Child care and work ...

Honestly, I don't give a flying frig about my coworker's thoughts on whether I bring my child to the office and they're paying for child care so they don't bring theirs.

It's not like it's being done for funsies. Maybe child care for me wasn't an option at the time. Maybe the swap between me and the wife for the kids might be postponed by an hour due to our schedules.

Don't like it? You want to sit there glowering at my quiet, no-bother, picture-drawing child? Then say something if it becomes a real problem and I ignore that problem. Otherwise, STFU because it won't happen often.

Another thing, too. Editors and co-workers who do not have children have no idea -- absolutely zero -- what it's like. None. Even if you have close family or friends with kids and you're "good with them." They're not yours. So don't ever try to tell a parent that you understand.

 

That was not my point, YGBFKM.

It is unfair to employees who responsibly make arrangements for child care to have coworkers who benefit (financially and with more kid time) from failing to make arrangements.

 

Life ain't fair.

 

While you can get away with bringing your kid to work in a pinch, it is not professional, nor good for the child, if it happens on a regular basis. I've had to do it a couple of times, and you end up neglecting your kid or work.

What would you think if cashiers brought their kids to work, or a doctor did and just left their kid in the waiting room?

 

Our jobs are serious to an extent, unless you're writing a newsletter or compiling a scrapbook.

 

It's wonderful that all the children being brought to the office do nothing but sit quietly and draw pictures.

I would like to move to this parallel universe.

 

Mine sit quietly, but the 5 seconds go by pretty fast.

At a twice-weekly I worked at, the office closed on Saturday, so I could bring in one of my kids when I had to upload the paper to the Web. At least there was a spare desk next to mine with a computer so I could set up a DVD to keep them somewhat occupied. They'd be a distraction during working hours.

 

What if the best arrangement to make is that the child comes to the office? Did you consider that? Do you know every situation with every parent? Maybe it's not as simple as parents (or a parent) "failing to make arrangements."

 

Arrangements such as this must be cleared in advance with managers and must be a rare occurrence.

 

FTABNTTT

 

I used to work with a couple who regularly brought their kids to the office and left them there for hours on end with little or no supervision. Complete nightmare, and I felt bad for the kids.

 

Anyway ...

Bringing a three-month baby to a game is extremely ill-advised. Forget about the work problems, it's not good for the baby at all unless weather is absolutely perfect.