About Jennifer Hamilton
Having learned to write before she could walk (or so goes the story), Jennifer Hamilton has finally found an outlet as our SweetMama Editor. Don’t miss her weekly victories and slip-ups as she raises a son who is almost as obstinate and witty as her; using snuggles, derision and propaganda to survive.
Bring Your Kids to Work?
mother she wrote: the longest day canada
(Jan.04.12)
My son’s kindergarten was closed yesterday. He is at a school that is part of a university, and apparently universities don’t reopen until today (why, I don’t know). Unfortunately, I didn’t know it was closed until we were both standing in the freezing cold, hammering on the door, wondering why no one was there.
If I had known, I could have planned ahead. I could have shipped him off to one of his grandmother’s houses for the day. I could have called his babysitter to come and spend the day with him. I could have arranged to work from home or take a personal day.
But I didn’t know. Either I didn’t get the memo, didn’t read it or they never gave it to me. Most likely I didn’t read it carefully enough. So I was stuck bringing him to work ― which is never a good idea, even though he is really well-behaved for a five year-old.
Bringing your kid to work sounds like a fun thing to do, and in theory it should be fun. But really, it isn’t any fun at all (for the kid or the parent).
Kids need to be entertained and taken care of. They need more than a few magazines and ball point pens. They need blocks, paint, water tables, a playground, construction paper, glue, snacks, activity centres, books and songs. Most of all they need time. Time that I (as a dutiful employee) need to spend working.
I remember going to work with my dad when I was little, and it was awesome. Because it was the weekend, and no one was there (except him, because he was a workaholic). He let me play with the secretary’s typewriter, work on drawings at his drafting table and ― the pièce de résistance ― he showed me how to use all the power tools in his shop (he owned a studio that designed and built cabinetry and other industrial design pieces).
But he never took me to work on an actual work day. It was always only on the weekend. Because my dad is a smart guy.
And that is where I failed as a parent yesterday. I had no back-up plan when my son’s school was closed. I had to take him to work with me. I got very little done and ended up taking a lot of work home with me, which I did after he went to bed.
I will not do this again. Either he goes to school or I stay home with him. At least at home I can pop in a movie or he can play with his toys, read his books or do anything other than bug me all day long. Because honestly, a few old parenting magazines and some ball point pens don’t cut it for an intelligent, rather rambunctious five year-old.
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