Babies in the Work Place

Joreanasaurous

I love babies! I don't mind if people bring them to work, and I also don't mind if they want me to babysit for a little bit if they need a break. That's just me though. Not everyone is accustomed to being around children.

I don't think it has anything to do with being accustomed to being around children and everything to do with having a work ethic and manners. I am at work to work. I am getting paid to work not babysit.

Monkey_Business

I love children, have two of my own that grew up to be great people and are now some of my best friends. I go visit other families who have small children/older children. It's GREAT fun!

But, children in the work place are a deal breaker for me. Too many liabilities to the organization. Too many disruptions.

Little story; a couple of years ago, I had a new employee bring his child into work. I immediately asked him if he had read my policy on children in the work area (employee work area are off limits to non-staff members). He said yes, but the child was too sick to be in daycare (our daycare will not accept children if they have a fever). I then asked if he had made arrangements yet for the child's care outside of the work environment. He said no, that he was saving his leave for emergencies/vacation.

I suspended him on the spot for 3 days without pay. I cannot have employees placing the organization at risk for lawsuits or sick children who might be contagious, making other employees sick or our patients.

Problem was solved.

Now to be clear, we do allow families to visit and we have nice areas in our environment for that, we are a Medical Centers support staff.

But this just is too much of a risk for that.

Just one old man's opinion.....

cmeiron

I'm all for a brief "hey here's my new kid"-type visit, especially if it's a co-worker I'm close with. Newborns are pretty squidgy and cute and quiet. I can even handle having a child hanging out in with his/her parent at the office, as long as that child has been taught how to entertain themselves quietly.

What I don't have any patience for is a noisy, disruptive child whose parents won't remove the child from the situation. Kids make noise and often have no attention spans, I get that. That's not their fault. But in an adult-centric or work environment, it's not ok, and it's the parent's job to fix it.

Examples: 1. I was at a workshop a month ago, and a woman was there with her 8-ish year old son. I actually didn't even notice he was there at all for the first half hour as he was happily occupied with a video game on a laptop computer. Not a peep out of him all day. Totally ok. 2. I was at a conference this fall and a young toddler was banging a wall with his foot and babbling/squawking loudly during the person's presentation, and the mother did nothing to stop him. Totally not ok. 3. At a meeting, my colleague brought her two kids (ok, she's a broke student, I get that), and they chattered the whole time, and she chattered back at them - not to shush them but just to talk back. It was very distracting. Not ok.

JoRocka

Just lift heavy, it's supposed to make it fall out. I keep waitin'... Maybe I need to add another deadlift day...

OH yeah that's right!!! I forgot!!!

MORE SQATZ

I suspended him on the spot for 3 days without pay. I cannot have employees placing the organization at risk for lawsuits or sick children who might be contagious, making other employees sick or our patients.

GOOD FOR YOU- too sick to take to day care but some how it's okay to expose the rest of everyone else to that rubbish? God what a selfish d*ck.

You can get a tubal ligation, but doctors won't do major elective removal of organs unless there is a medical reason or for gender reassignment surgery (with the proper counseling before hand).

Yes- I know... it's just WAY more expensive than a vasectomy.. I also know they won't do major organ removal just because I don't want it... but that doesn't stop me from asking!!!

dirty_dirty_eater

I quit my job to stay home with my first son for two years. I did some freelance work though and I used to take him with me to client meetings.
Yes, bearded, gruffy looking guy with a baby carrier having meetings at various major corporations. It was completely accepted and in one case, I'm pretty sure he got me the gig.
The only disruption was from the crowd of womens the cute little bugger attracted.

stumblinthrulife

When my daughter was born I was threatened with physical harm if I didn't bring her into the office. I took her in at about two weeks, and she was quiet the whole time. Had she become a disruption, I would have simply left the office until she calmed down, or taken her home.

A few years later I took her in again, and she was a quiet, well behaved respectful little girl. Those who wanted to see her could, and those that did not didn't need to even know she was there - anymore than they would any other visitor.

