Child care and work ...

Rhody, if you're bringing your young daughter, make sure to show her how to use the camera so you can keep her busy. It's never to early to get 'em started. ;D
Seriously, I'm glad grandpa came through because I couldn't see the original plan working, unless your wife could get off early and pick up the little Rhody at the stadium.

 

We do our share of stadium pick-ups
My wife is pretty good about scheduling and we both have pretty flexible jobs. Some days she'll take the kids into her work, when I have something extensive to do. It's a juggling job, but well worth it.

No grandparents in the picture here...so we rely on friends and an awesome aunt to fill in once in awhile, but we don't need to go to that very often.

and yes, I get a chuckle out of seeing my daughter grab a notepad and start interviewing her dolls or her brother

 

I probably could have pulled it off tonight provided she wasn't crazy fussy because the game I went to tonight was a blowout. It got a little chilly, but she would have been fine. Still, I'm glad I had my dad to help and he loved it, even if all he did was watch the Dark Knight while she slept.
Wednesday we're running into the same problem, except it's a girls tennis semifinal. Because it happens after we go to press (we're a chain of weeklies; this school's paper goes to press Wednesday AM), I'm only going in case the local team loses, which they shouldn't. I think the only sports I wouldn't have a problem bringing the child to would be tennis or soccer, provided I don't have to take pictures.

 

Since having kids, I've become much more selective about what I cover. If the team wants to get in, then you'd better win some games and be in the top half of the league.

 

We don't have that luxury; our coverage is primarily Mon-Wed; in the fall, we have football on the weekends and in the winter, we'll cover hockey and hoops.
It's nice, but the Mrs. works every Tuesday. Once we get through fall, it won't be a problem because I won't have to cover multiple events in one night (in the fall, I'll cover a 3:30 game and something at night).
But during playoffs, this should be an interesting time. I've had some friends offer to help, but I feel like I'm being a burden. It's how I've always been; I don't like to ask for help, but I guess now I have no choice.

 

I'm saying this as a general statement, not to anyone in particular:

If you have a child, you need to have a child care plan.

Planning to have your child at work (for anything other than the rare scheduling emergency) is not a child care plan. I don't care what line of work you're in, be it prep writer or bank president or forklift operator, your child should not be there on a regular basis.

You may think the presence of your child isn't disruptive to coworkers. And it may be true for some. You may think your child is young/old enough not to be disruptive. That may be true.

You may say, "but I asked everyone, and nobody seems to mind if my child is here." The problem is that people are not free to say no in those situations. The person who does mind and whose work is being compromised can't speak up without fear of being branded a child-hating, family-unfriendly stick-in-the-mud. Then there's friction between you and that person, not because of work issues but because of your choice to bring your kid to work. It's no-win.

I love it when my coworkers bring the kids by. These are the kids I hear stories about and see pictures of, so it's great to spend a little time with them. For about five minutes. And then it's back to work.

 

All good points ... and I say this as a parent. You can't concentrate fully on your job when your kids (or dogs ... some people I work with bring those) are wandering off in the newsroom or around the building, and your coworkers shouldn't have to help keep track of them.

Should be avoided other than emergency situations.

@Rhody: Glad your dad could help ... as others have said, even a relatively helpless, non-independent 3-month-old would make keeping stats or even just getting quotes after the game very challenging. At a weekly, you're better off missing the game and following up by phone than trying to cover it with a baby in tow.

And it only gets worse as your kids get older. Back when I covered sports, there were a couple of times when an early-afternoon playoff game (soccer, softball) meant I had to take my kid(s) along. (my wife's a teacher).

The kids were pre-school and/or kindergarten age, and you'd think they could just play near the field, but of course it didn't work out like that. I had to go find them as they would wander off, out of sight. Kids get bored easily by high school soccer, I guess.

And when I had to do interviews after the game they were worn out, whiny and it just wasn't a good experience.

 

Exactly. I don't even think there should be a "bring your kids to work day" once a year.

 

Is our job really that serious? Yes, kids shouldn't be running around the office, but sitting next to me coloring isn't bothering anyone. If you're glaring across the office at me because my kid is quietly sitting at my desk, then that's a "you" problem.

"Take your kids to work" day is a big deal...it's important for kids to see what their parents do for a living. Heck, I live in a neighborhood where half the kids think food stamps and welfare checks are normal life. They don't conceive of having a job, because the adults (notice I didn't say parents) in their life are milking the system.

 

Actually, it's a you problem.

Many places do not allow children in the workplace because of safety issues. Children invariably wander off when a parent is distracted, so to have this possibility in the workplace is unsettling. If you have your child in the workplace, odds are you will be either distracted from your work because you are dealing with your child, or you will be distracted from your child because you are dealing with work. Then the parent will expect coworkers to pick up the slack and take over child-care duties. If the coworkers don't, the parent will then be glaring at them across the workplace.

 

There's also an issue of fairness among employees. If you bring your child to the office regularly, how is that fair to the coworker who pays for child care and doesn't get to see their kid after school?

Even if your child has perfect behavior, you are still delayed by having them there, setting them up, getting them a snack, etc. If your coworker is waiting on you (for a story, photo, whatever), then they're being delayed getting home to their kids. That's where resentment builds.

 

What? Should there be a mandated maximum amount of time a parent can spend with their child? This particular opinion sounds more spiteful than practical.

Maybe if you get to see your child at the office after school you should pay the other patents there a child care subsidy.