Bringing your children to meetings

jameorahiely

This is one of the stuppidest proposal that I've heard in a long time. How can a meeting proceed with children present? Would firefighters be able to bring their children to work too. The dail has a creche but politics should be made more family friendly.

Would you attend a meeting with your colleagues nippers running round?

BattleCorp

jameorahiely wrote: »

This is one of the stuppidest proposal that I've heard in a long time. How can a meeting proceed with children present? Would firefighters be able to bring their children to work too. The dail has a creche but politics should be made more family friendly.

Would you attend a meeting with your colleagues nippers running round?

Yes, of course I'd bring my children to meetings. Especially meetings where we are discussing the artistic merits of our next beastality movie production, or whether to diversify into scat. Sure what could go wrong?

diomed

If you are childless can you bring children too?
Half a dozen for each attendee sounds about right.

Pat Mustard

jameorahiely wrote: »

Would you attend a meeting with your colleagues nippers running round?

Absolutely, I take direct instructions from the small overlords, ignoring their witless providers.

Tombo2001

Any context for this?

Is it a Blueberry Pickers of Bilbo proposal?

diomed

It is just a progression from the "baby on board" car stickers.
"baby on board of directors" stickers ?

the_syco

Ensure to have at least one person with tourettes, so that the parents never bring their kids again... :P

jameorahiely

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Any context for this?

Is it a Blueberry Pickers of Bilbo proposal?

Clare something from dcc is prosing the motion. She says that women are prevented from entering politics because they are all single mothers. This is her solution. Children in the chambers. And a late night creche in the dail. She was ranting on rte radio earlier.

Dravokivich

I remember sitting in on a meeting at my mothers work when I was a kid, along with my sister and another lad. They seemed to think we'd sit quitely giving us each a bottle of Lucazade. The old glass'uns. Needless to say we were somewhat energetic so they asked us to the leave the room. We ended up running up and down the stairs as fast as we could.

Can't be having that these days. No more glass bottles of Lucazde

Winterlong

Would the kids get to go on foreign jollies with their County Councillor parents?
Not a family holiday at all...a working trip!

_Whimsical_

The poor kids. As a child sitting in on a meeting would be less interesting equivalent of a long mass I'd imagine. The sitting still, the dull monotone adult conversations sounding like white noise washing over your head and no one interesting to stare at. Sounds ill conceived to me.

Grayson

How old are the kids? I can see a baby feeding being ok. I think a three year old would just be a distraction unless there's a dedicated child minder in the corner of the room.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

Wasn't there a big hullaballoo a few years ago when a male politician brought his small daughter to a meeting in the Dáil?

whoopsadoodles

My colleague brought her toddler into the office once because her minder had an apt. I didn't have much of an issue with it in theory.

But the child. Oh god the child. She was so loud. Crying and shouting and refusing to sit still (who could blame her I suppose). It was seriously inappropriate.

DanMurphy

Maybe hire a Clown perhaps, to keep the kiddies entertained in a corner of the Council Chamber?

Not like there's a shortage of Clowns in Ireland.

zcorpian88

Meetings sounds wrong alright,

I also get annoyed at my local gym seeing all these yuppie, designer clothes wearing, BMW driving parents keeping up appearances with the other yuppie, designer clothes wearing, BMW driving parents while they bring their sprogs to swimming or judo or whatever and leave their other kids (kids of all ages) in a busy noisy lobby to do their f**king homework.

Kid should be at home in a quiet area to do their homework, end of story!

StupidLikeAFox

diomed wrote: »

If you are childless can you bring children too?

Sure, just pick up random kids on your way

"Hey kid, wanna try something cool? Ever run an idea up the flagpole to see who salutes?"

Atlantic Dawn

Where does it end though, what if I want to bring my german shephard to a meeting and the other person wants to bring a new born baby that looks like a fresh steak to my dog?

Peregrinus

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Where does it end though, what if I want to bring my german shephard to a meeting and the other person wants to bring a new born baby that looks like a fresh steak to my dog?

Your child is a German shepherd?

Atlantic Dawn

Peregrinus wrote: »

Your child is a German shepherd?

I could call it my child if I wanted to, these PC arseholes would allow me to but they need to respect out and out non PC fookwits like me who challenge their idiotic principles. You have these workplaces like Google etc that let employees being their pets to work and all is well and happy as a pig in their own pure ****e at the desk and on the carpet until one of their fellow employees loses a finger and their glamour employer rating gets damaged.

foggy_lad

Caroline Hundreds Truck wrote: »

Wasn't there a big hullaballoo a few years ago when a male politician brought his small daughter to a meeting in the Dáil?

That green party clown, Eamon Ryan?

zcorpian88

foggy_lad wrote: »

That green party clown, Eamon Ryan?

"If I can make a point"

That's his catchphrase I noticed...

Every

Time

He

Talks

He says it!

gctest50

Caroline Hundreds Truck wrote: »

Wasn't there a big hullaballoo a few years ago when a male politician brought his small daughter to a meeting in the Dáil?

taking after Licia ?

