Is this a new trend?
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Many family owned restaurants have had family, especially children in after-school hours, on premises for decades. Since the rule for small family restaurants is that at least one owner must be on site all the time that often means that their children do their homework there as well. I could name 3 or 4 such places near me in the DC suburbs that I know have done this for generations and have pictures on display of kids doing homework and, later, helping out, on the walls. And that's not even counting the many, many immigrant owned restaurants where this is common, but which I have not personally observed. If you could have your kids spend their after school homework time at your workplace, instead of largely unsupervised which would you choose? ( That controlling BF is a PITA, of course, and not a tradition. Or one hopes not!)
Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
I grew up going to the restaurant my mom worked at and waiting a couple hours everyday after school. From time to time, I have my niece stick around in the empty office with her tablet connected to the internet whenever she has a unusual day off school and my brother in law and sister are working as well.
Shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado. 33 year old male and willing to travel!
I did a jewelry shop at a fine jewelry location that surprisingly has a play area for kids.
One of sales associate said sometimes employees bring their little ones.
It's not odd for me as my grandmother was a caretaker and worked for one lady for several years. In middle school, I'd go there (lady house/my gma job) until my mom got off worked to pick me up.
One of sales associate said sometimes employees bring their little ones.
It's not odd for me as my grandmother was a caretaker and worked for one lady for several years. In middle school, I'd go there (lady house/my gma job) until my mom got off worked to pick me up.
Back in 1990, my husband started a pest control company, and I was his head bookkeeper/finance officer. Even tho I only had to go to the office twice a week, I always took my then 2 year old son with me, up till he went to school. He always occupied himself playing quietly with toys. As he grew older, especially in the summers when school was out, he came with me until I felt he was old enough to stay by himself, around 14 or so, for a couple of hours. But by then he wanted to earn some money, so he went on small jobs with hubby, and learned some of the ropes, through age 20 or so. Even after hubby sold the company in 2007, my son worked two summers for the new company. Now he's married, with a beautiful wife and baby girl, just turned 29, has a good job in the banking industry, and lives 2 hours away. So, I believe the time he spent with our business helped him develop healthy work habits. So as long as the children are quietly playing, doing school work, or even helping out in the business, I see no problem with it.
Good points. Family-owned businesses, i didnt even think of that scenario. I get that; it makes sense. But the businesses i am referring to are... think of being in Macy's furniture department and the salesperson's SO is sitting on the couch for 4 hours. That kind of situation. The family members are loitering in customer areas, at least that is how it appears to me. To me, that's a deterrent to business.
Last year I did a B-Dubs take-out shop. I'm sitting in the lobby waiting for my food, directly across from the kitchen entrance. The manager's two young children (guessing around 3 and 6 years old) run into the kitchen, barefoot and grubby-looking! Then the female servers took turns holding the kids before serving food to customers. I was nauseated.
I agree it is becoming the norm. with so many Mom's working. Many years ago after my divorce, I worked at a Real Estate firm, picked my daughter up from middle school and brought her to work where she did her homework. Nowadays, small business's do that. My daughter's college (where she works), took an office and turned it into a nursery, they have 3 kids under 3 brought to work, and everyone helps outs. I must say, I know it is the norm, but I don't see it in larger places, Macy's, etc. won't do that. I'm definitely for it instead of paying so much for a daycare.
Live consciously....
I often go to McDonald's for breakfast on Sunday mornings for an hour or so. There are two kids sitting in the same booth very frequently during my visits. They clearly belong to one of the employees. They have tablets and some small toys that they play with. They're quiet and well-behaved. I'm guessing that they're 4 and 6.
I do think it's becoming more common as child care is expensive. It seems like places are having a difficult time filling minimum wage jobs, so I'm thinking that even though it may be against company policy (or maybe not), a manager may overlook it for a good employee.
I do think it's becoming more common as child care is expensive. It seems like places are having a difficult time filling minimum wage jobs, so I'm thinking that even though it may be against company policy (or maybe not), a manager may overlook it for a good employee.
Many of the chain places are franchises where the franchise owner could very well be local. This could in fact be the owners children and not the CEO of McD for instance. I have never seen non shopping kids in a place like Macy's. But the individual owner of the branch or a small family owned place may make their own rules and allow children to be there during their quiet hours and as long as they stay quiet. Sometimes it is just the hour before school starts or after pick up til the shift is over. The story Dare Wright tells above is probably not the norm and certainly should not be happening in a food shop.
That said I have not seen any of this recently where I live. My only story is years ago when my 31 year old was in a baby seat the owner's 12 year old daughter at a local Indian restaurant would do her homework every night at a back table But whenever we came in she would come over and entertain and feed my then one year old rice and play with her leaving us to dawdle over dinner without a bored and whining to go home child. It was great.
That said I have not seen any of this recently where I live. My only story is years ago when my 31 year old was in a baby seat the owner's 12 year old daughter at a local Indian restaurant would do her homework every night at a back table But whenever we came in she would come over and entertain and feed my then one year old rice and play with her leaving us to dawdle over dinner without a bored and whining to go home child. It was great.
I've seen this many times, as Sandy said, in places where there are minority owned businesses. Quite common and fine by me, except when the kids get loud sometimes. Better to have parents watch over the kids than have the kids home by themselves or out in the streets.
