Parents chose to have kids; kids don’t chose to be born. Flexibility should be given to everyone; priority should still be given to those to need it to take care of others. Because if you give a lot of flexibility to everyone, schedule conflicts will occur.
This I agree with (mostly). As an employee and an employer, this is how I treat things. I expect those without kids to plan their flexibility with a bit more foresight, as “oh shit” timing happens a lot less. But if there is conflict due to a preplanned flexibility and a parent’s emergent issue with a child, the business deals with it, that’s life. The. if an employee who was using flexible time can help out, all the better, but not required.
I know I’m not the norm as a business leader, and have had conflicts about that with other less accommodating leaders in the past, but that’s how things should be. Flexibility is a priveledge, and a requirement, for the business and employees alike.
Kids are what form the next generation. Society needs them. You can choose not to contribute to the future of humanity by directly producing offspring, but if you also don’t support those who do, you have less value to society.
We aren’t talking about supporting these kid’s education and shit that society does which most are us are totally fine with, we are talking about missing out on our own lives because employers prioritize parents taking time off over us.
I’m not less valuable to society because I don’t want to sacrifice my family time for some entitled asshole coworker’s kids. And the entitled asshole (I’m sure we’ve all worked with one) is always first in line to complain if they don’t get their holiday.
The thing is, that as politically incorrect as it is to say, you are objectively less value to society and to humanity, if you don’t have kids. Whether that should be a factor in what rights one has is fraught with moral tripwires.
Yes, the entitled assholes who think because they have kids they deserve special privileges, sometimes even above other people with kids. I’m not talking about all parents. Thought that was pretty clear with the parenthetical, but guess I have to spell it out. That’s ok.
If someone is normal about it, doesn’t abuse their status as parents for special accommodations, I’ve got no problem with it beyond management being wildly unfair. But literally everywhere I’ve worked has had a handful of people who demand flexibility to pick their kids up, frequently take days off due to their kid needing something, etc. leaving everyone else to pick up their slack. Then you find out later they went to the spa or some shit. If they don’t get the vacation time they want, they complain about how their kids need it so much, and try to talk childless coworkers into covering for them.
You seem to encounter these “entitled assholes” frequently - perhaps you are too broadly applying your lens, and even if not you may want to be careful using it in other circumstances where it may not carry over or be used to take rights away from workers
That’s what happens when you work shitty jobs, man. Idk what to tell you. You end up with shitty coworkers who don’t get fired for being shitty.
I’m just going to ignore the implication that I’m overreacting to my own lived experience and the downsides that have come with it. I’ve only had to miss out on tons of family stuff because of it with people who are dead now, as a result of entitled parents throwing their kids around as an excuse, so…
That’s exactly what this debate was about, you’re agreeing now.
The post says “flexibility”.
If the ability to shift hours or wfh is provided to those with children, it should be provided to everyone.
Sure, comment op chose to not have kids, but parents also chose to have kids (or chose to not practice safe sex).
Parents chose to have kids; kids don’t chose to be born. Flexibility should be given to everyone; priority should still be given to those to need it to take care of others. Because if you give a lot of flexibility to everyone, schedule conflicts will occur.
This I agree with (mostly). As an employee and an employer, this is how I treat things. I expect those without kids to plan their flexibility with a bit more foresight, as “oh shit” timing happens a lot less. But if there is conflict due to a preplanned flexibility and a parent’s emergent issue with a child, the business deals with it, that’s life. The. if an employee who was using flexible time can help out, all the better, but not required.
I know I’m not the norm as a business leader, and have had conflicts about that with other less accommodating leaders in the past, but that’s how things should be. Flexibility is a priveledge, and a requirement, for the business and employees alike.
Kids are what form the next generation. Society needs them. You can choose not to contribute to the future of humanity by directly producing offspring, but if you also don’t support those who do, you have less value to society.
Bullshit.
We aren’t talking about supporting these kid’s education and shit that society does which most are us are totally fine with, we are talking about missing out on our own lives because employers prioritize parents taking time off over us.
I’m not less valuable to society because I don’t want to sacrifice my family time for some entitled asshole coworker’s kids. And the entitled asshole (I’m sure we’ve all worked with one) is always first in line to complain if they don’t get their holiday.
The thing is, that as politically incorrect as it is to say, you are objectively less value to society and to humanity, if you don’t have kids. Whether that should be a factor in what rights one has is fraught with moral tripwires.
“Entitled asshole” - interesting word choice and value judgement
Yes, the entitled assholes who think because they have kids they deserve special privileges, sometimes even above other people with kids. I’m not talking about all parents. Thought that was pretty clear with the parenthetical, but guess I have to spell it out. That’s ok.
If someone is normal about it, doesn’t abuse their status as parents for special accommodations, I’ve got no problem with it beyond management being wildly unfair. But literally everywhere I’ve worked has had a handful of people who demand flexibility to pick their kids up, frequently take days off due to their kid needing something, etc. leaving everyone else to pick up their slack. Then you find out later they went to the spa or some shit. If they don’t get the vacation time they want, they complain about how their kids need it so much, and try to talk childless coworkers into covering for them.
Those entitled asshole.
You seem to encounter these “entitled assholes” frequently - perhaps you are too broadly applying your lens, and even if not you may want to be careful using it in other circumstances where it may not carry over or be used to take rights away from workers
That’s what happens when you work shitty jobs, man. Idk what to tell you. You end up with shitty coworkers who don’t get fired for being shitty.
I’m just going to ignore the implication that I’m overreacting to my own lived experience and the downsides that have come with it. I’ve only had to miss out on tons of family stuff because of it with people who are dead now, as a result of entitled parents throwing their kids around as an excuse, so…
Have a nice day.
Therapy may help if you are in a US state where there is sufficient health care coverage
Have a nice day as well
Oh fuck right off with that shit. You don’t know shit about me beyond this limited exchange.