I am usually a positive person. Or, at least I try to be a positive person. But, truth be told, I can be a bit of a grumpy arse at times too. However, today I am really trying to be positive – because I feel like death warmed up (as my Mum says) and if I’m not careful it will drag me down to grump town.
The funny thing is this sudden onset of an as yet unknown illness is timed perfectly with something I was going to write about anyway. Over the weekend I happened to hear a couple of mums having a chat and something that was said made me laugh. Now, I should point out that I don’t go around listening in on other peoples conversations and on this occasion it was pretty unavoidable to hear what was being said.
One of the mums was bemoaning the fact that her husband had been ill and off work, and generally moping around the house and that if it was her (or any mum) that they just have to get on with it. This is what irritates me a bit about some men.
Yes, I have been known to be on the receiving end of some nasty bouts of “man flu” but also taken down for a week with tonsillitis. If I feel too unwell to go to work then I stay in bed to sleep, rest and generally allow my body to recover. Nothing wrong with that in my opinion. But why shouldn’t mums do this too? The last time my wife was ill I stepped up with running around to get the kids to school, picking them up and sorting everything out. I just told my boss that my wife was ill in bed and I need that flexibility. I’m not asking for a pat on the back for this, this is what any husband and dad should be doing.
This is where the one of the issues lies though – employers. Far too many of them are just not understanding and flexible to working parents. Why? Good workers are good workers and employers have to remember that children grow up and this issue does go away. Children are in fact the future so being unsupportive to working parents is actually harming the future workers. I am lucky to work for a company that are flexible providing I am flexible – which I am. I work hard and that’s what matters.
So, those mums out there who feel that they have to just carry on through illness – please stop. Rest, take a break and get better properly and let your other half take care of things sometimes – you never know they might surprise you.