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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think working parents get more workplace sympathy than single, childfree staff who are expected to pick up the slack?

103 replies

PlainTealCrow · 19/09/2025 11:49

Parents get flexibility and understanding when life is hard. Childfree staff? Expected to stay late and cover gaps. AIBU to think this double standard is rarely acknowledged?

OP posts:
JHound · 19/09/2025 12:33

I think it is workplace specific but it is definitely the case in a lot of places that leaving work to attend childcare related things is more acceptable than any other reason.

A few few weeks ago my boss had a tantrum because I left work on time to attend an event. The event started at 6:30 pm. My work hours are nine till five. But he still threw a tantrum and said I should’ve put it in the team diary because he tried to call me and he couldn’t get hold of me. I am sure if I was at home looking after the children at 6:30 pm he would not have wanted me to put that in the team diary to let people know where I was. I also find it is worse in the UK for this or maybe I have been unlucky. In Oz, they had a much more progressive view on it.

JadziaD · 19/09/2025 12:23

Now you're not even asking questions that haven't been done 1000 times and you've skipped the default misogyny which usually makes the threads more exciting for you (you should have accused working MOTHERS of slacking).

2/10 for frothability.

Lollytea655 · 19/09/2025 12:22

Maybe it depends where you work but my own experience on the whole has been quite the opposite really. Parents are expected to work as if they haven’t got children and are often refused any flex/understanding because “you chose to have kids”.

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