Kids!!!!!!!!!

[wreckchick]

When I leave my 2 1/2 yr old home alone, no one calls the authorities on me. Oh, that's right, she's a dog. I guess that makes me #7 Mature enough to know I don't want kids, but repsonsible enough to be a dog owner.

Since I'm recently single, everyone who doesn't know me well asks if I have kids. When I say, "no" they seem relieved. Good thing my head has been on straight for a long time now. Don't have em, don't want em, don't wanna hear about how I should feel about it. My peer group has disappeared into the baby realm, depressing really.

Don't have an opinion about daycare other than the reality that "having it all" is a myth, pure and simple. I have what I want and kids aren't on the list.

Don't get me started about having to take over workload for other people because their kids are worth more than my time.....

Rachel

 

[O-ring]

Don't get me started about having to take over workload for other people because their kids are worth more than my time.....

I see this all the time...I can't stay late because I have to pick up little Johnny from daycare, etc. etc. and the single person gets the work piled on them because their outside commitments are somehow less valid.

 

[coreyh]

is #8: Loves children, but is very happy to play a positive role with kids who are not my own.

I object to the idea that only disliking kids can result in the choice not to have any. I love being an aunt, both officially and unofficially, and I am very happy that my friends are all having children for me to play with.

When I was little, I always pictured my life with a husband, but not with kids. I am the last person to say "never" but I don't know what would make me feel differently than I have my whole life. (According to my mother, I always played "babysitter" when my friends were playing "Mommy")

I actually had a person tell me that I should have kids because I am educated, financially stable, and responsible. She argued that so many bad parents have kids that our society is degrading because potentially good parents are remaining childless. I didn't realize that I was responsible for the decline in our culture by not doing my part to bring up the mean level of smart, well-adjusted children (not that there is any guarantee of that in any case). I could only stutter out that a good parent is one who wants the child and a bad parent is one who doesn't, regardless of who has a college education or a nice car.

 

[Spectre]

KBeck once bubbled...
Am I immature? Absolutely not. At 28, I already own my first home (on one income, thanks very much). I have zero credit card debt (unlike many people my age), own my car, etc. I like to think I am highly regarded in my profession, and I have received several promotions in the past few years.

I'm not sure there really is anything in there to combat the immaturity claim. Everything you said applies to myself as well... but ask anyone that knows me. I don't think anyone would dare accuse me of being mature!

[No Mr. Boss... I didn't bean a customer off the top of the head with a "stress cat" for asking a stupid question... really... wasn't me!]

 

[Spectre]

O-ring once bubbled...

I see this all the time...I can't stay late because I have to pick up little Johnny from daycare, etc. etc. and the single person gets the work piled on them because their outside commitments are somehow less valid.

I've not actually seen that sort of thing, but I could imagine it could happen.

We have the reverse problem in our office, where the single folk are seen as more dedicated...

I know I effectively fought all individual performance 'rewards' in my office because of the other side of this issue. Who works harder? The married engineer that is here from 8:15 - 5:00, or the single one that is here from 10:00 - 10:00? Obviously the single person gets more work done, but singling them out for that choice just breeds contempt.

All performance based rewards within engineering is based on team performance, rather than individual performance.

 

[wreckchick]

First of all, I'm not accusing anyone of anything.... but with the Team Based awards, someone is always coattailing and the rest of the team doesn't want to lose their incentives because of one slacker. In my experience, the parent is often coddled a little and the single people have to work harder to keep the "team" performance up so they don't look bad and lose the raise/bonus/pat on the back.

If I could count the number of times I had a supervisor plead with me to cover for a parent with a kid problem....

Dammit, I said I wasn't gonna start....

R

 

[O-ring]

You are going to have those TPS reports on my desk by tomorrow morning, right?

Did you get a copy of that memo?

 

[wreckchick]

I'd most assuredly have it for you first thing, even if it means staying here all night to finish up since I have no life since I have no kids. After I turn it in I'm going diving though, hope you don't mind.....

R

 

[O-ring]

biscuit7 once bubbled...
I'd most assuredly have it for you first thing, even if it means staying here all night to finish up since I have no life since I have no kids. After I turn it in I'm going diving though, hope you don't mind.....

R

Do yourself a favor and go rent "Office Space" the next time you get bored or can't go diving...

 

[Spectre]

biscuit7 once bubbled...
but with the Team Based awards, someone is always coattailing and the rest of the team doesn't want to lose their incentives because of one slacker.

The group I work with is quite self-moderating... there really isn't much tolarance for slackers... If someone isn't pulling their weight, it's handled, and occasionally handled publicly...

But of course we have a small group [15 engineers or so] and many of us have been here for a while [my guess would be the average tenure is about 5 years at this point].

Now what this has to do with the subject at hand, I'm not sure. Sorry for the hijack!