Today I have been told that members of staff who are on maternity leave are bringing their children into the office. Am I alone in finding this really irritating? Last time I looked I the office was a place of business not a creche.

In about three hours I can see the office coming to a standstill while the majority of the office coo's and ahh's and the child screams blue murder while I'm on the phone. I can guarantee that if I say anything then I'll be accused of being a miserable sod.

I've spoken to some of my colleagues about this and they feel the same about it - any other users get this at their work?

Most definitely!

I don't mind when it's a newborn and new mothers/fathers want to bring them in to show them off. But they then start dropping in every 2 days for weeks afterwards! :rant:

Like you say, it's a place of work not a creche...

Originally posted by Swan_Vesta
Today I have been told that members of staff who are on maternity leave are bringing their children into the office. Am I alone in finding this really irritating? Last time I looked I the office was a place of business not a creche.

In about three hours I can see the office coming to a standstill while the majority of the office coo's and ahh's and the child screams blue murder while I'm on the phone. I can guarantee that if I say anything then I'll be accused of being a miserable sod.

I've spoken to some of my colleagues about this and they feel the same about it - any other users get this at their work?

sounds a bit like miserableness to me. Whilst I'd have no interest in looking at someones child, other colleagues might, and a few minutes disruption isn't going to hurt you that much.
In fact, unless you're paid by commission, i'd guess it's not going to hurt you at all, take the 5 mins whilst they are there to go and have a coffee, or get some fresh air.

It's not really on. I also don't mind people showing their newborns off, but it's going to affect everyone's concentration if you've got a baby in the office for long periods of time. I wouldn't think most offices are very nice places for a baby anyway - what stimulation are they going to get? the click of keyboards and the dry air caused by too many PCs and copier machines? Nah.

They stopped people at my workplace bringing children in.
If they have an accident, they might not be insured, and you know what todays "I'll claim for that " culture is.

Good point - also how do you explain it to a client when there are babies screaming in the background. It sounds very unprofessional! Today's open plan offices are hugely noisy as it is, we don't need more noise.

Originally posted by viking
They stopped people at my workplace bringing children in.
If they have an accident, they might not be insured, and you know what todays "I'll claim for that " culture is.


same here;

a parent complained to the managers that the security guard on the door wouldn't sign her child in or give it a security pass. the mum complained that without this, her child wouldn't be insured.
complany replied by banning all children from the premises.

:clap:

Mother and child have arrived and the screaming has began.

I have just had to apologise to a Govenment contact who asked what the horrible noise in the background was. Time for a ciggy methinks!!!

We don't need more professionalism either.

Lighten up, let 'em in.

For most kids, a trip to mum & dad's work can be an exciting experience: I still have fond memories of visiting mine (although my mum did work at a film studio and my dad at a TV studio, so perhaps they're a little different from visiting David Brent & co). And my daughter still remembers clearly when she was 2 (she's now 9) coming to visit me on the 29th floor of 1 Canada Square (the Canary Wharf tower) and looking out across the whole of London.

Hi Dan,

if you can remember it, you were obviously old enough to behave and understand to be quiet, or understand the paddington stare you might get if you get too noisy.

Most babies, bless them, don;t understand this and this is the bit that most posters seem to object to.

My company have taken the health & safety route though which is surely a good response from the parents point of view.

What tends to happen now, is mothers meet their friends at local restaurants for lunch to introduce their offspring, which is a much better environment, and where they can be as loud as they like.

Not exactly lighten up and let em in, but maybe a happy compromise?

who knows that they are on site , just imagine a fire breaking out, the hse should be notified immediatly, the same rules should apply as to on site contractors ie sign in at reception permit to work form if required completed.

When I was on maternity leave I really looked forward to taking my newborn into work - not just to show off but being stuck at home being at the beck and call of an infant with little time for myself it was something to look forward to.

Don't be so negative - it might be half an hour of disruption for you but might be half an hour of precious "me time" and adult company for the mum.

