Doormat or Despot?

Feeling a little aggravated and thought I'd share with the class.

Earlier this week, Leta the Nanny asked me if she could take off a couple hours early on a particular day next week to go to an evening class she was interested in attending. Leta is all about self-betterment, and as best I can tell, has an array of various workshops and classes that she goes to during her free time. I checked my calendar, and it's actually not a terribly convenient day -- I have an evening doctor's appointment that day, and Mr. Metropolitan may have to travel that day as well. But I said I'd check with Mr. Metropolitan and let her know.

The next morning Leta called to tell me she had the flu and wouldn't be coming in. Other than the emergency childcare crisis this precipitated, I had no problem with her absence. I am all in favor of nannies staying home when they're sick. The last thing I want is for Leta to pollute the Toddler with whatever's ailing her. All that being said, it was an inconvenience for me as well as the Grandmother.

So I called Leta tonight to see if she was feeling better and to check that she'd be on time tomorrow morning. She said she was much better and would be in on time. And then she asked me again whether she could take off two hours early for her workshop next week. I deferred the question until tomorrow, saying that I hadn't had a chance to discuss it with Mr. Metropolitan yet, but I have to admit that I was a little pissed off that not only did I have to scramble to find someone to mind the Toddler this week, but now, unless it turns out that Mr. M won't be leaving for his trip until the following morning, I have to either reschedule my doctor's appointment (and leave work early to boot) so that Leta can make it to her class, or else tell Leta that she can't go and end up looking like an evil dictatorial meanie of a mommy.

Doesn't logic dictate that if you miss a few days of work one week, you perhaps decide not to press the issue of whether you can take off early for a non-emergency event the next week? Isn't something here not quite right?