Dad brings 6-year-old daughter into the office four times in a week, gets annoyed when coworker tells boss and she forbids it: 'She runs around the office and starts banging on the door'

Author image for Ally Perry
Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Mar 21, 2025 9:00 AM EDT

Almost every working parent who isn't on the highest income has struggled with childcare at some point. It is one of the most difficult parts of having kids in this day and age: the majority of moms and dads need to work to afford to have kids, but then they struggle with making sure they are taken care of while they're at work. It is not fair to anybody involved.

It is little surprise that some parents have to occasionally resort to desperate measures, like bringing their children to work. It is the kind of thing that most people would only resort to when plan A and plan B both fail, seeing as it can be difficult to be in the workplace with even well-behaved kids. Assuming a parent works in person with others, there is also the issue of bothering coworkers and dealing with their reactions to a potential disturbance.

Add as a preferred
source on Google
Advertisement
  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10482629632
    via Polina Kuzovkova (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • One woman had the misfortune of being on the receiving end of this issue when a coworker began bringing his daughter in to work multiple times in one week. The child was disruptive, but he and some other coworkers assured her that she was allowed to be there by their mostly absent boss.

    When she caught up with this boss, she mentioned the arrangement and it turned out that it hadn't been authorized. She was facing backlash for this, and she wondered if she had done something wrong.

  • 02
    1 (25) was hired in a small office. There are 10 of us in the entire company, including our boss. I share a room with 5 of these people. Our boss rarely shows up for work. I've been here since January, and in that time she's been always sick, working from home, or sending her son. That said, the job itself wasn't bad... Apart from one coworker. We work Monday-Friday. They brought their daughter to the office at least 4 times a week. Their daughter is 6 and honestly she was annoying. She always r
    via [deleted]
  • 03
    This is my second job so I was confused. I asked other coworkers about it, but they said it was normal and not to worry. I asked this particular employee about it. They told me that our boss let them do it and they basically ignored all my concerns and complaints. In mid-February, my boss came into the office. During a break, I had a quick "how are you doing" conversation with her, and during that time I admitted that the employee's daughter was irritating me a bit. She was confused. She asked m
    via [deleted]
  • 04
    They cried, telling us that "our boss was monitoring their behavior" and that she "ignored all their hard work just because they brought a child here." Everyone in the office was upset and tried to comfort them, while wondering who had told her. Somehow I managed to pretend it wasn't me and agreed when they assumed it was the boss's son who told her, but when i got home and told my partner and friends and then my parents... most of them sided with the employee and said i should have never mentio
    via [deleted]
  • 05

    Commenters didn't think she had done anything wrong.