Nowt wrong with popping in to visit work - it's a pleasant diversion for 10 minutes or so. My objections are the people who want to bring the child in with them when they return to work after leave!

Originally posted by Cake
When I was on maternity leave I really looked forward to taking my newborn into work - not just to show off but being stuck at home being at the beck and call of an infant with little time for myself it was something to look forward to.

Don't be so negative - it might be half an hour of disruption for you but might be half an hour of precious "me time" and adult company for the mum.

And the problem of meeting your work colleagues out of work for 1/2 hour over lunch is....!? :suspect:

Originally posted by fridgeman
who knows that they are on site , just imagine a fire breaking out, the hse should be notified immediatly, the same rules should apply as to on site contractors ie sign in at reception permit to work form if required completed.

I don't think we are talking about babies bringing themselves into the work place, so presumably the mother/father is aware that the baby is there, and the people in the office are aware that their colleague is visiting.
the health and safety/insurance issue sounds like an easy getout for companies who don't want people to be disrupted for a few minutes.
Of course if it's the sort of office where there might be clients on site then i can see that being a reasonable objection, but clients are normally taken to meeting rooms, not open plan offices.

I worked in an office over the summer and it used to drive me barmy when mothers brought in their newborns. Maybe I'm just a miserable old sod but I think babies are ugly and do nothing exciting. Except cry! I'm sure the mothers are very proud and I have all the congratulations in the world for them but if I wanted to see a baby I'd have one myself. I don't like babies and I don't see why I have to pretend to like some other person's baby!!!

Originally posted by Lucy_Smith
I worked in an office over the summer and it used to drive me barmy when mothers brought in their newborns. Maybe I'm just a miserable old sod but I think babies are ugly and do nothing exciting. Except cry! I'm sure the mothers are very proud and I have all the congratulations in the world for them but if I wanted to see a baby I'd have one myself. I don't like babies and I don't see why I have to pretend to like some other person's baby!!!

i think you hit it spot on. Nobody forces you to look or to pretend to like them.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Silence is golden and the office is back to normal.

In the end there were three children of varying volumes so me and others escaped for half an hour.

My prediction was spot on, there was cooing a plenty and complete disruption, I was glared at for showing no interest in children.

Originally posted by Lucy_Smith
Maybe I'm just a miserable old sod

Yup, you and most of the others on here by the sound of it.

When I used to work in an office, I'd welcome anything that broke the tedium. Clearly not everybody feels the same.

Originally posted by DanSumption
Yup, you and most of the others on here by the sound of it.

When I used to work in an office, I'd welcome anything that broke the tedium. Clearly not everybody feels the same.

Yes, very clearly... :suspect:

Nah Dan, as I've said before, I don't mind a 10-minute quick visit... it's the ones who are bored at home, so think it's OK to come in for a couple of hours. I think it depends on your office - in a small office its a very big disruption.

Plus, you are always expected to have a hold, usually when it's crying! (shudder)

I think at the end of the day some people love babies some hate them...I think there was a recent thread on this topic.

My dog tends to bring the office to a standstill when we visit :D but that's when I am actually there to work, and I do have permission to have him in his cage under the desk. He's ded quiet, and I only let him out at lunchtime (to be fussed by all and sundry :thumbsup: )

There was one woman who objected to him being in the office, but given the fact she was at the other end of the building and two rooms away, she was ignored for business reasons (I was the only contractor they could get at such short notice - and the dog was part of the deal :D )

I think it's important for somebody on maternity leave to still feel part of the team, but I object to the pressure that colleagues put on other colleagues to join in with the cooing. There are certain jobs where screaming babies are inappropriate in an office, and the canteen or nearby cafe should be considered a better venue.

I think a sensible boss should allow any team member 10 mins off to redezvous with the duo, in the name of team building.

I know its a little different, as I dont work in a office but my lad comes to work with me all the time.

