CNN Video: Babies on the Job
May 19th, 2008 by Kate Olson
Stephanie (one of the writers here) just shared this Babies on the job video and related issues this morning and I HAD to get it up here as soon as I could!
The video from CNN describes the growing trend of allowing mothers to bring their children to work with them as a way of keeping mothers in the workforce. What are your thoughts on this?
Take a look at the video and weigh in here! (and while you’re at it, ask CNN to let me embed their video!)
I have mixed feelings on this from an employment standpoint, but as a mother it’s a no-brainer. Hands down, I’d be more apt to stay in a position that allowed me to have my children nearby. How about you? As a boss, where would you stand?
Related Reading
CNN article - What Working Moms Miss and Wish For
Boston Globe - Bringing Up Babies At Work (added 6/2/08)
Dave Writes - Baby on Board? At Work? (added 6/2/08)
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe so you don't miss any of the action! Have you met all of the contributors? Head over and find out about the fabulous parents writing here! Thanks for visiting!
I LOVE this concept…god for moms!! It’s about time we give working moms a break to be with their babes…I LOVE kids!…and to the guy who complained…..phlfbttttttttttt!
Historically, kids were around for their parents doing adult things more often than not. The whole “send children off to a place with only people their own age” thing isn’t really how we were meant to work.
Also, cuts down on child care costs!
I only watched the first 45 secs of video. I am a small business owner with a incredibly flexible work environment, but… there has to be lines. This is not good idea.
I am also a parent and it’s not fair to the kids. No way this is a good idea.
Not fair to kids, not fair to employer and not fair to other employees. IN that order is my priority.
Codys last blog post..Recap of last few days.
Sounds nice, but hard to really make work.
Also, not sure it is fair to coworkers. Cannot imagine bringing my child into a meeting at the office and them being pleased that not only does the child distract me, but also them. Don’t see how it could help position me as a professional ready to take on additional responsibility through career advancement, either.
I am fortunate to have the flexibility in my job to work from home sometimes, and it can be tough for my preschooler to have me tell her “not now Mommy’s working” when I’m right there with her. But, it is an issue essentially invisible to those I work with when I’m dialing into meetings.
So, I think telecommuting is the better answer for retaining talent when employers are faced with the potential of losing new mothers.
Russ, this is crazy, I would be glad to give a Mom time to go a be with their baby…
Family is always first in our office, always, no exceptions. Ask any of our employess http://www.logicmaze.com/aboutlogicmaze.htm
This is not family first this is family only.
The whole concept is wacked!
Parents do not need to spend every second with their kids (that can be just as unhealthy) they need to give their kids undivided attention when they are with them. And bringing them to work to actually sit on your lap during a meeting… Ridiculous!
If I could (and if we had employees with kids that age) we would provide daycare in house and visits to it would be un-monitored and unlimited. but this is crazy.
Damnit Kate this actually has me riled up.
Codys last blog post..Recap of last few days.
Great comment Laura…
Tele… doesn’t always work either though, I have tried it as employee and employer. Some can handle it, some can’t.
kid time is so much more about quality than quantity.
I promise it is good for your kid to spend sometime away from Mom and/or Dad.
Gotta take a break, where’s my blood pressure medicine.
This concept is only good at a daycare… Period.
Codys last blog post..Recap of last few days.
Kate - interesting concept. Admittedly, I’m an open minded guy so of course I’d be willing to give this a whirl. If both sides can be respectful of the working arrangement, I believe allowing children in the workplace could be a win/win. Obviously, if the child was screaming all the time (I have three so I know just how loud children can be), that might be a challenge.
BTW, I ABSOLUTELY think that CNN should allow you to embed their video (with proper attribution of course). Why wouldn’t they want additional eyeballs seeing their ads and content?
Best,
Aaron | @astrout
My first thought was this would be a great concept. I am always fantasizing about going back to work full-time in an office - I miss the adult interaction and the fast pace. But I couldn’t give up the quality time I get with toddler.
After some further pondering, I don’t think this would be realistic. I think in the long run I’d feel resentment from co-workers and would be more stressed than need be. The situation I have now with freelancing works fine for the time being. Do I make the same salary I could command in an office atmosphere? I should say not yet. I think we’ll see more and more ways for moms to add value to the corporate world while being hands-own “present” parents.
