I need to know if I’m crazy before I go farther with this.
I’m a single mom to a 2 year old that relies exclusively on family help. She’s never been in a day care or with a babysitter. My mom, dad, and grandma help me regularly.
My mom keeps my toddler while I work on Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays, she works Tuesdays and Thursdays. My toddler goes to her dad’s on Tuesdays. So when looking for a new job, I stressed that the number one thing I’m looking for is a job that accommodates me being off on Thursdays. When I interviewed, I was told they may occasionally need me to switch my off day to cover someone’s PTO but they didn’t anticipate this.
Back in November, sometime before thanksgiving my manager sent out an email saying she expects everyone to switch their off day to the holiday during this upcoming holiday season. Thanksgiving of course didn’t affect me because it fell on a Thursday, but I immediately went to her because my center is closed Friday the 22nd for Christmas Eve observed, and then Christmas and new years. So holiday 3 weeks in a row.
My manager told me it was fine for me to be off on Thursdays and basically blew me off.
Last week one of my co-workers gave their notice. My manager sent out a new email and said she expects everyone to switch their off day the week of a holiday. I emailed her back and said I just simply do not have anyone to watch my toddler on these days. My mom and grandma both work on Thursdays and my dad works out of town during the week. So that would leave them calling out of work for 3 weeks in a row.
The thing is, it doesn’t make sense. I’m still off on Thursdays on regular weeks, so I’m not sure why they need an extra person on Thursdays on holiday weeks. We have 3 ors, so there are only so many cases they can do.
So now I’m kind of screwed. I just started this job in October, and otherwise I really like it here. But I simply don’t have anything to do with my toddler on these days.