Child care and work ...

I would agree with that. I have a two-month-old and I'd be scared to death to take him out for hours in such a siuation. Plus, have you seen the people who go to high school foootball games?

Back to the office argument, there's always one person at every shop that doesn't want to be bothered by ANY of the extracurricular crap or random nonsense that goes on and just wants to work. I'm that guy. On the other hand, there's always at least one person who thinks the world (and thus the newsroom) revolves around them. I am not that guy. If someone brings their kid in to work, as long as the kid doesn't stand next to me and scream in my ear, I can give the parent (and the kid) the benefit of the doubt and focus on my work.

 

Perfect example of a situation where the editor or newsroom executive has to talk with the couple, find out what's going on and then establish some kind of policy.

Having a kid sit for an hour or less beside you drawing pictures and playing quietly is one thing. Unsupervised for hours is, as you said, a nightmare.

 

I won't comment on Rhody's situation since I'm technically his boss but I will say this ...

A couple years ago, this lady who worked in the production department either couldn't or wouldn't get child care and brought her two little girls (Ages maybe seven and 10) to work for at least a couple hours at least three times a week.

It drove me absolutely f*cking crazy.

First off, one of the kids had a peanut allergy and so, whenever she was in the office, I had to pay extra attention to make sure that I didn't go near her if I had purchased Peanut M&Ms or crackers from the vending machine, which I did often.

In addition, I couldn't be myself because I had to make sure I was completely 100% PG-rated and, really, I don't swear a lot but feeling that pressure to keep my conversations in check was a major distraction.

Lastly, as much as everyone liked the kids, I found them f**king annoying as shit. The younger one was clearly bored and would just come up to people who were in the middle of working and start talking to them. I tried several times to just put my headphones on and ignore her but she never got the hint and just stood next to me waiting to get my attention so she could show me the scribbles she put on a piece of paper.

I ultimately solved that problem by intentionally buying Peanut M&Ms everyday and telling her to make sure she didn't come near me because I didn't want to get her sick but I felt like I was in an uncomfortable situation because I didn't want to be an asshole, I really didn't, but I'm in my office to work and get my job done, not to help you babysit your kids.

I get that not everyone can afford child care but, in my opinion, taking your child to work when you work somewhere where it can be distracting to others is completely unfair. Even if your kid is a perfect saint and doesn't say a word, it's still not fair to ask your coworkers to be cognizant of their behavior lest they say something offensive and it damn well isn't fair if your child's behavior starts distracting people just trying to do their job.

 

Agreeing with Six-Toe across the board...I think most of us are talking about having a kid in tow for 15 minutes in the office, while I get some quick drop-in task finished up. (uploading the web, approving a page, etc.)

For Stitch...much depends on your priorities. For some of us the job is not the end all, and it is possible to put out a quality paper while not allowing work to trump everything else in your life. Making work your top priority at all times, brings on divorce and broken homes. All for a tiny paycheck (especially in our case).

My kids are elementary age and when they tag along with me to a game it's often in the summer time, and I know which fields/schools are set up well with a nearby playground, etc. Other times, I may show up just for the second half or the late innings...enough to get the story without having the kids in a bad spot for hours on end.

 

So you don't curse a lot...just four times in a single post...really?

 

Without reading the rest of the thread, I agree totally with FNF. If you have family close, having them "help" you usually ends up being a win-win for everyone. The child and extended family both get extra time to building lasting relationships. As a child grows up, having a large extended family that they are close to is such a beneficial thing. I know you might feel as if you are using your family, but I see this an opportunity that benefits the others more than it does you and Mrs. Rhody.

 

As long as the 3-month-old doesn't cheer in the press box, I'm fine with it.

 

If the friends offer, take them up on it. You are not being a burden if they offer.

And to echo my earlier statement, good friend become stand in aunts and uncles. And I firmly believe that a child can not have too many aunts, uncles and faux grandparents.

 

In my defense, it was a long post.

 

I counted 5, by the way, not 4. Two fucks, one shit, one asshole, one damn.

 

And if there were a child reading these boards, I might be inclined not to be myself and not to swear.

But, since there's not, I'd like to say the following <NSFW of course>...

F*ck, s*it, god damn c*cks*cking pieces of coconut-run flavored ass*hole douche bottles.

 

No offense Schiez, but on the jobs thread, you posted a job that paid between $10-11 an hour. I'd think that the production job paid the same, or even less, and that woman couldn't afford the child care. Three times a week for a couple of hours is about six hours. She'd be paying $50 a week, at least, for two kids for that time.

It may not have been fair to you and your co-workers, but for wages that low, bringing kids to work like that is almost a necessity.