flexible summer schedules

[Anonymous]

My youngest has a camp this week where drop-off is at the really awkward time of 8:20. Our SVP recently made it clear that meetings are to be flexible for the next few months because kids are at home. Unfortunately, a senior manager outside my chain does not have children at home and doesn't understand why we're not all at our computers between 7 am and 7 pm. They have now scheduled a recurring meeting where I am a major presenter from 8 to 9 each weekday for the two weeks.

DH is not around to handle drop-off. I've asked why an evening meeting isn't an option and received a curt answer: it just just isn't. Do I tell this person why I can't accommodate their meetings? Consider our SVP's comment meaningless? I'm a paper pusher who only makes $70k a year, and honestly, I don't get paid enough jump to through these hoops or cancel and lose money on a camp because I can't get my kid there.

[Anonymous]

Find someone who can take your child to camp. I'm a teacher and I'd do it if the price was right.

[Anonymous]

What are your hours? I would decline a meeting before 9 and I don't even have kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Find someone who can take your child to camp. I'm a teacher and I'd do it if the price was right.

It's an out of town day camp. I'm working remotely from our hotel room. There is no one else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are your hours? I would decline a meeting before 9 and I don't even have kids.

We don't have stated core hours.

What really bugs me is this person always schedules meetings at the beginning and end of the day, leaving no flexibility for anyone on the edges of the workday.

[Anonymous]

I think I would have found a more flexible camp.

[Anonymous]

I would push back citing the policy of the other senior member. Say “I have a family conflict that will pull me away from 8-8:40 every morning.” Or something.

How lame and performative of them btw. Yuck.

[Anonymous]

So she isn't your boss? If your boss is a reasonable person tell her you have a conflict and that you can't make it. Boss can assign someone to cover for you or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So she isn't your boss? If your boss is a reasonable person tell her you have a conflict and that you can't make it. Boss can assign someone to cover for you or not.

He is not my boss, no. But there's no one else for my boss to assign - I'm the worker bee on this project.

I did float the idea of doing this today - morning, afternoon, or evening. No dice. Scheduler "had plans."

[Anonymous]

Decline it OP. You already have your managers backing and the other person is just playing games. Stand up for yourself.

[Anonymous]

You and your child are in a hotel so your child can attend a camp?

[Anonymous]

You can’t afford to cancel the camp but travelled somewhere and are staying in a hotel for a week?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can’t afford to cancel the camp but travelled somewhere and are staying in a hotel for a week?

There's a rather large difference between paying money for something and wasting money on nothing. Also, a sobbing child in the background is hard conducive to a meeting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You and your child are in a hotel so your child can attend a camp?

And the problem is? They've wanted to attend a camp that isn't offered in our town.

[Anonymous]

Drop them off at 8 and do the call in the car.