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@Ajsmommy: my mom or dad, if they’re not away traveling.

I'd have an upset boss because I definitely wouldn't be in my 7.

I might be able to get the school age one into a one day camp 7:30-6 because she's already registered for a few days this summer. Can't think of anyone else that's around and could help.

If it's last minute, it has to be me.

If I know he's going to stay home a day or two in advance, MIL and SIL are willing to take sick time to watch him as long as they can miss work (SIL is a police officer, so she can only do it if she doesn't have court that day)

Or with a couple day's notice, I can beg my mom (who lives 90 minutes away) to come stay for a night or two.

If LO is sick then I most likely would have to take off work. My MIL for sure won't watch them then (she lives right next to us), and my parent's are 45 min. away.

We have 8 days in August where daycare is closed and of course my parents picked that week for vacation too

No one. This was a major driver in why I had to stop my part time job. My husband can’t miss work, is the breadwinner x 1000 and works in a high stakes field. I have a part time sitter on certain days but if it falls outside those days or she calls out I’m SOL.

I stay home, LO comes with me to work, some combination of those two, maybe could get care@work backup care (my employer provides a subscription) if the above were impossible....

My options would be my parents or MIL. If that didn’t work, I’d have to work at home with a sick kid. (Which means rescheduling any nonessential calls and working as many hours as possible while the kids are asleep).

I also know people that use a back up care service that will provide a nanny to come to your home when your kid is sick. I’d look into that in a pinch.

No one. I would have to stay home.

Sick days are only me or DH, so if he is out of town there is only me.

In-laws (who are our childcare provider)
SAHM friends are my.normal back up but not with sickness

Otherwise I'd bring them to work. Yep, I would. It would be far from ideal but if I felt like it was my only choice....? My mom used to do this with me, rarely. She worked as an accountant in the upper floor of an apartment complex, and usually she'd set me up in their meeting/conference room worh lots of bools, coloring books, TV, tissues, meds, ginger ale, crackers, etc.

@Ajsmommy: This happens to me at least a couple times a year. We have 0 family nearby. We have 2 occasional/part time sitters and VERY RARELY one of them can cancel their other plans and stay with our kiddos during the day. But usually it has to be me or DH, and if he's OOT, then it has to be me, no matter what I have going on at work.

Also, I know people here are going to freak out, but when my back is really up against the wall (it's happened at least 1x before that I can remember), I've totally done the give-the-kid-tylenol thing and take them to daycare anyway, and then leave work early when their fever comes back and I have to go get them.

I had to do that once when DH was gone on a 9 day work trip to London, and I was home with both girls. One kiddo got Strep and I left early and took 1 day off for her; then the other popped a fever in the morning right as I was leaving for work, so I KNEW it was strep also, but I was hosting a "Battle of the Books" event at my school and absolutely had to be there. I had 4 other schools coming on busses to our school for the regional Battle of the Books, I was hosting the event, there were no other backups that could run the event and emcee, so I gave my oldest tylenol, sent her to school.....and then got the call 5 hours later that she had a fever. By then, Battle of the Books was done, and I could go tell my boss my daughter's school had called and I had to leave. He wasn't thrilled, with it being the 3rd day in a row, but what else could I do?

It's a constant struggle in my life. I basically continue working because I'm just banking on making my salary higher and adding years to my pension, so I can retire at a decent age. I mean, I could afford to SAH completely, but I figure these years are short in the grand scheme of things, and it won't ever be easy to be a full time working parent. So I just muddle through. Also, I really like what I do, in spite of the constant juggle between parenting and work.

My husband has it just as bad. Since my job is super inflexible, he actually takes more days than I do staying home with the kids. But his job isn't very flexible either...he can work from home 1-2 times a month, but every time we have a big illness, we both feel stretched thin between work expectations and home life.

My mom and/or dad if they're not sick. Otherwise, me. I've brought DD to work with me before in a pinch as well. My work is very family friendly, and I've been here for 8 years, so they're really flexible. Last year we had a very "sick" year for us, so it was rough. She came to work with me quite a bit!

@Ajsmommy: I would work remotely.

It used to be that we would beg one of our babysitters because they are nurses and would randomly be off sometimes. Now we live in the suburbs so I probably would just have to suck it up and miss work.

My parents....usually

More than likely me. Sometimes OH's parents will watch DD but DS is too young for them.

Luckily, I have a very understanding boss. I take a vacation day but keep up on e-mails the best I can.

Maybe my MIL but she lives 1.5 hours away so usually needs a day or two notice. If it was an absolute emergency I could call her that AM and she’d find a way to get here, but it wouldn’t be by 7am that’s for sure.

No one....
Me and DH switch off taking days off when need be

It can really suck with a 4 yr old and 2 yr old