Including everyone
Sep. 11th, 2008 01:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
susandennisFor all of my working life, I have felt the no children discrimination. I have often been the only person on my various teams with no children or family. Whenever anyone has a sick child or a school event or a family whatever, I'm the one who covers. I'm expected to. Holidays/regular days/whenever. I have no family. I have no children. I do not have the excuse of 'sorry, I can't do whatever it is you want because I have to pick up the kids from school' or 'meet my wife so she can have the car' or or or
Some years it just annoyed the bejesus out of me and some years not so much. Now, since I am paid by the hour, that helps a little. But, it still means that I am on the hook to hang around and wait because everyone else has far more important things to do. And often it is very clear that I am just expected to.
But my favorite project manager taught me a very valuable lesson the other day. I need not be a victim. An email from this project manager (one who actually does have children and a husband and lots of outside activities) said, in part:
"I have to head out to do life for a bit. I’ll be back on in the early eve."
I was struck at the time by how egalitarian this simple sentence was. How cool a declaration that is!! I don't have children. I don't have family. But I can 'do life'! By gosh.
As it happens, this particular person sometimes reads this journal. So here's a thank you. I feel like I've now been given the same tools everyone else has! Or maybe I'm just the world's slowest learner but in any event, I feel much better.
Some years it just annoyed the bejesus out of me and some years not so much. Now, since I am paid by the hour, that helps a little. But, it still means that I am on the hook to hang around and wait because everyone else has far more important things to do. And often it is very clear that I am just expected to.
But my favorite project manager taught me a very valuable lesson the other day. I need not be a victim. An email from this project manager (one who actually does have children and a husband and lots of outside activities) said, in part:
"I have to head out to do life for a bit. I’ll be back on in the early eve."
I was struck at the time by how egalitarian this simple sentence was. How cool a declaration that is!! I don't have children. I don't have family. But I can 'do life'! By gosh.
As it happens, this particular person sometimes reads this journal. So here's a thank you. I feel like I've now been given the same tools everyone else has! Or maybe I'm just the world's slowest learner but in any event, I feel much better.