    Fickle_Grapefruit938 NTA Once one of the cleaning ladies didn't have childcare and brought her two children to our office. Our boss asked me if I could print some coloring pages for them. They sat in a corner silently coloring while their mother worked. A week later she thanked us for it and told me her kids loved the stuffed animals on my desk, I gave them to her to give those kids bc they were so sweet and behaved so well.
    via Fickle_Grapefruit938
  • 06
    Unfair_Bluejay_9687 You did right. Working under those deceitful conditions could only lead to bigger trouble. You nipped it the bud. It's behind you now. Enjoy your work environment.
    via Unfair_Bluejay_9687
  • 07
    BecGeoMom I have a feeling that with that guy gone, and the workplace now a calm and quiet place to work, other employees will be thanking OP for doing this.
    via BecGeoMom
  • 08
    Heswe NTA. Workplace IS not daycare for children. And obiously that coworker didn't have even asked from boss was IT ok to bring child there.
    via Heswe
  • 09
    Zealousideal_Fail946 Not the AH. Being she didn't control it - she made everyone in the office part of her free daycare plan - saving hundreds of dollars a week/month and passively making you all do her parenting. Tell anyone defending that to live it before they judge you.
    via Zealousideal_Fail946
  • 10
    Used Clock_4627 HE made everyone part of daycare program, it was a father.
    via Used_Clock_4627
  • 11
    PatchEnd buahahaha crappy coworker 'should have read the room' and not brought their bratty kid in. YOU were told the boss was ok with it, so why shouldn't you talk to the boss about it? if someone wants you to lie for them (coworker), then they should let you in on the lie. and don't say anything at work about this. when it's brought up, you say "yeah, it's a shame" then do something else. The boss was smart/kind enough to keep you out of it, that is to keep you from being the tattle tell of th
    via PatchEnd
  • 12
    Historical-Rise-1156 Not only that but often business insurance doesn't cover non employees, unless contracted to be there like maintenance people, should an accident happen involving the child the business would be responsible and not covered. Very different if occasional and with permission while they picked up things from the office but letting them run around the office disturbing the other workers no, not happening
    via Historical-Rise-1156
  • 13
    mogley 19922 Yup, OP didn't snitch, they were told the boss is ok with it. They f ed up by lying to OP and not giving them the option to lie to the boss. They was asked how they're doing and they gave their honest opinion, and didn't bring up anything they understood that they weren't supposed to.
    via mogley19922
  • 14
    Vegetable Business897 Honestly when I hear about these workplace situations this is my question. If your coworkers childcare would cost X for the week, and they are getting it for free since they are bringing their child for work.... Where is your, and everyone else's weekly bonus worth X? ΝΤΑ
    via VegetableBusiness897
  • 15
    BrainySmurf You were under the impression that your boss knew, so you did nothing wrong. She/they did, however, first lying to you then over reacting to the fallout from their lies. NTA
    via BrainySmurf
  • 16
    cinnamongirl73 I was a single Mom, and sometimes, daycare wouldn't work out for a day or two, and I would bring my girl(s) with me. But you best believe that when I did, I had activities packed, and they were never allowed to run around and act like that. I didn't do it much, but it occasionally happened. If my kid/kids acted like that, they'd have gotten "the look." NTA!
    via cinnamongirl73
  • 17
    Stadenka1234 They sided with them because they did not have to work with kids being them every day. Screaming into the phone and misbehaving. You are definitely NTA.
    via Stadenka1234
  • 18
    BecGeoMom You did not need to "read the room." Ask your family what they mean by that. You literally asked other coworkers AND that specific coworker, and you were told it was fine, and that the boss knew and approved of the child being there. He told you that the boss okayed him bringing his 6yo child (who should be in school) into the office almost every day of the week. You took him at his word, so when you mentioned it to your boss, you assumed she already knew because your coworker told you
    via BecGeoMom
  • 19
    WhyAmlStill Here86 ΝΤΑ A workspace is not a daycare
    via WhyAmIStillHere86
  • 20
    Cheezburger Image 10482719488
    via Far-Cup9063
  • 21
    HamRadio_73 Imagine if the kid took a fall or sustained an injury in that workplace. NTA.
    via HamRadio_73
  • 22
    SchuzMarome5 ΝΤΑ That's a liability issue. If the child was quiet and well behaved you wouldn't have even brought this up to the boss. So really it's the parents fault.
    via SchuzMarome5
  • 23
    Fallout4Addict NTA As a parent who has had to have my child at work with me on occasion over the years, I made sure my child was settled, quiet, and occupied with quiet activities to keep them happy. Snacks and drinks, and if they ever got unsettled, I'd take them for a walk and get them back to a place they can go back in without disturbing others. That's basic parenting and only withy bosses permission. You did the right thing.
    via Fallout4Addict
  • 24
    3kids_nomoney Your family and friends must seem to forget you are new and were not told to not tell the boss, you were told it was fine so you assume the boss is fine with it. NTA - you did read the room. Not your fault they didn't tell to you keep it on the low low.
    via 3kids_nomoney

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

boss aita employee manager kids work coworkers parenting workplace reddit thread Reddit
Scroll Down For The Next Article