Anyone planning to bring baby to work?

love_melongtime · April 2011

Ok so here is my situation. Husband and I both work full time, live in a tiny 1 bedroom apt (it would be nearly impossible to fit a baby there) and are currently looking at buying a house. We have an offer on a house (a super good deal and a short sale), but we wouldn't be able to afford it with only my husbands income. Starting in August 2012, he will be making enough, but not until then.

I work in an office by myself, where I deal with the public. I have about 10 customers a day (they usually spend between 1-5 minutes with me) and i'll maybe have 15 customers on a really busy day.

Anyway, my boss does not know that I am expecting, but I am thinking about writing her an email and explaining to her that I am expecting, but that i would be interested in continuing to work if I could bring my child to work. Without going into detail of what I do, I have been here 5 years and have a good report with my bosses, and I am trusted to handle a lot of cash on a daily basis, while working alone. So needless to say, I am a valuable employee.

So I guess I am just looking for advice on how to approach this with my boss, and wondering if anyone else is in a similar situation? I feel like it's either bring baby to work, or buy a much smaller house, even though a year from now we could afford the house we are in love with.

terrijason · April 2011

you sound like you have a similiar job to me. except i deal with 10-15 customers a month in a good month. so baby will probably come with for a few weeks, but my boss and her husband fight like no tomorrow so i havent decided if want to expose my child to that, or for how long.

PitaBread · April 2011

DH works from home and even then, it is in his contract that if we have children, they are to have a nanny or be in daycare, he cannot do both. You can't possibly do your job and take care of an infant. And what about when they get to the mobile stage? Makes the workplace seem totally unprofessional, imo. What if the baby happens to be screaming when the client is there? If I was the client, I wouldn't return. Bad idea, imo.

Never fool yourself into thinking you are irreplaceable..you'd be shocked at how quickly a replacement is found!

mattandbekah · April 2011

I think it would be hard, but if your boss okays it, I would try it. I had the option to take Jack to work with me, but I couldnt do it. I decided to stay home with him. It was a different situation though...he would have been in contact with a bunch of children in the height of flu season when he was just 6 weeks old.

awesnap · April 2011

Unless you are a child care provider I don't see how you would get any work done. Just my two cents. Can you make some money on the side while you are pregnant to pay for childcare?

spedi · April 2011

I don't think it would go over well with my 14-18 year old students. I could probably get away with an hour here or there...but not long term!

But go for it in your situation! I would if I could! Infants sleep a LOT. When YH gets his raise, will you be quitting? So it would only be for 8-9 months?

Janimal · April 2011

I suppose it's worth a try. But honestly, if I were your boss, I would say NO. It's not like your baby will just sit in a carrier all day and not distract you from your job. Taking care of a baby is a job all by itself and your work would be nowhere near the quality that it is now.

DomerJenC · April 2011

1) don't buy a house that you can't afford, and don't buy one based on a raise that is supposed to happen in the future.

2) unless you don't do *anything* else when those customers are not there, I don't see how this would work. Babies are hard. Besides, is that really what you want your child doing 40+ hours/week? sitting in a bouncer or playpen behind a desk with no stimulation, scenery, etc?

Elsa1984 · April 2011

I will be taking my baby to work....but I work as a nanny. Only employee, I don't deal with clients during the day, and I am always surrounded in toys, crying, pooping, puking, naptime, etc. So my LO will fit right in! My cousin works in a construction office and she went back to work after 4 weeks and has had her daugher (now 2.5 years old) at the office with her everyday since. That being said, she also works for family and all of the family members did the same thing with their kids at that workplace. And she was one of three office employees so if the baby started crying, she could leave with the baby while a phone was answered (clients do not come personally into the office) by one of the other employees.

It is worth a try, but if I was a boss and had clients coming in and out of there....I would not allow my employee to bring their child to work. After watching my cousin do it, I know that in a office setting...it is extremely difficult task to try and get your job done while you are also trying to take care of a child.

