No sick days for Mommy…

Over the past week I have been under the weather and am proposing that we create a national program that provides sick days for mom or "at home" parents.

Being a mom is a full time job, we do not get benefits, overtime pay or sick leave. I think that this is ridiculous and needs to be changed. I am writing to the health insurance companies and requesting that they include spousal sick days for a parent that stays home with their kids.

I guarantee that Joe and I would chip in some extra money if it meant that I could have a sick day from time to time. I rarely get sick, maybe once a year, but when I get sick I tend to get really sick; caring for the kids sometimes includes lying on the couch, begging them to talk quietly and watch a movie while mommy rests. It usually doesn’t work but I am not above trying.

Last week, right before the reunion I started to feel my voice cracking and my throat was scratchy. I thought that it was just allergies and with some Echinacea would disappear. After a weekend of talking, staying up late and a few glasses of wine, my voice was completely gone. By Monday I made an appointment and got in to see my doctor.

I begged for some way to speak again and she reluctantly prescribed an antibiotic. Her kids are older and she has apparently forgotten the need for a voice with 2 small children.

AJ had been yelling at me because he couldn’t hear me and thought that meant that I could not hear him, hence a big loud voice to help out mom. I explained that I had to whisper because my voice was tired and needed a rest so he began whispering and resting his voice to the point that I could barely hear him. I needed help and the antibiotic was my only hope.

I have not had a sick day since my kids were born. My mom did come over once when Boo was little because I was vomiting so much that I was afraid that I would not be able to care for him and AJ at the same time. She brought me soup and stayed for a while until I could go a few hours in between trips to the bathroom. Joe’s job demands his attention and he can rarely get a day off without notice so he is rarely able to offer the assistance of a sick day for me.

I believe that our Health Savings Account (HAS) should be available for spousal sick days. I believe that any "at home" parent should be covered by the HAS plan and allowed 10 sick days per years. The HSA spousal sick days could be used when a fever, loss of voice, vomiting, diarrhea, migraine headache, injury or bad back seem to be acting up and reduce ones ability to care for and parent small children.

Mental health days would be required once per quarter and failure to take a mental health day would terminate coverage. Massage therapists would be listed under metal health care providers and be covered under the plan.

A sick day would include a nanny from 7:30 am until 6:30 pm. The nanny would watch over the children and make sure that the sick parent have ample time to rest, go to the doctor and get well. The maximum coverage would be 3 consecutive days, if the parent is still not well then the other parent would be required to take time off and stay at home with the children.

I guarantee that "at home" parents everywhere would be grateful and not abuse the HSA spousal sick day program. The much needed rest would make us more able to care for and parent our children knowing that the occasional illness would be covered. The mental health days would help by reducing stress, providing emotional support and assisting in overall health and well-being.

As a sick mom trying to get her voice back, taking antibiotics and regular doses of cough syrup, I am ready and waiting for the much needed Mommy sick day.

Off to make another Mommy Milestone.