DH wants me to bring baby to work?!?!

[mh_ccl]

OK, I think my DH might be legit crazy. I've been working from home, but my supervisor wants to talk to me next week about when I'll be returning to the office. Our hope had been to keep the baby home with me until 6 months, then put her in daycare. She is almost 4 months now.

DH has seriously asked me why I can't bring the baby to the office with me. He seems to think that it's probably acceptable, and then I just won't ask because I'm stubborn. Of course, he's not asking if HE can bring her to his office.

For the record, I work for a large engineering/project management company. I don't have an office and we're an open floor plan. So he thinks I'd be able to, I don't know, have a crib in my cubicle???

I'm frustrated because it just strikes me that he doesn't take my job very seriously (we earn nearly the same wage) and/or expects me to give up somehow because we had a baby. I refuse to even ask a question when I know that the answer will be no, and that just asking it will make my supervisors look at me differently. If any of my employees asked to bring their child to work, I'd tell them no. But it just doesn't seem to compute for DH.

 

[LoveCakes]

I think he's being weird. Has he looked after your LO all day? Even if you had an office a baby is a full time job and you can't do two jobs at once. I agree asking would make you look stupid. Maybe as you say ask him why he's not requesting the same from his employers?

 

[Larkspur]

I work from home with a nanny to help me but I still have main responsibility for the baby (I also have a toddler). Realistically, even with this level of help, I do not expect to get more than six hours of work done in an eight-hour day of childcare cover.

Your husband is talking crazy. No employer would accept that in the workplace. And I certainly wouldn't ask, not only because the answer will be no, but it will make you look like you don't take your job seriously.

 

[minties]

Well now...not sure what to say. Does he also suggest bringing a Playboy magazine to dinner with his in laws?

What a bizzare idea.

 

[Miss_Cellany]

Does he think the baby will just sit quietly while you work?!

 

[Pearls18]

I sometimes hear of this happening in some countries but I think mostly in the UK it just wouldn't be acceptable due to health and safety, most offices wouldn't allow a baby for more than a visit, children arent even allowed in my building (fine by me!) I don't even know how people manage to work from home with children, I study part time but never do anything when they're awake unless my DH is home, kudos to those that do but ive never understood why people think working from home is the ideal, I personally couldn't juggle my job and giving my children enough attention ( unless there was a nanny like a pp) I don't even begrudge the childcare as I know they will be having fun and being well looked after, plus I like getting out the house to my job.

 

[leahtaba]

Is he serious? If work places actually allowed this then I doubt much would get done in the world. although on the plus side we would all save a fortune on childcare. I would also be telling him to ask HIS bosses if he could take the baby to work.

 

[Dime Cuando]

Clearly he's never had to try and work while entertaining a baby. I work from home and I know how hard it is....I've had to take calls while feeding, cut calls short due to LO crying and type with one hand and it's far from ideal and I just about got away with it because no one could see me - in a office situation it would not have even been an option for me. My LO will start daycare in Sept now because she's mobile and its become near on impossible to continue as we are as I'm finding myself working way into the night as she needs my attention all day.

 

[felix555]

Tell him you think it's a brilliant idea ... but you want to trial it. Let HIM take your LO to work tomorrow just to see how it would work.

 

[sue_88]

He can't be serious surely?!?

No one with any amount of common sense would suggest such a ridiculous idea.

Definitely do not ask your boss to do this, if one of my employees suggested such a thing they'd be moved elsewhere!

 

[Eleanor ace]

Erm ! I work from home and it is hard and that is with a playroom for the children to play in, toys all over the place and with DD's own room for her to nap in. I cannot imagine trying to work and chase after a baby (especially in the sort of environment you work in!) and them only having a small space to play in, super quietly, and without a quiet space to nap/chill out in! I'd be pissed if DH suggested it as like ou I would see it as him seeing my job as less important than it is.

 

[Itsychik]

Wow. I don't know that I can add anything but I second what everyone else has said. Your DH needs a reality check!

I work from home one day a week with both my children. I've been doing it for 3 years with my oldest and now have a second baby. I returned to work 3 weeks ago and nearly had a breakdown last week by the end of the day of working at home. It was manageable with one (although challenging) but that was ONLY because we were at home and could keep my DS on his own schedule. I would never, ever dream of taking my kids to my office. I think my colleagues would lose all respect for me, even if it were allowed!

Clearly your DH needs to spend a few full days working from home alone with your LO to see how productive he is!

 

[Wilsey]

I don't know how that would work. Ever. Unless you worked at a day-care!

 

[Bevziibubble]

I can't imagine it would be very realistic to take a baby into a workplace and expect to get much work done!
What if baby cried a lot and needed your attention. It would disturb your work and everyone else's too. My LO was quite a sicky baby and had a habit of throwing up at the worst places, so this is something to consider also! It's very unlikely a baby would just sit quietly while you got your work done.
I would tell your DH that it's not realistic. You shouldn't have to ask your boss this, especially if your DH isn't prepared to have baby at work with him!

 

[irish_cob]

And I suppose your OH's workplace is full of working mums and their babies? Is he on drugs?

 

[BabyMamma93]

i too work in a office, my OH isnt working atm but is soon getting back into work and he said to me before 'i dont want him passed from person to person and i dont want a stranger looking after him, you could take him to work couldn't you?'
see i probably could, i work in a small quiet office, i hardly do anything if im honest, but that doesn't mean i should just bring him to work, its not very professional, and what about when we are all busy, and theres a crying baby wanting a bottle, do i just drop my work to feed him then whatever needs doing doesnt get done, everyone in the office gets annoyed then i get sacked?? yeah fab idea!!
IDK what makes them think this is a good idea?x

 

[mh_ccl]

Well, he works with the military, so *of course* it wouldn't be proper for him the bring her to work. I don't think he fully comprehends that in order to put in 8 hours of work, I have to be working for 12+ hours. He's not been here to see me sitting on the floor of the nursery, nursing the baby on one side while I type one-handed.

And of course on the one day he had off when he could watch her so I could focus on work, he had to ask me if her diaper felt wet. I checked, said yes, and tried to hand the baby back. He actually asked me, "well, don't you want to change her?" No. No I am not going to ange her so you can have a break on your extra day off and enjoy some alone time. I need to get my effing work done.

In a way, having to go backto the office will be a blessing in disguise. It's going to force us to put her in daycar earlie and I will finally get some time to myself. I love my daughter to death, but I haven't had a proper break in 4 months.