Peregrinus

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

I could call it my child if I wanted to, these PC arseholes would allow me to but they need to respect out and out non PC fookwits like me who challenge their idiotic principles . . .

The voices in your head are not your friends, Atlantic Dawn.

Tombo2001

jameorahiely wrote: »

Clare something from dcc is prosing the motion. She says that women are prevented from entering politics because they are all single mothers. This is her solution. Children in the chambers. And a late night creche in the dail. She was ranting on rte radio earlier.

Women (and men!) don't bring their kids with them when they are getting their haircut, because they want to be able to get their haircut properly and it requires all their attention.

Is work different?

Does she really think someone can do a job and have kids running around them spilling yoghurt everywhere (ie doing what kids do) at the same time.

Just goes to show what an entitled individual she is.

Not only is it unfair to their employer (ie that TAXPAYER!); its also unfair to the child.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

super_furry

Who exactly is proposing it?

biko

This feels like one of those "I heard/read something and now I create a thread based on nothing with no sources" threads.

jameorahiely

biko wrote: »

This feels like on of those "I heard/read something and now I create a thread based on nothing with no sources" threads.

You mustn't have google or keep up with current affairs. It was all over rte radio yesterday. Here's a source for those that need to be spoonfed.

http://campus.ie/surviving-college/councillors-argue-they-should-be-able-bring-kids-meetings

Patrick Costello, Green Party councillor for Rathgar-Rathmines, has tabled a motion for tomorrow's protocol committee, which says: "Dublin City Council shall do its utmost to facilitate councillors with young children who bring their children to meetings, and shall have particular regard to facilitate councillors who are breastfeeding"


The ban on children in the chamber is a major issue for his party colleague Claire Byrne.

Ms Byrne has a six-month-old son and she says the rules preventing her from bringing him into meetings can stop her from doing her job.

biko

The onus is not on me to have google whatever OP mentions, hoping to find the article or whatever she/he intended .
The onus is on OP to provide a clear and concise post.

Butters1979

The private sector employers do not provide free daycare. Is this just another way the public sector employees are trying to get the taxpayer to pay for their expenses. You have a job, pay for daycare. Can't afford both? Chose one. Just like everyone who actually contributes to this economy has to.

Woman won't enter politics because they're all single moms? That's right, always the victim, never your fault.

suicide_circus

Western corporate culture needs to get baby friendly and fast. Our society isn't reproducing fast enough to keep ourselves going due to the anti family nature of our work lives not to mention the prohibitive cost of childcare. Our pension structure is based on an older societal model in which people had a few kids and did it young. If we all want pensions in the coming decades we need to have more babies. Immigration won't cover this on its own.

eet fuk

suicide_circus wrote: »

Western corporate culture needs to get baby friendly and fast. Our society isn't reproducing fast enough to keep ourselves going due to the anti family nature of our work lives not to mention the prohibitive cost of childcare. Our pension structure is based on an older societal model in which people had a few kids and did it young. If we all want pensions in the coming decades we need to have more babies. Immigration won't cover this on its own.

Yea but kids are annoying

Butters1979

suicide_circus wrote: »

Western corporate culture needs to get baby friendly and fast. Our society isn't reproducing fast enough to keep ourselves going due to the anti family nature of our work lives not to mention the prohibitive cost of childcare. Our pension structure is based on an older societal model in which people had a few kids and did it young. If we all want pensions in the coming decades we need to have more babies. Immigration won't cover this on its own.

I don't think the issue is child friendly society, more than child friendly economy. The olden days one earner was enough to pay for a family to get along fine, now it is not so much. Between huge mortgages and high tax to support welfare and a bloated overpaid public sector (who seem to be arguing for free healthcare for themselves) and the extremely high cost of child daycare, people simply can't afford to have kids as early or as much anymore.

jameorahiely

biko wrote: »

The onus is not on me to have google whatever OP mentions, hoping to find the article or whatever she/he intended .
The onus is on OP to provide a clear and concise post.

You make 2 posts, neither have anything to do with the topic. Rabble rabble op is makimg things up, Waa Waa why am I expected to do anything for myself!
What excellent contributions to the discussion.

Boom_Bap

I reckon kids would probably enhance some of the meetings I've been in.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that there would probably be something actually achieved in the meeting with their input.

Sue Pa Key Pa

I don't want to drag up the kids in restaurants argument again, but am I the only one who thinks that there is a time and a place for kids, just as there is for adults only and also for kids & adults together? I couldn't take anyone seriously who brought a kid to a meeting

Stonedpilot

You mean Alcoholic Anonymous meetings?

mahoganygas

A Dail creche? Can you imagine?!

Gino Kenny's nipper beating seven shades of shiite out of Lucinda's little darling kid.

The Healy-Rae cousins, hands covered in chocolate, climbing up the fancy curtains.