As to why I'd want her to meet so many strangers - they weren't strangers. They were my work colleagues, whom I get along very well with. And it's good for her to meet a variety of people, of a variety of ages, and to see her parents interacting in a variety of environments. It aids social development.

SteveJWatson

I've been bringing my lil one (now 7) to my work since she was a baby...off and on. But, I own the place. when she was a baby, I had a small room built just for her a crib and as she grew older...a play room. It has dark tinted windows so she could see me....It's worked for me and she really loves coming to work with me now when she is out of school.

This.

I am a farmer and when she isn't at school, my daughter is technically at work with me. I bring my dogs, too - but then, the office that my wife works in lets you bring your dog.


Are children the last section of society that it is acceptable to say that you hate? You couldn't say "I hate ALL old people, they are stinking germ factories" or "I hate all people of x or y descent/hair coulor/religion" etc...

Booksandbeaches

Bringing a baby or child to introduce them to colleagues is fine. Just don't keep them there most of the day. I've seen a few parents bring their children to work and keep them there the whole day. Maybe daycare or the babysitter wasn't available that day. I'm not sure, but it's unprofessional in my line of work to have little kids in the workplace. No, don't ask where I work, but it's not a place where children are expected. I like children. I'm a mom too, but I wouldn't dream of using my cubicle or office as daycare for my child.

hstoblish

My husband works with a Ministry whose focus is children and families and I brought her in to visit back when I was on maternity leave. People went nuts. They loved it so much. Hell, they threw us a baby shower! If she cried, I was out the door in a second.

I didn't bring her into my work very often, though I did pop by a couple of times during that year I was off, because I work on environmental issues and my office is full of men, I didn't do it often.

For the record, people requested it. Um, rather strongly. My husband just moved to a new part of the ministry and his old office was very sad that they won't get to see her anymore.

Some people like kids and some offices are made up of people who like kids. It can be very appropriate to bring your kid in for a visit if your office has the right atmosphere. I'd hate to work where you do because it really doesn't sound like a great place to work if you have a family.

randomtai

:noway: :noway: :noway: :noway: :noway: :noway: :noway:

hstoblish

Are children the last section of society that it is acceptable to say that you hate? You couldn't say "I hate ALL old people, they are stinking germ factories" or "I hate all people of x or y descent/hair coulor/religion" etc...

Yes! I hate that this is acceptable and even seems to be getting more common. How awful to grow up in a world where you're despised!

jess7386

I'm just here (and childless myself) to laugh at the irony.

The irony of people without children (who feel judged by parents of children, I get it, we all get it, and I'M honestly sick of hearing about it) who judge all parents of children by making sweeping generalizations like "youre not the most amazing thing in the whole world because you had a child even though you think you are" and "all parents tell me I should have babies!!!"

You hate children? I hate listening to you whine about them.

Proceed.

k8blujay2

I've been bringing my lil one (now 7) to my work since she was a baby...off and on. But, I own the place. when she was a baby, I had a small room built just for her a crib and as she grew older...a play room. It has dark tinted windows so she could see me....It's worked for me and she really loves coming to work with me now when she is out of school.

This.

I am a farmer and when she isn't at school, my daughter is technically at work with me. I bring my dogs, too - but then, the office that my wife works in lets you bring your dog.


Are children the last section of society that it is acceptable to say that you hate? You couldn't say "I hate ALL old people, they are stinking germ factories" or "I hate all people of x or y descent/hair coulor/religion" etc...

I hate stupid and/or selfish people... does that count?

and selfish =/= childless either. Or stupid for that matter... this note is tagged on because it's a common judgement that childless people are selfish...

I actually edited this because I apparently can't spell.

Erica0718

hate it when co-workers bring their kids to work!!

suziepoo1984

I'm just here (and childless myself) to laugh at the irony.

