NC Penguin

Is it just my workplace or do your colleagues sometimes bring in their kids to work.

This happens pretty often at my workplace (it's an office setting) when the childminder's sick/got a doctor's appt or when both parents don't quite have overlapping hours at work/spouse has an appointment, etc.

Forget about just seeing pictures of my colleagues children on their desks, I get to meet the kids in the flesh.

The youngest has been about 6 months old and the oldest, so far, about 8.

The kids are here for perhaps an hour or two to half a day.

This never happened in the UK. Colleagues never had to bring in their kids to work to take care of them.

I'm just curious if others on this forum have experienced the same.

effi

My work colleague does it on occasion, usually if the kids have an early doctors apt or have been suspended from day care (bad kids, both have ADD and are totally out of control). I found it unusual at first, but the company does not seem to mind. I do though, it is a real shit trying to work with a 5 year old continually in your face or screwing with your computer. Should not be allowed in my opinion.

jcapulet

Hi NC Penguin,

From jobs I've held in the past, I've seen coworkers bring their kids in for 1 to 2 hours, or near the end of the day. In my experience, I rarely see this happen but it does every now and then (I'm sure they had their reasons ). One time a coworker's daughter came over to my cube and I ended up semi-babysitting the lil one. Bad thing is, I am awkward around children, so I didn't know what to say to her! Don't think she minded though since she stuck around a few minutes.

mattbutt

I remeber when I was a kid my Dad quite often used to take us to work with him in the holidays if for what ever reason someone couldnt look after us, we used to sit in his office and draw pictures.

DOnt see anything wrong with it unless they get in the way

jcapulet

Several years ago, I interviewed for a job at an office where people were allowed to KEEP THEIR PETS with them in their offices all day!!! I have never seen anything like that! A big bonus if you have pets but wow, that was a first for me

NC Penguin

I'm going to assume the pets allowed in the office were dogs and cats. What if an employee has a cat allergy? That shouldn't make them an ineligible job candidate.

It's animals in restaurants that bother me. Saw this too often in Paris. Really puts you off your food.

Restaurants for pets sounds like a better idea.

jcapulet

Yes, it was all dogs and cats I don't know about the allergy thing...but at the interview they made it very clear that cats and dogs are in the office, so I guess if I had an allergy that would be a bad place to be. Everyone had their own office, and the pets stayed in the office except for when they went for walks.

Actually, come to think of it, that probably would have been a bad place for me to be...I am severely allergic to cats :scared:

jcapulet

I don't think I've seen pets in restaurants...but once I shopped at a small grocery store with my college roomates, and the woman had a dog. Sometimes she'd be slurping up food while ringing our items up. One time, she was trimming her dog's fur at the cash register, and then she handled our food. Now, that is GROSS.. Needless to say, we never returned.

BrigieDarling

I'm thinking of going back to work this year, but don't know how I will manage without a nanny.

My sister Simonne is coming to stay with me for a bit this summer and I am begging her to take me up on it.

If not I'm going to pray an old school friend will lend me one of her daughters.

There are so many holidays and times when the school nurse calls that I'd be fired as soon as I started work if I didn't have any help.

Ya know what sucks... having 3 sisters (and a half sister) that live 3000 miles away and nobody to babysit here.

Pulaski

Sarah, if it wasn't that I know you live and work in the Triangle I'd swear that you worked in my office - you have described it perfectly, except that sometimes my colleaues' spouses with young kids arrive to share lunch in our office break room! First I thought that it was just a one-off but one guy has had his wife and son visit three time so far this year, and the last time his wife not only brought their son, but also her sister. Isn't that just dandy? - My office has become a venue for family days out!