Reddit user is asking a woman in her 20s to ask, " Is The A**hole Why don't you cover shifts of coworkers who have kids on Christmas?"

Some people cannot imagine missing Christmas morning with their children, but there are many people who work that year and miss important holidays and events like birthdays and Christmas.

This situation is not the end of the story. It sheds light on the struggles of working parents as well as the expectations of childless coworkers. @u/Caffeinated_Tragedy, whom we'll call Kristy, is the original poster that faced some backlash at work. Her work is in healthcare and employees are required to work every Christmas.

The post states that Kristy worked last Christmas (the 23rd to 26th of December) and was looking forward to taking time to relax with her family. However, her inability to have children made her an easy target for her coworkers.

Unfair Expectations

Kristy stated that she was approached by coworkers who had young children and asked if she would be able to cover their Christmas shifts. Kristy declined to cover the holiday shifts of her coworkers in 2022. Kristy didn't want to work three Christmases consecutively. This didn't go down well.

"Seeing coworkers' irritation when I declined to switch made me feel bad and frustrated. While I know that people want to spend Christmas with their children, I also want to be there for my family. So, I am wondering... "Am I wrong for refusing to work Christmas if I don’t have children?"

Reddit's Response

Reddit users were unanimously in favor of the original poster. One Reddit user commented, "You worked it last summer and your vacation plans with children are just as important." It's now up to someone else to do their part.

Another poster said that parents with children figure out how to celebrate holidays, and even start their own traditions, when work gets in the way. My mom was a nurse, so she had to work on Christmas Day a lot. Guess what? We survived! "We still had our Christmas Day celebrations, but on another day."

Another commenter suggested that Kristy should be treated with tough love by her coworkers. It's not okay for them to guilt about it. They chose to do the same job as you, but they don't want the same rules for their children. They don't want Christmas work. The only option is to find another job or convince your company to change their policy.

The difficulties of working parents

It is no secret that mothers and fathers who work have difficulty balancing their personal and professional lives. Working mothers experienced burnout and fatigue even in 2020, when many people switched to remote work and many schools were located at home. Single mothers and those without support were also more burdened.

A mother who finds a job that meets the needs of her family (i.e. They will most likely remain at the job they love, regardless of whether they have to take holidays. The idea that they could just search for a new job seems absurd. It could, however, be an option in the long-term.

Coworkers shouldn't suffer

It's magical to see your child's smile light up on Christmas morning. It doesn't mean your coworkers have to suffer if you don't get to see it. This doesn't mean that coworkers with children shouldn't ask ( nicely ) to swap shifts. It's okay to try to switch shifts, but it's not right to make your needs more important than those of your coworkers.

All bets are off when someone is angry or acts entitled when they don’t get their way. You can't expect a coworker to do you a favor any other time you vent your frustrations at them. It is important to remember that people who don't have children are still people living with their families, parents, or lives.

One commenter said it well: "They had a whole calendar year to plan accordingly." Although I don't have children, I do value the time I spend with my family during the holidays. My family has young children that I love to see grow up. The choice of a coworker to have children doesn't override the desire of others to enjoy their time.

Holdiay Policies

Holiday work will continue to be a requirement for many jobs. There will always be jobs that require you to be available 24 hours a day, especially for those in healthcare and human services. Working during holidays is a great perk, and some might even prefer it over the hustle and bustle.

Kristy isn't a slob for keeping her holiday , and her working parents don't mind her asking to change. It is important to be gracious and keep your attitudes under control, especially during holiday season.

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By: Dana Hopkins
Title: Woman Refuses To Cover Christmas Shifts For Coworkers With Kids, Sheds Light On Dilemmas Of Working Parents
Sourced From: www.suggest.com/woman-refuses-to-cover-christmas-shifts-for-coworkers-with-kids-reddit/2603249/
Published Date: Fri, 03 Dec 2021 23:45:00 +0000

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