Most day's Im lucky enough to be able to finish early, pick him up from school the go and do my last job or two.

From a very early age he has come to work with me for the odd day here and there and with the odd exception we have a great time.

Most of my customers know him and a lot of the time ,if I turn up without him they want to know where he's at and how hes doing. Theres even one couple who deliberatly book there service calls to coinceide with the easter hol's so he's with me when I call.

Some day's I come home laden with all sorts of stuff that the customers have sent. Yesterday I came back with a load of steam train magazines for him as one of the customers who know's he like's train's had been saving them up for him when he had finished with them.

There are some other benifits of him coming with me to work.
Firstly he has learnt to deal with other people, something as a kid I couldn't. I was painfully shy.

Secondly he knows one end of a tool box from another. If something needs fixing in the house he'll have a go if you let him, which I dont think is a bad thing. Theres nothing more annoying than a bloke who can't put a plug on a cable!

And lastly he's learning all the time. There's a bit of mathamatics to do, a lot of map reading, lots of science and he knows where to get a good butty from !!!!

Plus on top of all of that him and me get to spend tons of time together and I couldnt do this if work stopped me taking him with me.

I don't think it is a simple case of , 'lighten up, and let them in', as Dan Sumption suggests. In my case, I have recently requested that a student refrains from bringing her two young children into my University seminars. In the first place, she did not have the courtesy to ask for permission. Secondly, I do not think children of the ages of four and six [in this case] should be in a room where adults are discussing human sexuality in graphic detail. I agree that childcare facilities, the lack of creches etc in Britain is lamentable, but certain working environments are most definately unsuitable for young children.

Originally posted by timo
I don't think it is a simple case of , 'lighten up, and let them in', as Dan Sumption suggests. In my case, I have recently requested that a student refrains from bringing her two young children into my University seminars. In the first place, she did not have the courtesy to ask for permission. Secondly, I do not think children of the ages of four and six [in this case] should be in a room where adults are discussing human sexuality in graphic detail. I agree that childcare facilities, the lack of creches etc in Britain is lamentable, but certain working environments are most definately unsuitable for young children.

sex education from an early age seems to work well for the Dutch.

Although it is rather rude not to ask you first.

I didn't realise that you had a sense of humour, Cyclone. You made me smile there. Actually, I don't think that even a people as liberal-minded as the Dutch would condone the presence of a four year old child in a seminar on sexuality. Or would they? Actually, I had to completely rethink the subject matter of the seminar because of the presence of the children. In other words, I didn't cover human sexuality. One has to be careful, in view of the Child Protection Act, the increasing likelihood that students will resort to litigation etc.

Originally posted by Swan_Vesta

In about three hours I can see the office coming to a standstill while the majority of the office coo's and ahh's and the child screams blue murder while I'm on the phone.

Dare I be so pedantic to say that your wording suggests that you are at work whilst typing your message/using the Forum?

Surely if you feel that a visit from a new mother to your office is detremental to your work that you would feel that internet misuse is of the same calibre? Unless of course Geoff is your employer.
:thumbsup:

Originally posted by timo
I didn't realise that you had a sense of humour, Cyclone. You made me smile there. Actually, I don't think that even a people as liberal-minded as the Dutch would condone the presence of a four year old child in a seminar on sexuality. Or would they? Actually, I had to completely rethink the subject matter of the seminar because of the presence of the children. In other words, I didn't cover human sexuality. One has to be careful, in view of the Child Protection Act, the increasing likelihood that students will resort to litigation etc.

I would have though that a discussion in an educational context would be using language far beyond the capabilities of a 4 year old.
And I doubt that any prosecution based on the content of a seminar being unsuitable for small children when the mother could reasonably have predicted the content and brought the children in without permission would get very far.
I can see why it would make you think twice, but if she'd asked you and the kids had a colouring book or something i doubt they'd be very interested or capable of understanding what all the adults were talking about.