Bringing Kids to Work? Is it Appropriate?

By Joe Issid

If you are a parent, it is inevitable that you will need to bring your kid(s) into work with you at some point in time. Maybe their daycare unexpectedly closed for the day or their school schedule doesn’t quite line up with your work schedule. No matter the cause, most parents will need to confront this reality and do their best to minimize the trauma – for both the parent and the child. While some companies openly invite new parents to bring their newborns to work, many work environments are not quite so permissive. Having said that, most employers should be fairly tolerant of those parents who are stuck in a difficult situation and have no choice but to bring their kids to work. But keep in mind, however, that it is rarely a straightforward proposition. Your child needs to be kept busy, fed, dry and happy, which may not be easy at the best of times (let alone in a foreign place surrounded by strangers). Here are some tips that will help you and your child get through this day.

Provide notice

In many cases, bringing your child to work is a last resort and usually doesn’t come with much advance warning. In any case, you should do your best to inform your manager and co-workers of the possible distraction and to give them the opportunity to voice any concerns. You may not be fully aware of all the goings-on around the office so it is important to let your colleagues let you know if there are any additional considerations you may not be aware of.

Free yourself

The only person who can make your child feel comfortable at your office is you. As such, do your best to remain as available as possible for your kid throughout the day: try to reschedule meetings or extricate yourself from any that you can afford to miss. If you have a newborn or toddler, it is especially important that you are nearby throughout the day as they require constant monitoring. It is only normal for your child to experience elevated feelings of anxiety if they are left alone for long periods of time so try and reduce your absences to a minimum.

Don’t burden your colleagues

On that note, you should be very careful not to impose any parenting duties upon your co-workers. Of course, many people in your office will be delighted to meet and play with your child and this can be very reassuring. However, don’t expect them to soothe your child or to change a dirty diaper. You should always remember that you are bringing a child to a place of business and that everyone has a job to do (that doesn’t involve taking care of your child).

Bring entertainment

As much as you would like to spend the day playing with your kid, you will be at the office and doing your best to progress with your work. You may not love the idea, but allowing your kid to watch movies on an iPad all day may be a saving grace for you. Try and think of as many items to bring with you that will keep your child entertained (even if it may not be your ideal option).

Put them to work

If your child is old enough to follow simple instructions, it could be a good idea to get them to spend their day doing something productive. Maybe you have a lot of data entry or filing to do; or maybe your child is old enough to be interested in seeing how a workplace functions. It can be to everyone’s benefit if your child is productive for much of the day.

Find relief

Asking your child to remain at the office with you for a whole day can be a tall order (for both of you). If your partner, relatives or friends are in a position to come and fetch your kid at any point throughout the day, I would urge you to take advantage of the offer. It may not be hard for you, but your child will not be accustomed to spending more than 8 hours inside an office building and they will find it increasingly difficult to sit still. If you can, try and cut your day short and head out.

If your kid has the day off from school maybe you can salvage some of it for yourself as well.