"What do you need Christmas off for? You don't have kids!" (rant)

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Oct 8, 2005

Originally Posted by pattyzaccy

"Couldn't it be that anyone with kids 10 yrs old and under at least should have xmas morning off? My kids are 20 and 23 yrs old but still want mommy there on xmas morning with presents from santa!!!Biggest day of year for kids moms should be there!!!"

Are you for real? :rolleyes:

To answer your question: NO

me109cito · Oct 8, 2005

It's that time of year again, even though the holiday schedule has been out for a year, people are making last minute switches. No big deal except for a co-worker that approached me, after seeing i have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off.
Started out nice: "I saw you had both days off, are you interested in trading them?" I said "Actually i'd like to keep both days off, my family has been through a lot, my dad's brother died a couple of weeks ago, and i'd like to go back home for those days." She said "Hmm, guess i won't be home for my kids for Christmas." I didn't say anything or do anything. Then after a minute she says "You don't have kids, what do you need Christmas off for?":angryfire
It's a wonder my head didn't explode. First off it wasn't her dang business what i wanted Christmas off for anyway, secondly how dare she make such a comment, as if those days won't mean squat to me all because i don't have children.
I'm sure her kids are important to her, i'm sure she would like to be there on those days, but the fact that i do not have children doesn't mean that things in my life are no less important. Nor should it mean that i should want to rearrange my life to accomodate someone that does. Which i've had to do a few times as a result of her taking 3 days weekends since august (we do self-scheduling). As a result of her doing this, i get screwed out of 3 days weekends 90% of the time. Her excuse for needing 3 days weekends? "Because i have kids." Not "My kid(s) has an appt., game, tournament, etc." "Because i have kids."
In no way am i knocking her because she has kids, or anyone, but it's almost like she expects accomodation from people because of the kids. It's not fair to everyone else. Everyone else manages and they have children. And everyone else at work wouldn't have made such a self-entitling statement about someone with no children having the holidays off, because most people take their turns every year. Just because i don't have children doesn not mean that i don't have a life or that i don't have things to do.

Your answer should have been "what the hell did you have them kids for"?

Deidre Shiobhan · Oct 8, 2005

There are lots and lots of people with such foul mouth, guess they have no brains. I have such irritating staff too sometimes they really get on your nerves. They can be picky over alot of things such as roster, assignments breaktimes etc. Sometimes I'll retaliate by arguing with them or else I'll just ignore them. It's so difficult to please everybody especially the ones who's working in my units for " CENTURIES ". These staff are very chronic and even the NMs are afraid of them - HOW? :confused:

NurCrystal22 · Oct 8, 2005

that's hilarious!!! :rotfl: :rotfl: I can never think fast enough to come up with good stuff like that right on the spot - I'm always my wittiest approximately 2 days after the fact!!!!

LoL, well, I have a crazy/silly personality as it is, and I don't like taking crap from anyone! I have Christmas off this year (working Thanksgiving) I'm just waiting on someone to ask to me trade... I know it's gonna happen because everyone knows i don't have kids, i'm young and they figure I need the holiday pay... but i don't and I love christmas.

~Crystal

hollya5334, LPN · Oct 8, 2005

It's been said before, and I'll say it again! We ALL knew when we took jobs in the healthcare field that it was a 24-hr 7 day a week job! ALL HOLIDAYS must be covered!!! So if they don't like it, they can work at a doctor's office or Wal-Mart. :uhoh3:

flashpoint · Oct 8, 2005

Sometimes you just have to cowboy up and do what is required. I doubt that anyone out there went to nursing school thinking they would have every holiday off. My family just celebrates Christmas whenever we can...it's actually kind of fun to do it on the 23rd or the 26th...you can go out to eat if you want, there are better shows on TV, if you get something that you can't use, you can exchange it that day, less traffic...

Personally, I HATE the, "But I have kids" excuse...figure out something that they can do on the holiday until you get off. I really hate the, "But I am a single parent," excuse...I understand that you are the only parent your child has, but that doesn't mean that my children should have to give up every holiday with me...and if I had to work every holiday, weekend, or whatever, my husband would not be very happy...it's almost like having an extra kid...:)

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Oct 8, 2005

And i will add, that since we rotate holidays, when someone works a Christmas, if they stay in our OR, it'll be a couple of YEARS before another one would have to be worked. Most places don't offer that.

I'd think i'd be content to only work at that rate! Most people don't have that!

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Oct 8, 2005

Your answer should have been "what the hell did you have them kids for"?

Nah, because then that would have made me just as bad as she is.

DusktilDawn · Oct 8, 2005

And i will add, that since we rotate holidays, when someone works a Christmas, if they stay in our OR, it'll be a couple of YEARS before another one would have to be worked. Most places don't offer that.
I'd think i'd be content to only work at that rate! Most people don't have that!

I'd be happy with that.

Holiday scheduling should be done fairly and if someone declines to switch with you, people should respect that instead of guilt tripping or harrassing. If someone declines a switch they should not have to justify why.

Gosh I so feel your pain Only this year I'm the "evil" one that is preventing a first time mom from being at home celebrating her childs first xmas.(other people are off this day, but I'm the only one with no kids that is working her shift, thus I guess the ONLY one capable of switching) Well I have 2 step children but have been told that "they don't count as they already have their "real" mother there to celebrate with them..." (yes isn't that nice? ) I wasn't evil the past 2 Christmases because I worked them. One year I was kind of "guilt tripped" but I didn't mind too much. I now realize that this will happen every year if I let it. This new mom isn't the one giving me the guilt trip...it's the other staff! If they care so much...let them switch! Especially after being told that my stepchildren "don't count".

boopchick · Oct 8, 2005

My kids are teenagers and the one I've heard since my kids have gotten "older" is: "Oh. Well, your kids are older. MY kids are little, small, younger, etc. so I should have xmas morning off." Bottom line, we are all entitled to equal time off for the holidays to spend with our family, significant other, or whoever we choose, kids or no kids, and no one has the right to demand preferential treatment on the basis of having kids...younger or older!

RN34TX · Oct 8, 2005

I know it's been suggested here before and that's how I grew up.

Due to family member's work schedules, "Santa Claus" always came to our house either the weekend before or the weekend after the 25th.

I wasn't exactly emotionally traumatized by it, I enjoyed Christmas with my family just as much as any other kid.

I would think that other nurses, by the nature of their jobs, would be following suit.

It's not that hard to do.

Fighting to always have the 24th and 25th off every year, however, IS often very hard to do.

I also liked the poster that said that just because they don't have kids it doesn't mean that a house fell on the rest of their family and that they have none.

Nella · Oct 8, 2005

Marie, I understand where you are coming from completely. I've been a nurse for many years and no matter where I worked, there's always at least 1 nurse who pulls the "I have kids and should be off this Holiday" routine.

When I was younger I lived thousands of miles away from my family and couldn't go home for Christmas very often at all. I did pick up alot of Holidays for others. It was a choice though. Mine.

10 years ago I moved back closer to home. No longer did I trade away my Holidays I was scheduled off. I couldn't believe some of the stuff I heard.

You stick to your guns Marie. Women who do not have children are not second class citizens and should not be treated as such.