Meetings at 8am — how common

[Anonymous]

It does suck but yes, 8am meetings are not uncommon. It’s a double whammy in that while you’re building a career and have young kids, the kids need you at the same time as the meeting. Once you make senior level, you can reschedule 8ams if they don’t work for you. Of course by then your kids don’t need you either so it becomes a moot point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It does suck but yes, 8am meetings are not uncommon. It’s a double whammy in that while you’re building a career and have young kids, the kids need you at the same time as the meeting. Once you make senior level, you can reschedule 8ams if they don’t work for you. Of course by then your kids don’t need you either so it becomes a moot point.

I think this is a misconception. At my firm 2/3rds of the senior team has kids. I did notice most of them had them later in life and were already a VP before kids. The other 1/3 has no kids.

You really only have from 22-36 to move up quickly. Kids get in the way.

Also some women retire young. Graduate great school then start job bank, Wall Street or Big 4 work their butt off do part time MBA and start kids around 36 by 43 done kids and pretty much retire. I worked with women who made a few million by 40.

The women who make it really big the husband retires. My current boss did this and she told her husband to retire at 45 to watch kids when she made CEO. She had kids at 39 and 42.

If both make it big well hire full time Nannie’s.

My other old boss made 10 million a year has a stay at home husband too.

Mary Bara CEO GM also has a stay at home husband.

My own sister had a stay at home husband for 12 years. She was breadwinner so he quit his bs job

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is probably younger and expects the company or organization to bend around her needs. I mean honestly, the expectation that you are working but can't take meetings to get your kid to school is outrageous.

Get child care, attend the meetings, or find another job.

Also every working couple with kids one spouse always makes it clear their job is more important and other spouse and just needy and annoying to their boss and coworkers

I recall this women with one kid who worked for me once like this all the time I bent over backwards for her.

One day she goes you don’t know what it is to have a kid. I responded i have a 2, 7 and 9 year old at home. She never asked me if I had kids in her first 9 months at work

Why would she ask if you have kids? I never ask that, it’s completely inappropriate of any gender.

Clearly if you had THREE kids and she had no clue, they were not a big part of your daily life and never impacted your work schedule.

This seems unfair. I have a few coworkers who have very distinct boundaries between personal and professional. They never speak about their kids at work and it doesn’t impact their schedule. They make it work.

Well the PP is a male complaining about his female colleague, and we know who is default parent 99% of the time, especially 15 years ago.

I thought the poster's point (I don't see where the poster said they were male) was that the poster had been the one taking it on the chin while the woman begged off for family and the woman never considered the possibility that other people have personal obligations too. This is always the problem with the folks who jealously protect their work life balance. There is usually someone on the other side of that equation who has to wait by the proverbial printer while someone else trots off. I work with someone who persists in asking us to change the time of a standing meeting every time something about her own schedule changes. I roll my eyes and make the adjustments I need to make on my end so that her life can be just so. She has two kids, and I have three.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is probably younger and expects the company or organization to bend around her needs. I mean honestly, the expectation that you are working but can't take meetings to get your kid to school is outrageous.

Get child care, attend the meetings, or find another job.

Also every working couple with kids one spouse always makes it clear their job is more important and other spouse and just needy and annoying to their boss and coworkers

I recall this women with one kid who worked for me once like this all the time I bent over backwards for her.

One day she goes you don’t know what it is to have a kid. I responded i have a 2, 7 and 9 year old at home. She never asked me if I had kids in her first 9 months at work

Why would she ask if you have kids? I never ask that, it’s completely inappropriate of any gender.

Clearly if you had THREE kids and she had no clue, they were not a big part of your daily life and never impacted your work schedule.

This seems unfair. I have a few coworkers who have very distinct boundaries between personal and professional. They never speak about their kids at work and it doesn’t impact their schedule. They make it work.

Well the PP is a male complaining about his female colleague, and we know who is default parent 99% of the time, especially 15 years ago.

I thought the poster's point (I don't see where the poster said they were male) was that the poster had been the one taking it on the chin while the woman begged off for family and the woman never considered the possibility that other people have personal obligations too. This is always the problem with the folks who jealously protect their work life balance. There is usually someone on the other side of that equation who has to wait by the proverbial printer while someone else trots off. I work with someone who persists in asking us to change the time of a standing meeting every time something about her own schedule changes. I roll my eyes and make the adjustments I need to make on my end so that her life can be just so. She has two kids, and I have three.

That is the two jobs poster, which has been demonstrated as male.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is probably younger and expects the company or organization to bend around her needs. I mean honestly, the expectation that you are working but can't take meetings to get your kid to school is outrageous.

Get child care, attend the meetings, or find another job.

Also every working couple with kids one spouse always makes it clear their job is more important and other spouse and just needy and annoying to their boss and coworkers

I recall this women with one kid who worked for me once like this all the time I bent over backwards for her.

