Quote:
Originally Posted by Sliver
Parents do require different treatment than non parents. I'm not really addressing the OP per se, but rather the people complaining about their coworkers being granted leeway that they are not.
Like it or not, it does take a village to raise a child and we are all part of that village. You picking up a coworker's slack is part of your responsibility in raising the next generation so the coworker is free to do the more important job of raising their kids.
A kid's doctor's appointment, first day of kindergarten, an illness...it's all way more important than any job. People with young kids also have to leave on time. They have to relieve their child minders, cook their kids a nutritious supper and get them into bed all by the time people without kids have kicked back on the couch to watch a couple Seinfeld reruns. Plus the parents have to be having fun with their kids, teach their kids and discipline their kids. It's a Herculean job and responsibility.
And when you see your coworker leave early, don't resent them because you think you have to work harder because of their absence. No matter what you do, it's 10x easier than the 24/7 job they are going home to. The job you share with them...it's a welcome break in their day from the job of raising kids that is actually hard (I'm talking parents of kids that are 0-2.5 or so).
I used to think like you guys before I had kids when I was in my 20s. Now I know better. I get where you are coming from, but frankly you just don't have enough life experience to know how wrong you are.
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What a load, I bet you cant wait to have a week end with the boys. I hate when people use their kids as excuse. Sure your job should let you leave to attend certain functions, but YOU should make up for it by working extra and putting in overtime, not counting on someone else to pick up for you, especially in a case like this; a parent counting on the non parents (time and time again by the sounds of it). Jealousy is something that a parent should've overcome before deciding they were matue enough to have kids. Just because my wife and I have chosen to not yet have kids, does not mean your time is more important then everyone elses. Years ago a co worker asked my supervisor, who put in a lot of time at work "what was more important to him family or his job" he said that "His job was because with out it his family would be living in the street." If you are supporting a family you would think you would be putting in the most effort and pulling long hours, that is waht a provider does.
All this is something you really need to figure out before having children, it is your responsiblity to raise them. It only takes a village if you can't be bothered to do it yourself or if you wish to persue the over indulgent lifestyle most of us live. I'm not saying you don't need help, Aunts, Uncles whatever. But really to me leaving on time to get to my soft ball game is much more important then you having to leave early evrey Tuesday to get your kid to music lessons, especially when you can'tr come in early to make up for it because something about the school bus blah blah blah.
There was something in that "bullying the bus monitor" thread where someone listed something about raising kids and #1 was school and #2 was parents/ home. I can't understand how some just graduted book learnin hipee has now been given the keys to your child so to speak. Everyone should realize by now elementary school is just a babysitter so both parents can work, just like kindergarden and day homes were previous to school. Both parents working is an excuse for misbehaved, rude, kids who don't listen.