The irony of people without children (who feel judged by parents of children, I get it, we all get it, and I'M honestly sick of hearing about it) who judge all parents of children by making sweeping generalizations like "youre not the most amazing thing in the whole world because you had a child even though you think you are" and "all parents tell me I should have babies!!!"

You hate children? I hate listening to you whine about them.

Proceed.

I Love you for saying that !

IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym

those rascally babies should definitely not turn into toddlers and they should not turn into little kids and they should not turn into pre-teens and they should not turn into teenagers and they should not turn into adults and they should not turn into old people, because how DARE those babies that are hated so for the sole reason that they are babies....

SteveJWatson

I've been bringing my lil one (now 7) to my work since she was a baby...off and on. But, I own the place. when she was a baby, I had a small room built just for her a crib and as she grew older...a play room. It has dark tinted windows so she could see me....It's worked for me and she really loves coming to work with me now when she is out of school.

This.

I am a farmer and when she isn't at school, my daughter is technically at work with me. I bring my dogs, too - but then, the office that my wife works in lets you bring your dog.


Are children the last section of society that it is acceptable to say that you hate? You couldn't say "I hate ALL old people, they are stinking germ factories" or "I hate all people of x or y descent/hair coulor/religion" etc...

I hate stupid and/or selfish people... does that count?

and selfish =/= childless either. Or stupid for that matter... this note is tagged on because it's a common judgement that childless people are selfish...

I actually edited this because I apparently can't spell.

I'm not judging anyone for having or not having kids.

I'm asking why is it acceptable to refer to kids, as a whole as 'stinking germ factories etc'. I couldn't refer to all old people like that.

I dont like all kids, just like I don't like all people of whatever arbitary category you put people in based on other characteristics (age, race, gender etc). It makes it even odder that we were all once children. Children are a fact of life, just like old people etc, you have to learn to live with them because you share a planet with them.

k8blujay2

I've been bringing my lil one (now 7) to my work since she was a baby...off and on. But, I own the place. when she was a baby, I had a small room built just for her a crib and as she grew older...a play room. It has dark tinted windows so she could see me....It's worked for me and she really loves coming to work with me now when she is out of school.

This.

I am a farmer and when she isn't at school, my daughter is technically at work with me. I bring my dogs, too - but then, the office that my wife works in lets you bring your dog.


Are children the last section of society that it is acceptable to say that you hate? You couldn't say "I hate ALL old people, they are stinking germ factories" or "I hate all people of x or y descent/hair coulor/religion" etc...

I hate stupid and/or selfish people... does that count?

and selfish =/= childless either. Or stupid for that matter... this note is tagged on because it's a common judgement that childless people are selfish...

I actually edited this because I apparently can't spell.

I'm not judging anyone for having or not having kids.

I'm asking why is it acceptable to refer to kids, as a whole as 'stinking germ factories etc'. I couldn't refer to all old people like that.

I dont like all kids, just like I don't like all people of whatever arbitary category you put people in based on other characteristics (age, race, gender etc). It makes it even odder that we were all once children. Children are a fact of life, just like old people etc, you have to learn to live with them because you share a planet with them.

I wasn't implying that you were judging anyway... I was saying I hate the group of people that is stupid or selfish and the last part is a disclaimer for my statement to say I wasn't saying that childless people are selfish (because it is a common judgement) or stupid for that matter...

Otterluv

I don't take my kids to work, because I can't do my job properly and mind my kids at the same time. It's that simple. I have three part-time jobs and none of them are even vaguely compatible with looking after my kids while working. If there are issues with childcare then I have to call them and say I can't work, then do what I can to fix the childcare situation ASAP as I don't get paid if i don't work.

I would expect that most people who bring their kids into work it's because of difficulties with childcare and the boss not letting them take the day off. I don't get how someone would bring their child in for the whole day out of choice, unless the child is mature enough to sit there doing homework or other quiet activities the whole time, and even in fhat situation, I don't know why they'd *want* to do that, because even the most mature, sensible, well behaved kids would get bored doing that for the whole entire day. Kids need attention and interaction. Again that strikes me more as a no choice situation than something you'd do out of choice.