The Fianna Fail babies dropping off little brown envelopes.

And there, in the middle of them all, Jack Chambers playing Nintendo DS instead of doing his homework. Tut tut.

Pat Mustard

mahoganygas wrote: »

And there, in the middle of them all, Jack Chambers playing Nintendo DS instead of doing his homework. Tut tut.

Jack Chambers peddling around Leinster House on his tricycle.
Like Billy the puppet from the Saw films.

...I want to play a game...

5rtytry56

mahoganygas wrote: »

And there, in the middle of them all, Jack Chambers playing Nintendo DS instead of doing his homework. Tut tut.

Not a Nintendo DS. After Christmas 2016, Junior will be bestowed with a Nintendo Classic Mini. Nothing less. :pac:

jameorahiely

mahoganygas wrote: »

A Dail creche? Can you imagine?!

Gino Kenny's nipper beating seven shades of shiite out of Lucinda's little darling kid.

The Healy-Rae cousins, hands covered in chocolate, climbing up the fancy curtains.

The Fianna Fail babies dropping off little brown envelopes.

And there, in the middle of them all, Jack Chambers playing Nintendo DS instead of doing his homework. Tut tut.

There is already a dail creche, and a creche in woodquay that councillors can drop their chdren in to. Clares vision, (she's been on rte radio 1again) is young children being breastfeed , while 12 year olds do their homework, sitting beside their parents, until 8,9 and 10pm at night. 3 year olds would be "accomodated". She had a meeting from 8-10am this morning and found it difficult to get childcare.

jameorahiely

jameorahiely wrote: »

There is already a dail creche, and a creche in woodquay that councillors can drop their chdren in to. Clares vision, (she's been on rte radio 1again) is young children being breastfeed , while 12 year olds do their homework, sitting beside their parents, until 8,9 and 10pm at night. 3 year olds would be "accomodated". She had a meeting from 8-10am this morning and found it difficult to get childcare.

Heard her talking to Kathryn Thomas, and loved it when someone (a mum) texted in to tell Byrne to get a grip and go and pay for her own childcare like the rest of us do

c68zapdsm5i1ru

jameorahiely wrote: »

There is already a dail creche, and a creche in woodquay that councillors can drop their chdren in to. Clares vision, (she's been on rte radio 1again) is young children being breastfeed , while 12 year olds do their homework, sitting beside their parents, until 8,9 and 10pm at night. 3 year olds would be "accomodated". She had a meeting from 8-10am this morning and found it difficult to get childcare.

Sometimes you just have to make choices in life. If a certain type of career is not conducive with being able to spend the time you want with your children, then you just have to accept that career is not for you.

People who think they can have it all need to start being realistic.

Peregrinus

Caroline Hundreds Truck wrote: »

Sometimes you just have to make choices in life. If a certain type of career is not conducive with being able to spend the time you want with your children, then you just have to accept that career is not for you.

People who think they can have it all need to start being realistic.

But it's reasonable to ask whether "a certain type of career" has to be not conducive to spending the time you want with your children. In this particular instance, as others have already pointed out there's already a creche in Leinster House, but it hasn't been pointed out that the creche keeps conventional office hours, whereas the Dail certainly does not, regularly not starting sittings until 2 p.m and then sitting until 10 p.m. or later.

That could be fixed by having the creche open whenever either House is sitting, or by reconsidering the odd sitting hours. But, either way, I don't see why anyone should assume that, if a particular career path is not family-friendly, it has to be that way. Is it really in the public interest to arrange parliamentary business so as strongly to discourage signficant sections of the population from following a parliamentary career?

RayM

BattleCorp wrote: »

or whether to diversify into scat.

Never a bad idea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6oXW_YiV6g

c68zapdsm5i1ru

Peregrinus wrote: »

But it's reasonable to ask whether "a certain type of career" has to be not conducive to spending the time you want with your children. In this particular instance, as others have already pointed out there's already a creche in Leinster House, but it hasn't been pointed out that the creche keeps conventional office hours, whereas the Dail certainly does not, regularly not starting sittings until 2 p.m and then sitting until 10 p.m. or later.

That could be fixed by having the creche open whenever either House is sitting, or by reconsidering the odd sitting hours. But, either way, I don't see why anyone should assume that, if a particular career path is not family-friendly, it has to be that way. Is it really in the public interest to arrange parliamentary business so as strongly to discourage signficant sections of the population from following a parliamentary career?

Fair enough. That's a good point. But rather than advocating to have children brought to meetings, or being in crèches until all hours of the night, maybe the whole way parliamentary business is undertaken should be reviewed to ensure maximum engagement by different demographics.

But I take your general point.

Peregrinus

I agree. The optimal solution here is probably neither kids in meetings nor late-night creches. But the general point is that it's not enough to say that they way many careers are arranged facilitates the involvement of certain groups and tends to impede others. This is true, but it's not an explanation; it's a problem. The always valid question is, what can we do about it?