Miss Manners: Co-worker brings her kids to the office

DEAR MISS MANNERS: A co-worker I am also close friends with is a wonderful employee and an amazing mother, but she quite often – with no warning – shows up to work with one or more of her kids. This is usually because they are out of school with colds or fevers, or sometimes just because.

We work with a lot of valuable electrical equipment and have a consistent flow of clients and “fans” who come in. She keeps her kids here in a room with her that is communal to the other employees, who have their own families they’re trying not to get sick. Her kids also show up in pictures later wearing/using very expensive pieces of equipment from their time here.

They are very well-behaved children and have never caused a problem, although they do sidetrack her from other tasks and chat a lot with other workers while they’re at the office. I respect my co-worker so much and don’t want to come across like I’m judging or instructing her as a parent, but some things are just unnecessary, inconvenient and inappropriate for a professional setting.

GENTLE READER: You are understandably confused. Your co-worker is your friend. Your potential clients are fans. And you are unsure whether you are giving parental or professional advice.

But your co-worker/friend is equally confused. She does not know if she is at work or at home. Sick people do not belong in an office, nor should professional equipment be used as toys.

Miss Manners advises you to refer the matter to the person you have forgotten to mention but who has the most interest in a resolution: the boss. The idea is not to tattle or complain, but to express sympathy and suggest leniency in allowing parents to meet emergencies.

Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@ gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.