Halloween, kids and co-workers

I am also going to take a wild guess that if all the principals involved were gathered together, the co-worker's version would be something different from "yes this woman has saved my bacon time and again, nonetheless I am going to sit at home and play video games because fuck her and her kids."

 

Halloween doesn't exactly move around the calendar. Why can't the day-off request be made far in advance?

I don't necessarily mind people's kids occasionally coming in to visit, because I'm a super Auntie who has crayons and toys in her desk. But I know there are people who would object to that workplace disruption as well.

Signed,
a childless Halloween fan who also takes off for her birthday


(Aside: I'm Jewish, so I'd work Christmas Eve and Christmas if asked in advance... which has not happened at my current paper, but was always the case at three previous jobs)

 

I raised two kids and worked through many firsts, countless seconds and most thirds. They survived. There's no call for any hard feeling toward people who don't feel sufficiently guilty that they alter their plans to cover your shift. Get over yourselves.

 

In my experience, sacrificing for someone else in this manner rarely breeds gratitude, only more entitlement. So, fuck 'em.

 

Word for word. Thanks for saving me the trouble of writing. Spot-on.

 

I get more excited when someone brings their dog into the office than when someone brings their kid.

 

All of this makes me very glad that I work from home. I see my manager about six times a year and co-workers only at mandatory staff meetings, trainings and work trips.

If I want a day off, I have to give 24 hours notice. That's it, although there are eight weeks out of the year where I'm not allowed to take time off. Even then, I had some flexibility if I really need it.

 

You spelled Married wrong.

 

Precisely.

To me,it's about fairness and give and take. Want Halloween off? Fine, you work Thanksgiving for me. I want New Year's off. Fine, I'll work Christmas for you.

 

You take off for your birthday?

How old are you?

I barely know it's my birthday.

 

I have four kids.

The arrogance of expecting to have certain days off because of those kids, and that Halloween or Christmas or Thanksgiving means less to a co-worker who doesn't, astounds me.

 

I have two, and I completely agree with you. I work some unexpected hours, and people here will say, "Well, you can go home if you want. You have kids."

Oh, no. We're all in the trenches here.