OP to answer your question - probably because their boss won't let them take the day off to look after their kid if the kid's sick or the childcare person/centre lets them down. If not then really I don't get it, and I don't get how they can manage to do the job they're paid to do while their kids are in the office.

^^^ This. Many jobs, while they may SAY that they are flexible and understanding, have a lot of pressure to show up for work no matter what. This includes being sick, having family issues, etc. I doubt that most people would want to put themselves under the stress of trying to care for a child in a work environment.


I have to say, that I adore kids. I vastly prefer them over adults. The chaos, the fun, the unpredictability, the constant emotional highs and lows that they have. I love it all. So, the whole "ewwwwww! I hates them! Nasty babieses!" thing, I really don't get. However, to each their own. Just know, that for the most part, these parents aren't trying to annoy you. They are usually dealing with a work environment unfriendly to taking time off to care for children.

JeniferEverx3

All I can say is if you can't control your children at least a majority of the time, you should be locked in a small room with them forever LOL

Bad parents are the reason people can't stand kids (especially other people's kids) and I have no sympathy for them. When I say bad parents, I mean the ones who think discipline is repeating themselves over and over and over and over and over, screaming just as loud as their kids, ignoring their kids, or making someone else (like grandma) handle it.

And don't even get me started when your kid is actually doing something to someone else and you do the above things OMG why.

I have a friend who is like this with her son. He is a spoiled, badly behaved, smart-mouth kid. All she does is yell at him and that NEVER works. I saw her put him in time out once and he just kept yelling "HAS IT BEEN FIVE MINUTES YET!?!?!?! MOM!!!!! MOM!!!!!! OK I'M DONE NOW!!!!!" This was after he was in the pool, splashing fully-clothed adults with cigarettes and cell phones in their hands who were telling him repeatedly not to splash them, and mom just kept repeatedly telling him not to splash people.

I can't stand when people just let their kids run everything at least when you are with other adults. It is so inconsiderate.

I don't have kids but I will tell you this, depending on the severity of the bad behavior, I will tell you once, TWICE if you're lucky, then I will physically remove you from the situation and that will be the end of it.

Fullsterkur_woman

I've been bringing my lil one (now 7) to my work since she was a baby...off and on. But, I own the place.

Then you get to call the shots. End of story. Next! (Hopefully you have the good sense not to allow children to cause distraction to your employees, 'cause that's just bad business sense, but it's your place and you're entitled to run it how you please).

Nicolee_2014

I'm kinda with you & I'm a parent. I've never taken my girls into my workplace. The important people from my work have seen my babes outside of work.

I work in an emergency services call centre & there is nothing worse than someone bringing in their baby or child for that matter & they are crying, screaming etc. etc. It would sound SO unprofessional if the callers actually heard them.

I know people are proud of their spawn, but, you seen 1 baby, you seen em all :laugh: AND I don't pretend to think someone's baby is cute either, I prefer the 'if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all'

Fullsterkur_woman

I asked my doctor if she would take my uterus out... she glared at me and said NO.

You can get a tubal ligation, but doctors won't do major elective removal of organs unless there is a medical reason or for gender reassignment surgery (with the proper counseling before hand).

I am generally against elective surgery, period. Plus, each person should be responsible for their own birth control. However, vasectomies are much less complicated and expensive than tubal ligations, so belt-and-suspenders in a monogamous LTR seems like overkill. It's kind of a quandary. *shrug*

Fullsterkur_woman

I quit my job to stay home with my first son for two years. I did some freelance work though and I used to take him with me to client meetings.
Yes, bearded, gruffy looking guy with a baby carrier having meetings at various major corporations. It was completely accepted and in one case, I'm pretty sure he got me the gig.
The only disruption was from the crowd of womens the cute little bugger attracted.

