During the summer holidays, your children are out of school and you’re off to work, but wouldn’t it be great to enjoy the long break with them? Many parents are doing just that!
Parenting on Female First
www.VoucherCodesPro.co.uk, who carried out the study, found that it’s not just schoolchildren enjoying some time off from their daily routines during the summer holiday, revealing that one in three British parents have faked an illness in order to spend more time at home with their children during the summer season.
A further four out of ten parents polled have admitted to faking an illness during the work year to avoid using their allocated holiday days.
Respondents were initially asked ‘Have you pulled a sickie in order to spend more time with your children over the summer holidays?’ with the term ‘pulled a sickie’ described as ‘pretending to be ill in order to avoid going to work’. Over a third (35%) of respondents revealed that they had indeed called in sick in order to spend more time with the children instead.
Mothers are more likely to tell a little white lie to spend quality time with the kids as 68% compared to 32% of dads’ phone in sick.
Top 5 reasons why parents didn’t use their formal holidays and pulled a ‘sickie’
1. I did not want to use up one of my allocated holidays - (41%)
2. I had already used up all of my allocated holidays - (25%)
3. I was let down by childcare unexpectedly - (16%)
4. I was refused the day off - (11%)
5. Taking days off could impact my career e.g. an upcoming promotion - (7%)
Parents spend the day watching films with their kids with 27% even risking a family day out. 24% of parents take the kids to visit family.
Nick Swan, spokesman for VoucherCodesPro.co.uk commented:
“The fact that over a third of respondents polled in our survey pull sickies in order to spend time with their children is certainly surprising and worrying! Allocated holidays are there for a reason and people should be using these to spend time with their children during the summer holidays, not faking illnesses.”
He continued: “Not only can it put your workmates under pressure during what is often a very busy season, and potentially get you in trouble, but it can also have a negative effect on your children by giving the example that it is okay to fake sickness in order to get time off. I would certainly urge those respondents who do fake illnesses to reconsider this and book holiday off instead, wherever possible.”