One day she goes you don’t know what it is to have a kid. I responded i have a 2, 7 and 9 year old at home. She never asked me if I had kids in her first 9 months at work

Why would she ask if you have kids? I never ask that, it’s completely inappropriate of any gender.

Clearly if you had THREE kids and she had no clue, they were not a big part of your daily life and never impacted your work schedule.

This seems unfair. I have a few coworkers who have very distinct boundaries between personal and professional. They never speak about their kids at work and it doesn’t impact their schedule. They make it work.

Well the PP is a male complaining about his female colleague, and we know who is default parent 99% of the time, especially 15 years ago.

It’s called sharing. A women has to go to a once a week or once a month 8 am meeting the husband should step up.

I work with a wonderful women who leaves 445pm everyday to pick up kid daycare.

Next week we have the only after work meeting team building event of the year. She declined. It is too much to ask her husband to pick up kids even one day out of year.

I don’t get it.

Forget about her husband, she should hire a babysitter for a couple hours if needed.

Maybe she just doesn't want to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have probably 6-8 8am meetings per month, which throws our life in chaos because it’s right in middle school drop off.

My spouse wants to spend $300 a month for morning SACC.

Is this typical of corporate workplaces. I’ve only had one job. Most of my colleagues have SAHM and get to work early anyways.

My neighbor is in sales and seems to always start around 10, maybe I should switch fields.

Not common. I am remote so I have meetings at night and in the morning but this would really annoy me if it became the norm. Three kids and I do drop off. My husband occasionally goes into work early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is probably younger and expects the company or organization to bend around her needs. I mean honestly, the expectation that you are working but can't take meetings to get your kid to school is outrageous.

Get child care, attend the meetings, or find another job.

Also every working couple with kids one spouse always makes it clear their job is more important and other spouse and just needy and annoying to their boss and coworkers

I recall this women with one kid who worked for me once like this all the time I bent over backwards for her.

One day she goes you don’t know what it is to have a kid. I responded i have a 2, 7 and 9 year old at home. She never asked me if I had kids in her first 9 months at work

Why would she ask if you have kids? I never ask that, it’s completely inappropriate of any gender.

Clearly if you had THREE kids and she had no clue, they were not a big part of your daily life and never impacted your work schedule.

This seems unfair. I have a few coworkers who have very distinct boundaries between personal and professional. They never speak about their kids at work and it doesn’t impact their schedule. They make it work.

Sure, they likely have a SAHM spouse or grandparents or full time nanny. Get real.

None of those are true for the two coworkers I am thinking of. But you seem fixated on this narrative so I will just let you continue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to work with the DoD. 8 am meetings were normal, and you were expected to show up before 8 am (or call in a few min early) for them to do roll call and start the meeting promptly at 8.

Now in non-profit sector and anything before 9 would be unusual, but conferences and breakfast meetings all start at 8 or 8:30.

Pay for childcare, mostly schools do drop-in care, you don’t need to pay for the whole month to just use a few days.

I really think those of you who dont have younger kids in the system right now or who have copious amounts of money to throw at the problem do not realize the issues with childcare, including before care and after care. There are not a lot of options, many of them are booked before the school year starts so K students get f^cked because you cant enroll in aftercare until you are on the school registrar and that doesnt happen until summer but the before/after care situation gets handled in spring. And many private businesses that provides these services dont allow for daily drop-in, they require weekly payment no matter how many days you use in the week.

Childcare post-COVID is a completely different landscape. I had a child in 2018 and had no issues finding spots. Cost was steep but do-able. I am pregnant with our 2nd due in 2024 and it is a madhouse. Childcare costs have increased minimum 600/mo for the same age. Spots, especially infant spots, are difficult to find. 2-5 seems to be the sweet spot for options and costs. Infant care and elementary-age care are difficult.

I am totally fine with an 8am meeting but dont then turn around and make regular 4/430pm meetings either. You cant burn at both ends and while this board skews higher-income many of your co-workers in other positions are not. If you have later meetings, dont have early ones and vice versa.

I have young kids, I use childcare (daycare and now before/aftercare as my youngest is finishing K). Infant spots in our neighborhood were always hard to find, and my oldest was born in the early 2010s. I had to get a nanny until a spot opened up when DC was 8 months. I signed up my other kids for spots when I was 3 months pregnant.

Childcare is much easier in elementary years. Our local public regularly gets filled for aftercare but not beforecare. It’s actually quite affordable compared to what daycare cost.

Most families I know don’t use care before school which I think is insane because schools starts at 9:05. Maybe with a bus (pickup in my neighborhood is 8:40) and working from home I can make 9-5 work, but my oldest was in school pre-pandemic and I was shocked by how empty morning care was. Who are all these parents who don’t start work until 10? I am assuming they are staggering hours with the other parent so they can work later.