The small nail salon I go to is always staffed with immigrants. For a couple of years now, I always see some staff members' kids there. Usually they are doing homework or playing on tablets. However, one little girl -second or third grade- jumps right in. She comes over to fill my pedicure tub. She very seriously inquires whether the water temperature is comfortable to me. She instructs me to put my feet in to soak. She sometimes receives a dollar tip for her efforts.
I think it's good in a way the kids are with their parents at work. They are exposed to good work ethic and staying out of trouble. At some point the kids do need some after school activities though.
My first couple years of high school, I was required to come to my parents store after school, if I didn't have extra-curricular activities. There was a desk in the back room for me to do my homework or talk on the phone with my friends. We generally ate dinner out, then after dinner I helped in the store. At age 15, I was capable of selling a houseful of carpet and accurately measuring for square yardage and seam placement. I learned customer service skills and that in a family business everyone helps. My folks knew where I was and I knew their expectations of me.
Third Place., I think that is the sociological term that describes people who are not at work, school, or home. One potential issue is that in certain circumstances, unauthorized persons may see or overhear my or your personal information. I don't care for that possible outcome. I hope that no one ever is compromised by an unlawful act that was made possible by having access to information simply by being in earshot or being able to read paperwork or a computer screen. Some unauthorized person with an unsavory intention would not even have to try to access your information. Proximity might give it to them for free. I do not know of any instances of problems. I merely wonder about it. This may be an unlikely event, and I have something upbeat to say about the matter.
As far as I know, it is up to business owners who are not otherwise controlled to determine whether it is appropriate to have their peeps on the premises or not. Usually, I think it's great for others to have their peeps nearby, if they want this, and if it is safe for everyone. Why not?
As far as I know, it is up to business owners who are not otherwise controlled to determine whether it is appropriate to have their peeps on the premises or not. Usually, I think it's great for others to have their peeps nearby, if they want this, and if it is safe for everyone. Why not?
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao-Tzu
I don't have a problem with it as long as the children are not disruptive, and don't pose a risk. In my situation, a grubby-child running around in the kitchen area with dirty hands and no shoes is definitely some type of health code violation.
It's also sad that many parents do not feel comfortable leaving their children in daycare because of some sort of abuse from the caregivers. Many parents do the right thing, check out references, etc. But how can you feel 100% confident that your child is really safe? I chose to stay home and not work when my children were small. Why give a stranger about 40% of your paycheck to raise your child? About 10 years ago, there were many news stories about daycare abuse.
By the way, my parents had their own dry cleaning businesses. My mother would operate one and my father eventually owned one. My family lived in the back area of my mother's dry cleaning business. There was no operating machinery since the clothes were sent out to be cleaned. My older siblings worked with my mother when they were about 10 to 16. When my father had his own dry cleaning business, we moved to a flat and closed my mother's dry cleaning business. My older siblings were expected to work the family business. I started working there from age 12 to 21, every day after school and all day saturdays, just like my older siblings. I eventually learned how to operate all of the clothing machinery. My older siblings moved onto better paying jobs. My younger brother worked at my father's cleaners at age 10. So, in a sense, my younger brother and I were stuck working the family business until my father's passing when I was 21 and my younger brother was 14. We were not allowed to join any after school activities or go off to hang out with friends. We did our homework at the dry cleaning store and did not go home until the store closed at 7 PM.
In many countries it is quite common to see children with their parents while they work. I think we need to see this happen more frequently here. It would make things so much easier for parents. Years ago we used to go to a Chinese restaurant nearby where the family would always have their little son playing in a back room. I remember when I visited Peru in some of the shops the only employee present would be a teen who would be sitting in the back doing homework until a customer came in. These were family owned businesses, and I think what would occur would be the son or daughter would run the store for awhile after school so mom and dad could take a break or go home and make dinner.
The second situation that Chris mentioned sounds like a different type of situation. This is not a family with small children who come to the parent workplace because they are too young to stay home alone. Nor is this a teen who helps run the store. This sounds like a possessive boyfriend who wants to keep his girl friend under his thumb all the time. She should find a way to boot him!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/26/2017 08:58PM by alannajm.
The second situation that Chris mentioned sounds like a different type of situation. This is not a family with small children who come to the parent workplace because they are too young to stay home alone. Nor is this a teen who helps run the store. This sounds like a possessive boyfriend who wants to keep his girl friend under his thumb all the time. She should find a way to boot him!
"Evolve thyself and lose all hate...." Orphaned Land
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/26/2017 08:58PM by alannajm.
@alannajm wrote:
This sounds like a possessive boyfriend who wants to keep his girlfriend under his thumb all the time. She should find a way to boot him!
Or someone like my teenage son who's girlfriend doesn't drive and lives over 30 away without traffic from us. When she needs a ride to do something he'll take her and wait around hours then bring her home. It's what her family expects him to do. They don't have an extra car or time to take her places.
wwin, the boyfriend was described as possessive because he had to approve his girlfriend's wardrobe every morning because she left the house. The girlfriend didn't explain why her boyfriend waited at her place of work; it could either be an act of kindness as you described or a means of keeping tabs on her.
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