at the time which meant I had no time to study or relax. When I told my boss she said they needed cover cause it was Easter and the mother's wanted the time off with their kids.

Another time, I had worked christmas (Eve and Boxing day as closed Xmas day) so imo it was only fair that I had new year off. Nope. The people with kids got that off as well. So i did Xmas eve, boxing day and the new year's eve and new year's day Why should I not get to have fun over the holiday season cause I don't have kids?!

i don't know why I'm looking at this thread as i have a baby but this used to happen at a job i had years ago i would always have to work over Christmas including Christmas day because everyone else had kids and i didn't and i will never get over how unfair that is, still pisses me off to this day.

apparently if you don't have children you can't enjoy Christmas!

 

[Rippedjeanmaybe]

My mum used to work Christmas Day when I was a kid because she was a carer and it was extra pay. It is what it is.

 

[HoGi]

One of the questions on yougov today

 

[Rippedjeanmaybe]

I’d definitely support that one!

if I’m visiting a restaurant in the day, especially a the weekend and there’s kids being a bit noisy, then fair enough. But I’m sick to death of going out for food at like 8pm onwards and there being kids there. Why? It’s way past their bedtime surely!

 

[HoGi]

I’d definitely support that one!

if I’m visiting a restaurant in the day, especially a the weekend and there’s kids being a bit noisy, then fair enough. But I’m sick to death of going out for food at like 8pm onwards and there being kids there. Why? It’s way past their bedtime surely!

Totally agree.

In the day I tolerate it, although I still despise parents who make no effort to quieten them.

But evenings it is inexcusable.

 

[Rippedjeanmaybe]

Totally agree.

In the day I tolerate it, although I still despise parents who make no effort to quieten them.

But evenings it is inexcusable.

Exactly. Why even take them out at that time?

 

[judgejohndeed]

I'm not sure about a charge, I'd rather there were just times/places that children can't be taken to tbh. Like who cares if a parent is paying 10 extra quid, that doesn't help me when I've still got to sit and listen to it.

His boss has tried to convince him to cancel it but he has stood his ground.

This part is insane. I'm so glad you get Christmas together, maybe he should do the same thing every year. I can't imagine the entitlement of just assuming someone else will be working so you get Christmas off. Barmy.

 

[Norfolking Good]

We went to the theatre last weekend and this poor little lad who must have been 5 max threw up all over the floor and himself, but the parents had both naffed off to get drinks leaving him quite distressed. In the end a lady went over and calmed him down but it took ages for the parents to eventually roll in. We then had 2.5hrs of hot sick smell as they decided that he didn’t need to be taken home but a sick bag would be fine.
I don’t know why you would take a 5yo to an evening performance of an adult play but it wasn’t much fun for anyone sat around him. Utterly baffling and such crappy parenting

 

[newtoyou]

My husbands company is first come first served and people with kids will book Christmas off 4 months in advance. This means he has worked the last 12 Christmases.

Last Christmas while he was working and no one else was I told him to book next Christmas off. He was horrified and was like...that's taking the piss a bit isn't it? I said no what's taking the piss that you have worked 12 Christmases! So he booked it off and no one noticed until about 6 weeks ago and they are all up in arms that one of them will have to work as he isn't. They assumed he would be working.

His boss has tried to convince him to cancel it but he has stood his ground. So we have the whole of Christmas off together for the first time ever

This story makes me so happy! Enjoy your hopefully stress free, child free day

 

[Blond3g1rl]

I think when some parents say ‘I want to spend it with family’ what they actually mean is ‘so you want me to sort out childcare while they are off school’

 

[Rippedjeanmaybe]

Someone I used to work with wanted Christmas and new years off.

Christmas because she had young kids and new years because her son was born NYE and she said she needed it off for his birthday…