Kids and School
 

So I consider myself a very tolerant person of many things, happenings, and other people. In fact, before tonight, I only despised Tim McCarver and the NY Yankees. But, as the previous statement implied, I found a new group of folks that make me angry: mother and/or fathers who bring their children to college classes.

Granted, I realize that these people have it a bit tougher than the rest of us with balancing school with their offspring drooling and shitting constantly, but bringing the screaming, little shit machine to class is ridiculous. Number one, the parent is consistently distracted from learning and when lil Suzie decides Dah-dah or Mah-mah isn't paying enough attention and starts banging and throwing things (mainly their lunch), the entire class is disrupted.

Single parents, gay parents, fat parents, whatever parents need to leave their kids at home or stay out of college.

I would have to agree on that one. When so much of my money is riding on my education I want to learn and be able to pass my classes. If a screaming kid is in the room its damn near impossible to do. Maybe try leaving yer kids at a baby sitters or with some kind of daycare.

Agreed - the college classroom is no place for little children. I'm surprised the instructor allows it

I'm also surprised.

Do your colleges not have childcare or creches?

Mr Mephisto

i was in this community college class durin summer and this girl brought her kid to class and laid her(or him?) outside the room in a chair and the whole damn class was concentrated on the girl, rather than the professor.

then the child did something, and the prof was like "why wont u go and take care of the baby?"

I remember trying to study for a test at a review session and some little brat was just wailing. Finally someone stood up and said "I don't want to be the bad guy here, but that kid is making it really hard to study"

He wasn't a bad guy, I was glad he spoke up.

OK, this is a first for me. I've never heard of people bringing their kids to college classes, maybe because it's just such a "duh" thing to do. You don't bring screaming kids to places where people are trying to concentrate on something - you don't bring them to, say, a symphony, what on earth would make someone think it was okay to bring them to class? I understand that it's difficult but hell, you chose to have kids, accept the limitations.

I am torn on this. Firstly I have never ever heard of a college/school/learning institute allowing you to bring your children to class with you. If they are going to allow it then there should be a daycare of some sort provided on campus. It is absolutely ridiculous to expect a class full of paying students to be distracted by a crying baby or toddler running about. It isn't fair.
On the other hand.....I applaud whole-heartedly someone who is trying to improve their life by continuing with their education. What if they can't afford child-care because of the very reason that they are attending school? Not everyone has someone to help them out, or the spare money to afford day-care and schooling at the same time. Many of you will say "well then you shouldn't have had a kid".....BUT accidents happen people and I don't think it's fair they should have to give up on all their dreams of education because of it. I just think the school should take a much different approach (providing daycare services) if they are going to allow a student to bring their child with them.

I agree Minx.

But shouldn't the college/school provide childcare? The student shouldn't have to pay for it.

Mr Mephisto

Yeah, then they can tack it onto the tuition of all us, even those who don't bring kids to class.

This happens, although infrequently, where I'm at right now. There doesn't seem to be a school policy on it that I can find. I understand that sometimes accidents happen and sometimes it's difficult to find someone to watch over your kids.

That being said, it seems real funny that when it comes time to go to work they manage to find babysitters or when we meet off campus (club meetings, blow off parties etc.) they manage to find day care.

I go to school to learn. I buy my books and pay my tuition so that I can have the opportunity to better myself through education. What I didn't do was sign up to babysit other people's kids.

They are children. They are your children. They are your responsiblity, not mine, not the gal next to me, not the even the college's. I understand that sometimes things happen and schedules conflict, but they should either make arrangements for their children or make arrangements for their class.

I've only seen one person bring a kid to class, ever. It was for a Spanish 1 final.

You'd think that was bad, right? A final. But it gets worse. The professor didn't show up. Because he was _home_ taking care of his kids during the day and "thought the final was in the afternoon."

What crap.

Yes, there are a lot of single parents who deserve to go to school and better themselves. People do have accidents. I was one of them -- I had my son during my last year of college. I was 23 and old enough to "know better." What did I do? I HIRED a BABYSITTER! My son was only 9 days old when I returned to class and out of respect for my classmates and my own learning I left him with a sitter. The state covered the expense. (Which I felt bad about at the time, but isn't that what the system is for?) There is no excuse! Children do not belong in college classes.

Granted it isn't the best situation. I understand their motivation as my wife is attending class and on some nights it is hard to find child care (when I am out of town for work which is frequently). However we have been able to manage it and others can to. It is selfish to other's learning to have a child there that is going to distract from everybody else for the sake of one person.

They let kids into class???

Wow. I'm stunned. They should either offer a day-care facility or no kids at all.

You have my sympathy.

i stunned that they brought the children into the classroom!!

i´ve never had that happen in my classes.

it must be very hard for these parents; trying to study and raise children i imagine would be tough.

my uni has 3 child-care establishments... but, i doubt they are there to provide inexpensive childcare to the children of students.

but, on the other hand, i can imagine that its pretty damn hard to learn and study when there are children in the lecture theatre or classroom.

I've only experienced this once. In a Human Development class, one lady's babysitter didn't show up so she brought the kid to class. Wasn't a bid deal because he was like eight. If I remember correctly, he read the whole time and even participated in the discussion a couple of times. It was kinda cool. But I can understand the frustration. I hate it when parents think they are special. If you cant even afford a babysitter, then I don't know how you can afford to go to college... oh wait, yes I do. With my paycheck...

my college has a daycare in it to provide all of the mothers with a place to leave their kids and for those who really love kids (other students) to take care of them of course in the past ten years the day care has been rebuilt six or seven times due to capacity