I completely disagree with bringing babies to work. Having childcare in the facility is one thing, but to have the child with your own office is absurd. Working from home is different. Working in a corporate environment with a baby is not acceptable or professional. It is an infringement on worker’s rights. Also, what about the development and socialization skills of the child?
Lauren Vargass last blog post..Now is gone, but we’re only just beginning!
ha!!! So, what about working moms WHO WANT a break from kids. Sometimes that’s part of the reason why moms go back to work. All moms are different. Whatever works for your family is what I say.
If you did bring kids to work “the office” would have to be supportive. If I had a crying baby down the hall from me right now I honestly would be unhappy and that would reflect in my work.
funny thing….at local sushi joint kids are all over the place. VERY young infants near kitchen, behind sushi bar. I’ve always felt uncomfortable w/ that by my guess is the moms/dads of these kids had no choice.
Jessica, Lauren, thank you now I am not the jerk guy who went with a no on this!!
I am a Dad, first and foremost and I am uncomfortable when my 8 and 11 year olds are here to long, at the office. It is a bad idea.
Codys last blog post..Recap of last few days.
I didn’t have the chance to watch the video yet, but given the discussion, I do have an opinion. I have an 18 month old and an 8 week old and I can not imagine being effective at the office with either or both of them around. I wish I could say otherwise, and maybe it makes me a bad mother, but to me, work is work and nights/weekends is family time. That simple. To me anyway.
I took all three of my kids to work. I own my own business and I did not have the luxury of a “real” maternity leave. I had to be back at work nearly immediately. So, with my first, I packed her up and took her with - it was wonderful.
Since that time, all of the mothers at my office have, at some point, had their children at my office. I don’t mind. I agree with the boss in the video - I think it’s an incentive for employees to stick around.
Clients don’t mind for the most part - in fact, many of my clients are happy to see the kids because law firms are generally such high pressure, stoic places to be.
I think most professionals are smart enough to know when it works and when it doesn’t. You and your children must be respectful of your co-workers and the fact that you’re at work. You set up boundaries - we have certain areas (like computers, phones and copy machines) that are absolutely “hands off.” You understand that your child will not be on his or her best behavior all of the time - kids are predictably unpredictable - and you have a back up plan.
On the video, they showed some toddlers at the work place. That’s a tough age - especially for every day with mommy at work. There’s a need for quality time. But babies? Absolutely! They sleep, they eat, they hang out with mommy. What could be better?
Kellys last blog post..Qualifications for Senator: 30 Yrs Old, US Citizen for 9 Yrs, State Residency (Understanding of Tax Code Not Required)
Wow, thanks for the conversation! I’ll state my FULL position on this now:
1) I can’t work as effectively anytime I have my children in the same room and sometimes even when they’re in the same house - when I work at home I usually have my kids at daycare,
however
2) my kids aren’t infants anymore and infancy is when this decision is usually made. If I would have had the choice of an in-office daycare when my kids were tiny and still nursing, I would have been much more likely to work at that time. The age (and temperment) of the children DOES matter. I promise you that with my kids at the ages they are (1 and 2.5), NO boss would welcome them into an office! They’d do just fine, however, in a daycare located within the same building where I could visit them during breaks.
I’ll be dealing with the “children at work” situation a LOT this summer as I try to work at home with often not enough day care coverage - that will mean lots of late nights because I can’t devote my attention to work when my kids are home (and I shouldn’t!). That will be changing soon as I begin working full-time from home in the fall and will have full-time daycare, meaning that the 2 worlds won’t overlap quite so much.
Thanks for the contributions!
T
Three things:
1. I think this is a good idea, but it is wholly dependent on the type of work that the mother is involved in. I believe some jobs might lend themselves to this situation better than others. The vid refers to paralegals and that is one that woudl work - school teacher or police officer might not.
2. Because infant childcare is so hard to obtain and so expensive, this might be a good way to keep moms in the workforce while assisting in the transition to motherhood/workhood.
3. Let’s be real - men have been bringing their babies to work for years - it’s just that when men bring their babies, they get kept in the parking garage and not in the office! So in effect, men do have daycare!
SJC