Is this a trend? According to this article from the New York Times, more moms are bringing their babies to work with them.

The Times profiles a mom who works for an investment firm in New York and says she did not want to take maternity leave so she set up an enclosed playroom next to her office. Now she didn’t leave the little tyke there by herself, there was a babysitter. But was this really a smart choice? 

Sure there is a huge advantage for breastfeeding. You would not have to use that horrid machine and search high and low around the office to find a private place to pump every three hours. And the continued bonding that can happen with the extra chance to breast feed can not be dismissed. Plus you can ensure the baby develops a clear attachment to mom instead of the care provider. 

But beyond that, this seems like a nightmare. First of all, who has the extra space in their office to set up a play room for their child? Seriously! And I don’t think this is saving money because the mother in the Times article still has to pay for the babysitter to come to work with her. And doesn’t the child become a huge distraction over the entire day? If your little baby is crying in the next room, what mother or father would not stop what they are doing and go check on their little one? I see a very young child as a constant stream of distractions. 

Then when they get older, you have a whole new set of challenges. Entertainment and education during the day are just two of them. And will your boss be excited to see a three year old accompany you to work?

Next, how much benefit is this to the child? Do they get more out of being at the office or by being at a day care center? If the child is with you at the office, they don’t get any peer interaction and can’t practice some simple social play. They don’t get to make friends, and worst of all, they really don’t get to be kids. They are in an office environment and lots of the stuff they could do in a day care setting will not fly.

At first glance the idea of bringing your kids to the office sounds great but the practical execution is a nightmare.