SpinningJess · April 2011

I live in Kansas, and here State employees can take their baby to work until 6 months. So I was planning to ask my boss (who's wife works at the state) if I could bring my new one with me up until maybe 3 months or so. Enter twins and my plan is out the window LOL But it sounds like you have a good shot in your situation! I'd suggest getting a Moby wrap or other good baby carrier....

Lambie. · April 2011

I thought this was a great idea before I had a baby, now I have no idea how it would have worked. I mean maybe if I went back to work the first couple of weeks postpartum when she slept a lot but after that when she was up, she was up, and usually screaming. Then by about 4--5 months she became too active to keep her on me, and would have a melt down based on that alone. By 6 months she was all over the place. Now, between how fast she moves and me actually trying to get work done, I might as well put GPS on her and try and find her at the end of the day if I brought her with me. Either that or I would come to work but not actually do any.

TriathleteMama · April 2011

Most places, unless you work in a childcare setting, will not allow you to bring your baby to work. I got a job in the infant room at a childcare center when my older son was a baby--and that worked great. I couldn't imagine helping customers in a "customer" setting while also tending to my baby, though!

love_melongtime · April 2011

#1- I never said I was irreplaceable. Clearly, I know that is not the case. But in the last 6 months I have had my boss tell me on 2 seperate occasions that I would not be easy to replace. I guess you would have to know my work situation to understand what I mean.

#2- I spend about 7 of my 8 work day hours sitting behind this computer, blog surfing and streaming tv from hulu.com. Again, you would have to know my particular work situation to understand just how little work I actually have during the day. Aside from the couple of minutes I spend with each customer, I have about 15 minutes worth of actual work that I do first thing every morning.

Also I have a front lobby which is where my computers and desk are and where I assist my customers. And I have a back office where I would likely have the baby. It's about a 16 X 16 office and I work alone, so it's not like I just have a tiny desk to keep the baby at.

Thanks for the responses.

love_melongtime · April 2011

love_melongtime:

#1- I never said I was irreplaceable. Clearly, I know that is not the case. But in the last 6 months I have had my boss tell me that I would not be easy to replace. I guess you would have to know my work situation to understand what I mean.

#2- I spend about 7 of my 8 work day hours sitting behind this computer, blog surfing and streaming tv from hulu.com. Again, you would have to know my particular work situation to understand just how little work I actually have during the day. Aside from the couple of minutes I spend with each customer, I have about 15 minutes worth of actual work that I do first thing every morning.

Also I have a front lobby which is where my computers and desk are and where I assist my customers. And I have a back office where I would likely have the baby. It's about a 16 X 16 office and I work alone, so it's not like I just have a tiny desk to keep the baby at.

Thanks for the responses.

3/05bride · April 2011

I was told I could bring my baby with me to work. However, I did not return until 6 months and he would not hold still at this point. My plan had been to bring him one day/week, which honestly would have been doable because he would sit/lay and play by himself very well from about 3-6 months. When I did go back to work though, it was not possible. He was just too busy. Even with the information that you have lots of down time at your work, I think whether this is possible depends a lot on the temperment of your baby. But at the same time, you can always ask your boss and if she says yes, try it out.

cantalopes24 · April 2011

love_melongtime:
#1- I never said I was irreplaceable. Clearly, I know that is not the case. But in the last 6 months I have had my boss tell me on 2 seperate occasions that I would not be easy to replace. I guess you would have to know my work situation to understand what I mean.

#2- I spend about 7 of my 8 work day hours sitting behind this computer, blog surfing and streaming tv from hulu.com. Again, you would have to know my particular work situation to understand just how little work I actually have during the day. Aside from the couple of minutes I spend with each customer, I have about 15 minutes worth of actual work that I do first thing every morning.

Also I have a front lobby which is where my computers and desk are and where I assist my customers. And I have a back office where I would likely have the baby. It's about a 16 X 16 office and I work alone, so it's not like I just have a tiny desk to keep the baby at.

Thanks for the responses.

