Sick child:home from work

Why do I feel guilty about staying home with my sick child? I struggled with calling my boss and felt totally guilty with the consideration of not showing up for work. I thought about it as I was getting ready for work, and it became clear to me that we are supposed to take care of our children and why am I even having this struggle. Ugh!!

My prior boss ( my soon to be ex-husband) of 20 years would expect me to be at work even if my child was sick, and that was wrong of him not to consider our families before his business. I understand he has a business to run, etc... and I lived for that business and I helped keep it running through good times and bad, good weather and bad. I was there for him even when my kids were sick. They were in capable hands ( not mine) and I went to work to be there for this guy. I even called patients to reschedule them when he got sick too and stayed there caring for him and answering phones and doing paper work and everything else, but the consideration/understanding/grace was not there for his employees when they got sick or their families did. One employee would bring her daughter to work and brought a little nap pad to put under her desk so her daughter could rest while mommy worked, hidden out of the way. Now tell me, was that really necessary for him to put that little girl on his floor instead of her own bed so he could have workers compensation billed for that day? And that woman worked for him for 10 years before she retired, and was not given a party or benefits or a card of appreciation even. Now that I think back on it that was pretty sad.

So this morning after de-programming myself from old thought processes I re-programmed my thinking (and practiced what I was going to say)and I called my boss. I let him know that I was sorry that I was unable to go to work today because my son has strep throat and I need to stay home with him.

He was wonderful! He said he knows my son needs me and he understands. He said that they missed me yesterday and they will miss me today but I need to be there for Race. He told which supplements to give Race to help him along to get over this and said to call him to keep them posted.

I can see how my marital relationship oppressed and repressed me and warped my way of thinking. I was brainwashed in a way. By not being considered by my husband or dealt with respectfully I did not consider myself and did not expect other people to consider me or respect me. I can see it better the farther away from it I get. I feel like I am coming out of a dense fog and into a beautiful place. I can see the sun peeking past the clouds and a lake and green hills and mountains behind them. I can see the light. I am coming out of this.