Will you proceed with your trip even if your child is in the hospital?

[i]Hi neildc, ohhh..quite hard situation...Anyway, If you can request any Family member to assist your wife, I am sure you will feel a little better leaving for the seminar! I have no kids but if ever that will happen to me, I will just ask someone to assist my wife and go on with the trip since it is part of the job and I am sure, my partner will take care the child! I will just communicate often![/i]

If I were in your situation, I wouldn't proceed with my trip. I want to be with my son, he needs my moral support and care. Actually best, this happened to me when I was about to go on my on-the-job training for my certificate in caregiving. I have to be in the hospice for more than a week. I left my youngest son, with a fever and he has been having lbm too. When I was in the hospice, I can't really function well. I have no communication with my family because they've prohibited using mobile phones while I'm on duty. My mind is always flying, I was thinking so much of how my kid was. The only thing that I've done is to pray.

If your son is that bad, I am sure that your company will understand that you cannot go to the seminar. If they do not, they are a bunch of selfish idiots. This is an emergency. Can you not talk to them via the internet? I am sure they have Yahoo or Microsoft Messenger or some video program in which you can use. Most companies have them. I would not want you to go someplace out of town, and then learn that your son is now in critical condition and then be prevented from getting back to his bed side.

I can't leave my child when sick.I will never have peace wherever i go if thats the situation before i leave.I make sure she is healthy.My child is the most important to me.

I am sorry that your son is sick, my thoughts are with him and your family. I would never leave town if one of my children were sick. In fact you would have a hard time getting me away from the bedside. You child needs you and your strength. Your presence and your voice will give that to him.

I would never go on a trip if my child was in the hospital. That would be messed up if i done that and id never forgive myself for doing something like that.

No way!! I wouldn't proceed with my trip. When my daughter is sick or in the hospital I am by her side 24/7. My daughter and family come first. I would check to see if they could send someone in my place. They would understand.

Hello neildc. I am very sorry to hear of your son's health problems. A high temperature can be very scary. I remember how upsetting it would be when my son was sick as a youngster. You are no doubt on your trip as I type this. I hope your son is better and that your trip is going well. Hang in there neildc. Take care.

There would be no way that I could go away from my child/children if they were that sick, I would just not be able to get my mind off my child. I would also be petrified of something happening. I would definately not be going anywhere even if it meant me losing my job.

That is a very hard situation! Your seminar is important I supposed. The company will not schedule that if that is not needful and your participation all the more is necessary. It is therefore very hard to decide. But if I were in your place, I will not leave. My family is my priority and I can't bear leaving my son in that kind of situation. I can't also leave my spouse attending alone. Of course it is better if two parents are giving support to each other. The child will also have more strength in tackling the illness if he sees both his parents are around. If you will call you Boss, I am certain he will undestand. I believe he is also a parent. You can always skip the seminar. There are always next time for this kind of undertaking but attending to a sick son does not have a next time.

Oh, if it was a really really necessary seminar that might cost me my job, then I would go. I think that there can be other people in the family who can take care of the child. But maybe I wouldn't attend the seminar.

I guess if the incident happened before the time of departure i would choose not to go to so that my company can choose someone to replace in my work or in the seminar that I would have to attend too but in your situation either you will have a choice I guess you do not have but just to go on in it......

Well if you ask me then I will not go to the seminar because my son will be needing me because he is sick at all.I'm sure the seminar you will be attending will understand that your son needs your accompany.:-0 god bless and have a nice day

Dear neildc, It is sad to learn that you had to leave your child when he was in the hospital. Practically this type of situation arise sometimes. we should try to avoid. But even then, if it is not possible to avoid. we should make proper arrangement for child's care. We me leave some other home member to care for him and remain in touch with the care taker.

I would never leave my daugther when she was sick. I would never want other people nor my husband just be the one to look after her. I want to be at her side and I can ignore anything just for her.To h@ll with the seminar or other important things the most important to me is my daughter and her health.

I will forego the seminar and be my child's side. If it is so serious that he has to be hospitalised then I would arrange for other things to be on hold for awhile. I think your child needs you, more than you think. I hope he will get better soon.

Hi neil, So sorry to hear about your son, I pray that he will be alright, he is in the best place, the doctors will look after him, I know you are in such a dilema about your siminar, but you can't do much but wait and you can phone the hospital so go to the seminar, your wife is with your son so it fine. I hope all is well. Tamara

If it is only a common cold or early stage of flu, yes I would still proceed with the trip, for as long as I'm assured that somebody will be there to take care and look after my sick child. But if we're talking of having the child "confined to a hospital", my God, definitely NO. Asthma is a serious illness if left unattended, it could prove to be fatal...if something will happen while I'm away, I will never be able to forgive myself. Never mind if I have to wait for another year to attend the same seminar, or even if I have to pay huge cancellation fee for my cancelled flight...my family's well-being definitely and will always comes first. Jobs and career are replaceable....but your child's life is NOT. I hope he gets better soon...

well...you must assess first whether the seminar really make a difference in your career. I am a government employee and whenever we have a seminar I just thought it's a way of giving the employees a break and all we have is enjoyment. I agree, the purpose is still met but what happens after a month? I can still see that people around don't mind what they have learned from the seminar. If it happens in my situation, I'd rather stay by my husband's side. I can't do anything 'coz I am not a doctor but I am there to hold my partner's hand.

Sorry to hear that! I know you're really in a dilemma...Seems this seminar is very important to u? If so, just believe your wife and she will take good care of it! It is hard for u but still have to make choice. Good luck!