If you made arrangements ahead of time and they agreed, go nuts. Personally, if you walked in cold to a meeting with me and had your baby in tow, I would be like WTFITS?! (I don't care if you ARE on my FL! )

Fullsterkur_woman

As to why I'd want her to meet so many strangers - they weren't strangers. They were my work colleagues, whom I get along very well with. And it's good for her to meet a variety of people, of a variety of ages, and to see her parents interacting in a variety of environments. It aids social development.

This is a reasonable point. I was thinking about this very point earlier, and respectfully, I am not at work to further your child's social development. Take them to church, or the museum, or to the park.

stumblinthrulife

All I can say is if you can't control your children at least a majority of the time, you should be locked in a small room with them forever LOL

Bad parents are the reason people can't stand kids (especially other people's kids) and I have no sympathy for them. When I say bad parents, I mean the ones who think discipline is repeating themselves over and over and over and over and over, screaming just as loud as their kids, ignoring their kids, or making someone else (like grandma) handle it.

And don't even get me started when your kid is actually doing something to someone else and you do the above things OMG why.

I have a friend who is like this with her son. He is a spoiled, badly behaved, smart-mouth kid. All she does is yell at him and that NEVER works. I saw her put him in time out once and he just kept yelling "HAS IT BEEN FIVE MINUTES YET!?!?!?! MOM!!!!! MOM!!!!!! OK I'M DONE NOW!!!!!" This was after he was in the pool, splashing fully-clothed adults with cigarettes and cell phones in their hands who were telling him repeatedly not to splash them, and mom just kept repeatedly telling him not to splash people.

I can't stand when people just let their kids run everything at least when you are with other adults. It is so inconsiderate.

I don't have kids but I will tell you this, depending on the severity of the bad behavior, I will tell you once, TWICE if you're lucky, then I will physically remove you from the situation and that will be the end of it.

^This, to an extent.

My kids know that they get asked nicely, then told firmly, and then if I have to ask again you are in trouble. It took some patience and consistency, but the end result is that I now rarely have to ask a second time.

There are times though when ignoring the behavior is the right approach. Public tantrums are an example of this. When my daughter had meltdowns in the supermarket because she wanted something and I said no, ignoring it was the fastest way to end it. Attention simply fed the tantrum. Removed her from the situation meant dragging her screaming from one side of the store to the other. By ignoring it she learned that it didn't get her anything - neither the item she wanted nor the attention - and it rapidly subsided. As did the behavior overall. Now she asks for something and if I say "no" she just says "ok" and is just fine. Worst case I get a pouty look.

Fullsterkur_woman

I am a farmer and when she isn't at school, my daughter is technically at work with me. I bring my dogs, too - but then, the office that my wife works in lets you bring your dog.

I think we've already established that when you own the place, you can do what you like, and also, that there are certain workplaces where kids are acceptable. I went to a farm on a class field trip once, so that seems to fit in with that.

Are children the last section of society that it is acceptable to say that you hate? You couldn't say "I hate ALL old people, they are stinking germ factories" or "I hate all people of x or y descent/hair coulor/religion" etc...

Ever tried being fat or atheist?

BinaryPulsar

I've been bringing my lil one (now 7) to my work since she was a baby...off and on. But, I own the place. when she was a baby, I had a small room built just for her a crib and as she grew older...a play room. It has dark tinted windows so she could see me....It's worked for me and she really loves coming to work with me now when she is out of school.

This.

I am a farmer and when she isn't at school, my daughter is technically at work with me. I bring my dogs, too - but then, the office that my wife works in lets you bring your dog.


Are children the last section of society that it is acceptable to say that you hate? You couldn't say "I hate ALL old people, they are stinking germ factories" or "I hate all people of x or y descent/hair coulor/religion" etc...

I hate stupid and/or selfish people... does that count?

and selfish =/= childless either. Or stupid for that matter... this note is tagged on because it's a common judgement that childless people are selfish...

I actually edited this because I apparently can't spell.

