My son has had a cold for a few days now. It hit its peak last night and he didn't get much sleep. This morning, he looked and acted very tired and was sniffling and coughing and asked if he could stay home. Granted, the latter happens almost every day. But the sleepiness, sniffling and coughing don't. So, I kept him home from preschool today and he's now laying down, resting.

When I called work to let them know I was staying home with him, my supervisor asked why my hubby couldn't stay home with him (um, because he's already at work – a fact that is not only none of her damned business, but is something we've discussed anyway almost every time my son has been sick). She also said she was "concerned" because she has seen a few Monday's and didn't want"repeating patterns" of the past.

Translation? "Stuff never happens on Mondays so, therefore, anyone missing a Monday must be lying." Whatever. I'm done explaining myself to that woman. She's going to think whatever she wants to about me and nothing I say or, apparently, do will change that. It doesn't matter how good my work ethic is, or how good my work product is. It doesn't matter how highly praised I may be by my assignments. She has her ideal of what a good employee is and I will never meet that. And, frankly, I'm done trying.

I'm so frustrated I just want to scream. If she wants to talk about "repeating patterns" causing problems, let's talk about the "repeating pattern" of her giving working parents crap for having the audacity to take care of their families!

Yes, I know my attendance is less than stellar. It was never perfect, and it's been worse since my son was born. Why? Because I have depression, I have a son, and, after years of trying to come to terms with both, I've finally learned to put my own health and the health of my son on a higher priority than the opinion of someone I have a hard time respecting, let alone liking, and a job that is fast becoming a dime-a-dozen. That's the saddest of all. The firm used to be pretty damned cool. That's why so many people from so many different walks of life came to join it. And now? Now it's starting to look like every other firm.