I've vented about this elsewhere, but I just have to share again. I teach at a college and I have a colleague with an office two doors down who just came back from maternity leave with her second child. Apparently she is incapable of hiring a baby sitter! She brings her daughter with her to work at least once or twice a week. She did this with her first baby, too, and the kid would just scream his head off constantly the entire time she was in class (a student babysat in her office). This time, instead, I get to hear a constant parade of 20 year old college girls going "Oooh! A baby! She's so cute! What's her name?! Awww...." All. Day. Long. Worse yet is when students or faculty find this an inspiration to question me -- Ooh, did you see the baby? When are you having a baby?
And, whenever she leaves her office to make copies, etc., she takes the kid with her. My office is right next to the elevator, so she's constantly just hanging out in front of my door holding the baby on her hip waiting for the elevator. This is getting so old.
I don't know why this is allowed here. There are several faculty members who have gotten away with this sort of thing and it just makes me want to throttle them. This is ridiculous. What kind of zoo are we running? Of all the "I'll never do that when I'm a parent" things I have ever said (and recognized that I am probably wrong about many of them) this is the one that I know I will never violate -- I will never use my office as daily day care!!! I've sat in meetings where someone was chasing around his two year old! What? We all had to spend the meeting moving things out of the kid's reach. The father kept telling us "I'm the primary caregiver" as if that was an excuse for bringing a baby to a meeting. It's one thing if this was an emergency (although, it still really isn't...) but this was a regular thing.
The worst offense? I was on a Master's committee where the candidate had a private defense with her four committee members. One of the committee members showed up with her 1 year old to the defense! Her in-office babysitter was late and rather than giving the kid to her husband (who also works on campus) or finding someone who could sit with her son until the babysitter showed up she actually brought him to the defense. Really? He started screaming and wouldn't stop.
And, of course, if I complain all I hear is "Well, you're not a parent so you don't understand." Uh, no, I understand the real world. I can't imagine any other job situation where this would be tolerated! This town has at least 5000 college age students who would love to babysit your kid in your home when they're not in class. I know our salaries aren't great, but they're good enough to hire day care!
Anyway, all this to say -- seriously, if she doesn't stop parading her kid in front of my door soon I'm going to lose it.
That's just an awful situation. I don't think I would be able to stand it. I am stoned your department tolerates this. How could anybody pay attention to work while a baby is screaming next door? it's just plain ridiculous. I am truly sorry you have to put up with that.
ReplyDeleteI seriously can't believe that people tolerate this kind of thing. Not only is it distracting the child's parent from doing work, but it's also distracting YOU and everyone else! It's not fair. Parents should be held to the exact same standard as people without children. You would never be allowed to bring a pet to work. Why should you be allowed to bring a child?
ReplyDeleteBTW, I'm so happy you started a blog. It's easier to keep up with everyone here rather than on the boards. :)
Yeah, you'd say you wouldn't be allowed to bring a pet to work -- but one of my colleagues who retired a few years ago used to have her dog here all the time!! Actually, she had the same office as the woman who now brings her baby! It's not allowed but no one "official" seems to care...
ReplyDeleteTruly, I work in a zoo!! :)