Working Mommy Wednesdays

Is it true?  It's Wednesday again?

Back to another edition of Working Mommy Wednesdays brought to us by Julia over at Sweet As Punkin Pie. 

I must say I look forward to Working Mommy Wednesdays...not the actual WORK part but the question of the week part.

This week Julia asks us:

What do you about work when your child is sick?

Whose responsibility is it to stay home when daycare is not available?

Should Mom be the typical caregiver or should Dad step in?

Hubby and I are lucky (or unlucky - depends on how you look at it) enough that we work separate shifts. I work normal day hours, and he works at night (3-11:30).  Currently the boys go to my sister's on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday from 2-5. On Wednesdays my in-laws come to the house 2-5 and my Fairy Godmother comes to the house on Thursdays from 2-5.

When the boys get sick I do want to be home with them, but what we usually do is hubby's home with them, and then I leave work early so I can be home in time for him to go to work.  Or sometimes he just goes in late.  The same goes for when one of my sister's kids is sick so she can worry about taking care of her sick child, and I can keep my children away from them and try to prevent them from catching it.

It also depends on the sickness.  A few months ago the boys got their first REAL sickness.  Croup. It was not fun and there were many many sleepness nights. (And I must mention they were not sick at the same time, but one after the other.) Because this was their first non-cold, non-runny nose illness I wanted to be home with them and stay up all night with them. So I did take a few days off of work.  And lets face it, they only wanted their momma.

I feel it is my responsibility to be home with my children when they are sick.  Again, they really want to be with their momma.  I do however, think that fathers should and need to be involved and stay home at times when their kids are sick.  At this time in our lives, I think my husband's career is a little more important and that he should not be calling in sick.  I am willing to sacrafice my career for my children, and enable my husband to remain in good standing with his employer.  I am lucky though, that my employer is very understanding.

What do you think? Do mom's have a responsiblity to stay at home when their children are sick or when there are daycare issues? Or should it be 50/50?