I can tell you're on the older side of Gen X.

No need to throw shade at Gen X. My kids are in high school and I struggle to balance everything even with WFH. Much sympathy to parents with little ones. The baby days are so hard, and lets not pretend that all of the childcare spots that were available pre-COVID still exist.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. i just wanted a meeting without baby crying in the back. she had to stop/mute at times when it got really bad. i thought it's not too much to ask.

Do you know what was going on? Was this an infrequent “my baby is sick and can’t go to daycare, but I am willing to take this meeting with you instead of postponing” situation (in which case I would cut some slack) or was this a “I’m too cheap to pay for childcare” situation (in which case I would be annoyed).

About a year ago a co- worker kind of bragged (maybe that’s mot exactly the right word) that his wife WFH full time and cares for their 3 year old full time.

As others have mentioned, they are shortchanging both their job and the child.

Crying baby - who knows, maybe the baby or caregiver is sick so it’s just a short term thing.

I think both cases - inadequate child care or short term illness - are common. I hope more employers put in writing that remote employees cannot be full time caregivers. It’s not fair to the rest of us who pay for childcare and pull our weight.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Other thing that annoys about WFH is a business trip. Three people who work for me are WFH. Next summer we need to visit a company site for 2-3 days. Anytime I told the three pick what works best.

I got one response I have to check my husband if he can cover. Husband works in person.

So after three years of WFH where wife is dropping kids off and picking up at daycare it would be two much of a burden on six months notice for him to just drop off and pick up his own kids.

It is getting crazy

I doubt the business trip is really necessary, you just wanna slack off somewhere on an expense account and feel important.

Sometimes spouses also have work commitments. I have three children and two dogs and my husband has a two hour commute both ways. I get paid a lot of money and WFH, but cannot always pick up and go. We have a nanny, but we don’t live near family and our nanny is not available 24/7 at the drop of a hat. I hope to never be as out of touch as you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't even understand this scenario that makes people think a crying baby means parent isn't working.

If someone is muted and video is off, maybe they're caring for a baby.
If you *hear* the baby, then they are presumably unmuted and contributing to the WORK conversation while someone else is with the baby in the background.

This! Is the theory here that the baby is crying alone in another room while the person participates in the call? And you really think that's the most likely scenario?

If you hear a leaf blower on my call, do you assume I left one running in the yard?

+1

Anonymous wrote:OP here. i just wanted a meeting without baby crying in the back. she had to stop/mute at times when it got really bad. i thought it's not too much to ask.

I can tell you're on the older side of Gen X.

Anonymous wrote:Other thing that annoys about WFH is a business trip. Three people who work for me are WFH. Next summer we need to visit a company site for 2-3 days. Anytime I told the three pick what works best.

I got one response I have to check my husband if he can cover. Husband works in person.

So after three years of WFH where wife is dropping kids off and picking up at daycare it would be two much of a burden on six months notice for him to just drop off and pick up his own kids.

It is getting crazy

I doubt the business trip is really necessary, you just wanna slack off somewhere on an expense account and feel important.

Anonymous wrote:Why let such small things bug you this much?

Jealousy and unresolved trauma

Give OP a break, she’s 35, single, has no friends, and hasnt had sex in at least five years. She deserves a little slack.

Eh, people have their cats all over their keyboards, dogs barking in the background, spouses asking random questions or constantly entering or leaving the room, disorganized bedroom closets wide open, and neighbors mowing outside. Leave that baby alone.

Anonymous wrote:Why don't they just mute if they aren't talking.

Because babies don’t talk!

Why don't they just mute if they aren't talking.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven’t heard any crying babies, but enough with the barking dogs.

Gotcha. I’ll just cut my dog’s vocal cords.

Babies don’t know they are not supposed to cry in 2023!

Anonymous wrote:No. This is the new normal. Just like it's going to next to impossible to make everyone go in 5 days a week. Get used to it

+2. People have lives. Sorry, you will have to hear it sometimes. Luckily my coworkers and supervisors don't mind the occasional dog/cat in the picture or hearing some noise occasionally.

Quit being a dick.