1. Find a baby sitter to watch the kids all day.
2. Bring our kids to the event.
3. Skip the event.
I want to do option 1, but 9 hours of babysitting will run me upwards of $150, which really pisses me off because why the hell should I pay $150 so that I can attend a mandatory faculty event that is going to bore me to tears?
Option 2, would be a big f*** you to the department, because my 1 yo will be insanely whiney and my 4 yo will talk about his butt non-stop. However, I don't want to deal with chasing after boys all day.
Option 3, could paint the false picture that I don't care about my job or that I don't care about the department. I don't have tenure, so this option is probably not a good choice.
This leaves us with option 1. Someone has to dish out $150 for babysitting - but who will pay? As I see it $150 is worth about 7.5 boxes of wine, so I really would rather have wine than babysitting. I asked my dept head if he would foot the bill. He wrote that he didn't know how to justify it, but he would pay. Thank goodness.
Now - if only this weren't on a religious holiday...
8 comments:
Wow. Really.
Yikes. Cannot believe this is being scheduled on a religious holiday.
On the child care expense -- maybe it doesn't matter since your chair will foot the bill, but if you can find a child care center near you that is open and will take the kids just for the day, that may be a little cheaper. Some of the large child care chains are open on holidays and are willing to do this. I have had good luck with using KinderCare for temporary care in several cities while traveling on business.
You are lucky to have him as your Boss,he really kind even don't knew where is the justify by doing that. No much people want to pay $150 for babysitter.
I am amazed that your chair is footing this bill. You are very lucky.
I understand the problem of acquiring child care, but -- and this is a big one -- IF you and your spouse worked in different departments or for different companies and both of you had mandatory meetings on that day (a day one or both of you would normally do the child duties), would you expect someone else to pay for it?
I spent three years as a Long-distance spouse because my (now ex) and I couldn't get academic jobs in the same city. It seems to me that the only way your deal could get better is if you had tenure... this seems to be a small thing to complain about..
Now, if you wanted to complain that they scheduled this thing on a religious holiday and that's insensitive in many ways, then I'd be with you.. but, this time -- I'm just not.
I think you have the most amazing boss ever! and I am so happy for you!!! I work in such a horrible sexist, bullying department that to see that you are able to not only feel free to ask for this but to also be supported in your request is just WONDERFUL!!
To Inside the Philosophy Factory - I read this issue differently than you. The only reason there is an issue is that the faculty event was scheduled on a religious holiday such that child care was not available. Therefore, the department should pay for it, or schedule events on days other than religious holidays. It is the least they can do if they expect you to work all day on that holiday!! She has every right to complain. Just because other companies/departments get away with treating people badly doesn't mean that we should accept it.
agreed with the last anonymous. The religious holiday and general cluelessness of this is annoying. but thankfully, you have a nice boss.
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