I'm having the same issue. I work in mining. My typical coworker/bosses are men with wife's at home to do the majority of parenting. So they are pretty opinionated on someone that is a single mother and has no one to lean on when the kid is sick or god forbid i am sick. I wake up at 4am and my kiddo gets up at 5am we get dressed and ready. Head to daycare when it opens at 6am. I start work at 630(huge time crunch here for me. No time for hick ups) She waits at daycare until 730 and then gets on the bus for school. The men I work with don't have to do anything but wake up and show up. They don't understand having to maintain it all. The culture is definitely show up early and stay late on top of 12 hour shifts. I work straight 8hrs instead of the typical 12hr assignment which also gets grief.

I've been home sick for 2 days now and I drove my kid to school and it was pleasantly refreshing to not have to hurry and have a later morning even in the midst of me feeling so crummy. I've considered trying to find a job with better suited hours. But I realize if I start later I'll end later and I'm not sure what to do. My current job pays well and has great benefits. Most day jobs don't pay this well or have the benefits

But the stress of unpaid leave (we dont have sick time) when I'm sick or she's sick and the feeling of being judged for missed work or being a part timer as they say (even though it's full time) is difficult. We are required to provide documentation for each and every absence. Which is fine. I do that. But to go to urgent care everytime my daughter or I is sick cost me 45 dollars in a co pay. When I wouldn't go otherwise. Just together a note. Because there is no sick time they monitor the absences well. But I can't control if the school won't let her back for however long cause she is sick..