Perhaps this is the right time to clarify something.
I have nothing against parents or parenting. I think that people who have children need to take care of them.
NANNIES AND BABYSITTERS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE SUBSTITUTES! THEY ARE NOT THE PEOPLE WITH WHOM CHILDREN SHOULD BE SPENDING MOST OF THEIR FREE TIME!
IF THAT SOUNDS LIKE A BELLOW, GOOD!
I also think that the trend in American life of thinking of children as being lifestyle accessories rather than human beings who can grow up to be either creative or destructive has had the worst possible consequences. Parenting is not easy and never was easy; earlier generations knew that, and people have been persuaded out of that knowledge by false advertising.
People ought to be able to work part-time and raise children. That's the concession that I would make if I were an employer. Maybe I would pay a three-quarter-time salary to a half-time employee, with full benefits, if the employee were also a parent and a good employee who wanted to be with the business.
What I wouldn't do is promote a working parent over someone who doesn't have children, who really wants to prioritize his or her career. There's nothing wrong with supporting your employees' life choices, and there's also nothing wrong with making decisions for your business that ensure your business's success.
Children grow up. Hopefully, they go to college and start their adult lives. That's when working parents can have their promotions; they'll know all there is to know about their workplaces by then, they'll be good managers and bosses, and they won't upset their young adult children by calling them all the time or stalking them on Facebook.