I'm not judging anyone for having or not having kids.

I'm asking why is it acceptable to refer to kids, as a whole as 'stinking germ factories etc'. I couldn't refer to all old people like that.

I dont like all kids, just like I don't like all people of whatever arbitary category you put people in based on other characteristics (age, race, gender etc). It makes it even odder that we were all once children. Children are a fact of life, just like old people etc, you have to learn to live with them because you share a planet with them.

I wasn't implying that you were judging anyway... I was saying I hate the group of people that is stupid or selfish and the last part is a disclaimer for my statement to say I wasn't saying that childless people are selfish (because it is a common judgement) or stupid for that matter...

And there are people that say that all people that have children are selfish for having children because they believe that all human beings should stop procreating. But, I don't go around assuming that all people that don't have children are extremists.

And all people that have children are not extremists either.

There are all kinds of different people in this world. Healthy people, unhealthy people (for example). And those states are not dependent on whether a person is a parent or not.

I think realizing things like that is simply an aspect of maturity and not feeling like a victim to the world.

And obviously if a person (I don't mean you personally, I just mean that as a general term) has a huge chip on their shoulder and are blurting out that they hate parents and hate children and pregnant people make them want to vomit (or other such socially awkward behavior), then in that circumstance you might alienate some people or they may say awkward things to you because they are just imperfect human beings that are caught off guard and don't know what to say or how to respond, they need time to process the experience. Or maybe they even misunderstand you, or what you are saying. Life is like that sometimes. As someone else mentioned they also wouldn't know how to respond if you said that you hate old people, people with cancer, etc...

I really do not see some huge war between people with kids and people without kids. There are just people, all kinds of different people, some we like, some we don't. And some of them do or don't have kids.

On the other hand if people hate kids, I am fine with them being vocal and upfront about that. It's really for the best that they do because then certain situations can be avoided more easily with this information.

Fullsterkur_woman

I'm just here (and childless myself) to laugh at the irony.

The irony of people without children (who feel judged by parents of children, I get it, we all get it, and I'M honestly sick of hearing about it) who judge all parents of children by making sweeping generalizations like "youre not the most amazing thing in the whole world because you had a child even though you think you are" and "all parents tell me I should have babies!!!"

You hate children? I hate listening to you whine about them.

Proceed.

So we shan't be seeing you in here again, then? Ok, bye-bye.

Achrya

I've been bringing my lil one (now 7) to my work since she was a baby...off and on. But, I own the place. when she was a baby, I had a small room built just for her a crib and as she grew older...a play room. It has dark tinted windows so she could see me....It's worked for me and she really loves coming to work with me now when she is out of school.

This.

I am a farmer and when she isn't at school, my daughter is technically at work with me. I bring my dogs, too - but then, the office that my wife works in lets you bring your dog.


Are children the last section of society that it is acceptable to say that you hate? You couldn't say "I hate ALL old people, they are stinking germ factories" or "I hate all people of x or y descent/hair coulor/religion" etc...

I hate stupid and/or selfish people... does that count?

and selfish =/= childless either. Or stupid for that matter... this note is tagged on because it's a common judgement that childless people are selfish...

I actually edited this because I apparently can't spell.

I'm not judging anyone for having or not having kids.

I'm asking why is it acceptable to refer to kids, as a whole as 'stinking germ factories etc'. I couldn't refer to all old people like that.

I dont like all kids, just like I don't like all people of whatever arbitary category you put people in based on other characteristics (age, race, gender etc). It makes it even odder that we were all once children. Children are a fact of life, just like old people etc, you have to learn to live with them because you share a planet with them.

I, personally, hated being a child so I'm not sure what the fact I was once a child has to do with anything. I was small, weak, not permitted to make my own choices, and occasionally shown off like I was a trophey for my mom to take about. It isn't something I look back on fondly or with longing.

And I hate tons of people for all manner of reasons. Kids are actually one of the more reasonable things I dislike.