One thing about being a parent? Your kids are going to get sick. Like, a lot. And since most of us don’t have full-time nannies or the luxury of hassle-free, last-minute childcare, it means either Mom or Dad are calling out of work to stay home with their sick child.
We all know that showing up, doing your job well, and respecting company policies are basic expectations in every workplace. Obv. But what about when life throws you a curveball, like both of your kids getting sick at the same time?
That’s what we in the mom business like to call a perfect storm.
TikToker and mom @atrustedadult2.0 (aka Jessica) recently took to the social platform to vent about finding herself in this exact predicament.
The young mom claims to have never called out before. Ever. But when her 4-year-old and 16-month-old daughters both ended up sick on the day of her shift and there was no one else to care for them, she did the only logical thing she could.
She called her job two hours before her shift, explained the situation, and said she would be unable to make it in.
For most places of business, that should have been the end of this conversation.
But instead, an hour and a half later, only 30 minutes before her shift was supposed to start, she received a voicemail from a coworker named Gabby. Jessica couldn’t answer the phone because, surprise, she was taking care of her sick kids. Shortly after, she listened to the voicemail:
“Hi Jessica, this is Gabby. I know you called earlier about not coming in, but after speaking to Alicia, she would still like you to come in.”
Um. Did we miss something here?
How do you tell a mother of two who just told you they can’t come in that you’d still like them to come in anyway? It’s really giving blatant disregard for her boundaries and situation. Would they prefer she leaves her sick children at home unattended?
Jessica was floored. Her reaction said it all:
“I said I wasn’t coming in. What do you mean you’d still like me to? Yeah, I know you’d like me to! But I said no!”
The video went viral for good reason. Working parents on TikTok were just as horrified because, sadly, so many have been treated the same way. Like they’re disposable. Expected to show up no matter what. Like no one in management has ever had to call in because of childcare issues.
But Jessica? We’re not worried about Jessica, because she followed up with the best kind of update when asked how she dealt with the situation.
Simply put? She stayed home. She went in Monday, quit that job, and then took her kids (who were feeling better by then) and her friend for a fun trip to the zoo.
“Calling out is calling out, and that voicemail was incredibly toxic. I don’t work for toxic places,” she said. And honestly? She nailed it.
Mama still needs a job, but not that one!
No parent should be made to feel like they have to choose between their children and their paycheck. The fact that her workplace couldn’t manage one missed shift from a reliable employee says way more about their lack of leadership than it does about her.
It’s 2025. Support working parents. Full stop.
