Tales from the Trenches: The Ups and Downs of Parental Leave

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  Hecatesmaid07/10/07 Report as spam
  1

  Parenting...A Choice?

  I made a conscientous decision NOT to have children and I have yet to see any articles that offer me "leave" or special "rights." I may be missing the part where having a child was a CHOICE but it appears that those of us who CHOOSE NOT to procreate are at the professional AND financial mercy of those who do (ask any "parent" where that tax "gift" comes from and you'll get that deer in a headlight look).
  It is ridiculous to expect your employer AND coworkers to help YOU have a life-balance - and not to mention selfish. I work in an office with those who "chose" to have children and I am sorry to sound like a baby-hater but it is non-stop with the "priveledges" these people EXPECT. The baby is sick - they are running out of the office, they need a "time-out" they are running out of the office, non-stop phone calls - it is never ending. WHY are there no articles or laws for that matter for those of us who C-H-O-O-S-E not to overburden ourselves AND everyone else.

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  jdenton@...08/30/07 Report as spam
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  Oh spare us, please.

  I mean no disrespect really but come on. I have children...virtually every one I work with has children and your description of the 'norm' is not at all normal. Sure, every so often things come up. As a matter of fact, the one person in my workgroup who wasn't married with children actually took more time off than any of us to take care of his sister and out of work pop. So give us all a break, ok. We would give it to you.
  
  And what about CHOICE? I also chose to buy a home which gives me
  another nice litte tax deduction. Are you gonna gripe about the unfairness in that too?

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  Ana T.08/31/07 Report as spam
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  Children

  So, you have chosen not to have children, good for you, your life must be boring but well balanced. Sadly, in the long term you will benefit more from those who took the other road, since humanity needs replacement now and then. Beside, those kids you so despise nowadays will be the ones taking care of you in your old age (making laws to regulate old people and finding ways to cut their medical aid and so on) So, whenever you think about despising them (and their parents) remember that sooner or later you?ll end up in their hands (and the way life expecting keeps on growing, you might be their prisoner for decades).

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  Ana T.08/31/07 Report as spam
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  Upsy dupsy

  It also was for Hecatesmaid. Good nickname, by the way, kind of Greek, guess vesta was already taken?

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  annamj08/30/07 Report as spam
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  Parental leave laws are the same laws

  that protect your right to take care of ANY family member. It could be your husband, sister, father...while there are some people who choose to have children, there are others who have no choice but to take care of other sick family members.
  
  I think you're being a bit harsh with the criticism and hope that jdenton is never in a position to have to take care of himself/herself or a sick family member. But if you do, be thankful this legislation is in place to protect your work status.

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  annamj08/30/07 Report as spam
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  Woops, the previous comment was for

  Hecatesmaid

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  MJMac08/31/07 Report as spam
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  It's not all about you

  I also have no children, because I chose not to. But to complain about the requirements of having them is to be extremely short-sighted.
  
  Children are work. Period. They are CHILDREN, for pete's sake. They have special needs by design. Those of us who are childless need to recognize that it's better for society to have them raised right, in a loving home with parents, than to have them dumped into daycare as soon as possible or otherwise neglected.
  
  It's like paying school taxes: I benefit from having educated children, even if those children are not my own.
  
  Luckily for all of us, society as a whole is starting to catch on to the idea that your work is a PART of your life, and the more all parts can be integrated, the healthier we all will be.

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  rockymtnrick01/23/08 Report as spam
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  It's a Point of View

  My family is a priority to me, too. But I don't ask my employer to grade me as "productive" when I'm not even there. While punitive evaluations are simply wrong, pragmatic "I can't grade you for what you didn't do" statements in your record seem appropriate.
  
  If you weren't needed at work, why did they hire you? Someone had to cover for you while you were at home. Be grateful for companies that are generous enough to pay you while you aren't producing--but don't ask for more.

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  williamsa01/23/08 Report as spam
  9

  RE: Tales from the Trenches: The Ups and Downs of Parental Leave

  American work culture? Wow, I'm quite stunned by both a lot of what is in your articles, and by the responses. I am assuming that pretty much all of it is written from an American perspective? I'm quite new to this site and hadn't realised it wasn't international. It seems apalling and quite sad to me how little those of you who have children seem to get by way of parental leave and assistance, and (from other articles) how little all of you seem to get by way of annual leave and benefits from your employers. I guess many people really do live to work in the USA? I suppose if that's all you know it doesn't seem strange but it does make me question why a "green card" is so sort after... perhaps it's desireable if you come from a third worls economy. For everyone else, hey, life's short, it's a gift, it can be taken away in a flaqsh - don't waste it and sell it to a corporation, you should be getting a lot more in return for your loyalties and hours work... aren't you supposed to be living in the land of the free??? Good luck to you all.