And with the words....I got a nanny means you are in higher incomes. Nannies are requesting 25/hr right now in my area. 25*8*5*4= 4k per month. Not everyone in this area is making $$$ HHI. That can't be the threshold for having a job and having kids. And SAHP cause issues down the line with re-entry, decreased SS, etc. Childcare struggles are not new but there is plenty of documentation that post-COVID the childcare that was available essentially collapsed. Rural areas have no providers, urban areas dont have enough. Cost is an issue in both areas.

Your school stars at 905. Some schools start at 8, 830, 730. Our before care only opens 45 minutes before the doors open. So 830 start time means 730 open for before care. Thats not really helpful or you end up needing both unless you can get a job where you can leave at 2pm assuming you have a 30-40 min commute. Schools that start at 730 ends at 145. Our school runs 830 245 next year. You still need aftercare with those hours. Also, my kid doesnt qualify for the bus so we have to provide transportation.

I WAH and still struggle with these hours because of the timing involved with transport to/from school and the hours for school. 840-240 isnt a full workday. And 3pm is core hours for most places so even staggering doesnt work. I would much prefer 9-315 working at home. My close friend has bus pickup at 820 and drop off at 4. Her kid is in school 9-320 so she works 830-430 from home.

These are real issues for most working Americans.

Too bad you don’t have a husband to help

Where did I say he doesn't?
Oh so witty with the zingers.

[Anonymous]

Healthcare executive here - I often have 8am meetings and frequently 7 or 7:30. Our industry starts early. 8 am is not unreasonable, especially only 6-8 times a month.

[Anonymous]

I never have meetings at that time but DH does as his company is HQ in the EU and he often has calls with them

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is probably younger and expects the company or organization to bend around her needs. I mean honestly, the expectation that you are working but can't take meetings to get your kid to school is outrageous.

Get child care, attend the meetings, or find another job.

Also every working couple with kids one spouse always makes it clear their job is more important and other spouse and just needy and annoying to their boss and coworkers

I recall this women with one kid who worked for me once like this all the time I bent over backwards for her.

One day she goes you don’t know what it is to have a kid. I responded i have a 2, 7 and 9 year old at home. She never asked me if I had kids in her first 9 months at work

Why would she ask if you have kids? I never ask that, it’s completely inappropriate of any gender.

Clearly if you had THREE kids and she had no clue, they were not a big part of your daily life and never impacted your work schedule.

This seems unfair. I have a few coworkers who have very distinct boundaries between personal and professional. They never speak about their kids at work and it doesn’t impact their schedule. They make it work.

Sure, they likely have a SAHM spouse or grandparents or full time nanny. Get real.

None of those are true for the two coworkers I am thinking of. But you seem fixated on this narrative so I will just let you continue.

So you KNOW they don’t have a nanny or nearby grandparents and what job their spouse, yet they have never spoken about their kids nor had to take a sick day for a sick child?

[Anonymous]

Bumping up this thread because I didn't want to start a new one. New boss is making me come to daily meetings at 6:30 a.m. How unreasonable is this request?

I don't really need to be there and the reason it's at 6:30 a.m. is because that's when many people at the company meet, since many of them are on the east coast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bumping up this thread because I didn't want to start a new one. New boss is making me come to daily meetings at 6:30 a.m. How unreasonable is this request?

I don't really need to be there and the reason it's at 6:30 a.m. is because that's when many people at the company meet, since many of them are on the east coast.

Is this virtual or in person? If in person are there others impacted in your office who also don't want a 6:30 meeting?

If it were me I'd look for a new job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bumping up this thread because I didn't want to start a new one. New boss is making me come to daily meetings at 6:30 a.m. How unreasonable is this request?

I don't really need to be there and the reason it's at 6:30 a.m. is because that's when many people at the company meet, since many of them are on the east coast.

Is this virtual or in person? If in person are there others impacted in your office who also don't want a 6:30 meeting?

If it were me I'd look for a new job.

Zoom, I'm pretty much the main one affected. Some of the West Coasters who come at 6:30 don't have to come to the meeting, but they are on different teams with different managers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bumping up this thread because I didn't want to start a new one. New boss is making me come to daily meetings at 6:30 a.m. How unreasonable is this request?

I don't really need to be there and the reason it's at 6:30 a.m. is because that's when many people at the company meet, since many of them are on the east coast.

Is this virtual or in person? If in person are there others impacted in your office who also don't want a 6:30 meeting?

If it were me I'd look for a new job.

Zoom, I'm pretty much the main one affected. Some of the West Coasters who come at 6:30 don't have to come to the meeting, but they are on different teams with different managers.

Sorry, meant to say some of the West Coasters who come at 6:30 don't have to come to the meeting EVERY day.