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I have thought about how it would be societally healthy for parents to bring their babies and infants to work. In modern times we treat child-rearing as a priva

I have thought about how it would be societally healthy for parents to bring their babies and infants to work. In modern times we treat child-rearing as a private matter to be hidden from public adult life, but it’s long been a communal matter. Admittedly, I’m not great with kids: I don’t have the instincts yet. But I can recognize that childcare isn’t something that someone can schedule as a 4-hour bloc to be one-and-done in the evening (if they can’t or don’t want to hand their child to some hired service): it’s interwoven throughout a parent’s day. Sure, there will be crying and other noises, but I can deal with that. It seems to me artificial to make the 9am-5pm workday so sterile and devoid of organic human activity. I’m young and was a child of a single working mother not very long ago. I remember it being difficult for her. But I am now grown and — in a nod to my mother and other parents like her — favor a parent-friendly work culture.

jedberg 6y ago
I think the pandemic has helped in this regard. It seems to be pretty acceptable now to have a quiet kid sitting in your lap for a meeting, or taking a quick second to answer their question. I hope this trend continues past the pandemic.
Nasrudith 6y ago
I think there was a valid reason for that tendency even if it isn't the only right decision. If your job involves contact with many people (let alone other hazards) it sounds like a very good way to get the young child and everybody else infected as they have a non-fully developed immune system. There is a "too young for daycare" period for one. Cloistering the kids away (always a relative matter) may have developed as a strategy (by conscious or otherwise) to reduce infant mortality when the means were available. Farm work, hunter-gatherers and similiar could qualify as somewhat "bubbled" by low density. Socialization wise I can see it being a win potentially for bonding and experience for the kid certainly assuming it doesn't turn into "crying baby on an airplane but everywhere" situation which would hinder adoption.

jedberg 6y ago

I think the pandemic has helped in this regard. It seems to be pretty acceptable now to have a quiet kid sitting in your lap for a meeting, or taking a quick second to answer their question. I hope this trend continues past the pandemic.

Nasrudith 6y ago

I think there was a valid reason for that tendency even if it isn't the only right decision. If your job involves contact with many people (let alone other hazards) it sounds like a very good way to get the young child and everybody else infected as they have a non-fully developed immune system. There is a "too young for daycare" period for one. Cloistering the kids away (always a relative matter) may have developed as a strategy (by conscious or otherwise) to reduce infant mortality when the means were available. Farm work, hunter-gatherers and similiar could qualify as somewhat "bubbled" by low density. Socialization wise I can see it being a win potentially for bonding and experience for the kid certainly assuming it doesn't turn into "crying baby on an airplane but everywhere" situation which would hinder adoption.