So the baby would be sitting in the back office all day? What are you going to do whrn those 15 customers are there and your baby is screaming the whole time? Or what if you are in the middle of feeding or changing the baby? Can you let customers sit by themselves for 5 to 20 minutes wile you attend to the baby? I agree with PP that you shouldn't buy a house you can't afford now with reasonable expenses on top of your mortgage.

Janimal · April 2011

love_melongtime:

#1- I never said I was irreplaceable. Clearly, I know that is not the case. But in the last 6 months I have had my boss tell me on 2 seperate occasions that I would not be easy to replace. I guess you would have to know my work situation to understand what I mean.

#2- I spend about 7 of my 8 work day hours sitting behind this computer, blog surfing and streaming tv from hulu.com. Again, you would have to know my particular work situation to understand just how little work I actually have during the day. Aside from the couple of minutes I spend with each customer, I have about 15 minutes worth of actual work that I do first thing every morning.

Also I have a front lobby which is where my computers and desk are and where I assist my customers. And I have a back office where I would likely have the baby. It's about a 16 X 16 office and I work alone, so it's not like I just have a tiny desk to keep the baby at.

Thanks for the responses.

Sounds like you are already convinced it would work. So why on earth did you ask!?!?!

This does NOT seem like a good idea at all to me. Now you fill your days with surfing the internet. What are you going to do to entertain an infant all day? Having an infant in a 16x16 office is NOT a healthy way to spend each day. Oh, and how understanding will your customers be when they walk in and you are busy with a huge poopy diaper blowout that somehow managed to find it's way up your arm?

unamilagra · April 2011

I don't know exactly what kind of business you work in, but if I were to walk into a store and see that the only person available to help me had a screaming/ pooping/ squirming infant with them, I would turn around and walk back out. THat is not appropriate for a professional business. If it was some sort of situation where I had to deal with that business, I would most likely ask for a manager so I could complain about the fact that there was a screaming/ pooping/ squirming infant getting in the way of my business.

I can't imagine any situation where someone who spends 95% of their work day surfing the net would really be that hard to replace. If I were you I woudn't even ask. I would either buy the house that I could afford on one salary, or look into affordable day care options.

cantalopes24 · April 2011

poru:
Janimal:
love_melongtime:

#1- I never said I was irreplaceable. Clearly, I know that is not the case. But in the last 6 months I have had my boss tell me on 2 seperate occasions that I would not be easy to replace. I guess you would have to know my work situation to understand what I mean.

#2- I spend about 7 of my 8 work day hours sitting behind this computer, blog surfing and streaming tv from hulu.com. Again, you would have to know my particular work situation to understand just how little work I actually have during the day. Aside from the couple of minutes I spend with each customer, I have about 15 minutes worth of actual work that I do first thing every morning.

Also I have a front lobby which is where my computers and desk are and where I assist my customers. And I have a back office where I would likely have the baby. It's about a 16 X 16 office and I work alone, so it's not like I just have a tiny desk to keep the baby at.

Thanks for the responses.

Sounds like you are already convinced it would work. So why on earth did you ask!?!?!

This does NOT seem like a good idea at all to me. Now you fill your days with surfing the internet. What are you going to do to entertain an infant all day? Having an infant in a 16x16 office is NOT a healthy way to spend each day. Oh, and how understanding will your customers be when they walk in and you are busy with a huge poopy diaper blowout that somehow managed to find it's way up your arm?

Janimal, girl, you always know how to put it in proper perspective. I heart you.

Is there anyone else that is DYING TO KNOW what type of work the OP does. So secretive and vague. Handling lots of money, only 75 minutes of actual work on a busy day and all of it is customer facing. Could it possibly be a front desk clerk at a rent by the hour motel where the girls are already waiting? My imagination is coming up with lots of fun ideas....

My first thought was bail bonds. What else would require large amounts of cash and few customers that she didn't want to explain on the board? Pimp?

LovieBear · April 2011

NEVER NEVER NEVER buy a home you can not afford comfortably. ?Dave Ramsey is an excellent source for budgeting and seeing how much you should spend on a home. good luck

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