Paid to look after a sick child

 

Monica has called this morning, ‘Nicole, could you do me a favour?. Gwendal has a temperature and severe earache, I have an appointment with the doctor at 8.45, could you let Marie (his teacher) know.’

‘Of course, I call round later to see how he is.’

Later that afternoon I called in to see Monica, she is the only French woman I know that is truly passionate about Earl Grey tea… but that is another story!!..  Gwendal has antibiotics and has to be off school for 2 more days.

‘But you have to work tomorrow’, I say,’Gwendal can stay with me I’m desk bound tomorrow’, I offer.

‘Thanks, but I have a certificate from the doctor, Yann will take the day off to look after Gwendal’

I look puzzled.

Every mother and father has the right to take ten days off work, paid, to look after a sick child as long as they have a certificate from the doctor.’

‘Wow, that’s brilliant.’

‘C’est normal.’

That system certainly didn’t exist when I worked in the UK… but maybe things have changed…