Being a working mother is tough, but does that mean I have to prioritize my coworker's kids over my own activities? That's the question I was faced with when a coworker asked me to cover an evening call because she had a soccer game to attend with her child. When I declined, she accused me of not having empathy for working parents. But is it fair for her to expect me to prioritize her activities over mine? I respect and empathize with working mothers, but I also value my own time and choices equally. Was I in the wrong? Read on to find out the details of the situation and decide for yourself.
Unsplash | Lars Bo Nielsen
Juggling work and personal life without kids, coworker troubles.
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Trending
Can't prioritize coworker's kid over my own activities 🤷♀️
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Fairness in prioritizing work and outside commitments discussed amicably 🤝
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Feeling judged for prioritizing my own activities over coworker's kids ⚽
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Supporting working mothers without sacrificing personal priorities 🙌
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Empathy for working parents: A mother's perspective 🤱
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Choosing not to be a mother doesn't mean lack of empathy 👩👧👦
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Appreciation for supportive working mothers and call out against misogyny
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Coworker prioritizes her kids over mine, AITA?
A 36-year-old married woman sought advice after a coworker asked her to prioritize her kids over her own outside-of-work activities. The coworker wanted her to cover an evening call because her son had a soccer game, but the woman had a volleyball game. The coworker said that her soccer game was more important than the woman's volleyball game because it was for her kid. When the woman declined and explained that her outside-of-work commitments are not less important, the coworker scoffed at her.
The woman talked to a friend who is a mother, but she didn't get the support she needed. She is now seeking advice to know if she was wrong or not. Working mothers need support, and it's important to accommodate their schedules when it doesn't cause significant inconvenience. But does it mean that people who don't have kids should prioritize working mothers' schedules over their own? Let's see what the comments have to say.
Childfree OP supported by commenters for not prioritizing coworker's kids
Slugdirt | Slugdirt
Being childfree doesn't mean being obligated to cover for parents. NTA 💜
mdsnbelle | mdsnbelle
Don't let your co-worker prioritize her kids over your life 🙅♀️
laughingsbetter | laughingsbetter
Keep your personal business private. NTA for setting boundaries. 🙌
sugarintheboots | sugarintheboots
Setting boundaries without justification. 👍
Time-U-1 | Time-U-1
Prioritizing hobbies over coworker's kid's hobby, NTA. 🤾♀️🚫👶
Opagea | Opagea
Commenter defends OP's decision, while questioning the boss's actions 😒
moondoggie1960 | moondoggie1960
Don't let entitled parents guilt you into prioritizing their kids. #NTA 🙅♀️
SilverQueenBee | SilverQueenBee
Fairness in sharing responsibilities. NTA wins.
Dszquphsbnt | Dszquphsbnt
Working parents deserve equal respect and workload. NTA.
CarryingCargo | CarryingCargo
Polite, but firm response perfectly shuts down entitled coworker.
Tricky_Dog1465 | Tricky_Dog1465
Empathy for working parents doesn't mean prioritizing random soccer games ⚽
kitty-cat24 | kitty-cat24
No kids, no problem! Your time is just as valuable 🙌
mizfit0416 | mizfit0416
You do you! 🙌 Prioritizing your own life choices is important. #NotTheA**hole
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Comment defends working parents while acknowledging potential unfairness to childfree workers.
ResponsibilityMuch80 | ResponsibilityMuch80
Prioritizing your own activities is okay, NTA 👍
LaurelRose519 | LaurelRose519
Parent of 5 responds to entitled coworker's request 🙄
vampsterdame | vampsterdame
Prioritizing personal commitments over coworker's kids. Fair or not? 🤔
Fountain-Baby | Fountain-Baby
Stand up for yourself! Your personal time is valuable too! 🙅♀️
Nikki3to | Nikki3to
Stand up for yourself and talk to HR about her behavior 😤
[deleted] | [deleted]
Childfree and need to run errands? Don't let parents guilt trip you! 🙅♀️
No-Jellyfish-1208 | No-Jellyfish-1208
Choosing to have kids means accepting the drawbacks. #NTA 👌
thatdoesntseemright1 | thatdoesntseemright1
Don't let entitled coworkers guilt you out of your life 🙅♀️
Murderbunny13 | Murderbunny13
Your time is just as valuable as parents. NTA! 🙌
Raemlouch | Raemlouch
Coworker wants OP to prioritize her kids over their own life 🚫👨👩👧👦. OP receives support and points out coworkers' rudeness 🙅♂️.
millhouse_vanhousen | millhouse_vanhousen
Valuing personal time ≠ being anti-parent 👍👶
Background_Ruin_3631 | Background_Ruin_3631
Childfree coworker taking extra work, vilified for prioritizing own life 🤷♀️
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Putting yourself first is not always a bad thing 😉
VorionLightbringer | VorionLightbringer
Set boundaries without justification to protect your personal time. 🛀
ChaosStoplessCool | ChaosStoplessCool
Boss needs to schedule availability. Moms need a life too! 👍
jadepumpkin1984 | jadepumpkin1984
Stand up for your priorities! 🙌 NTA
ladyblue56 | ladyblue56
Stand up for yourself at work 💪 #NotEntitled
Pcom1221 | Pcom1221
Working moms can prioritize themselves sometimes too 💪🏼👩🏻💼
sazoirl | sazoirl
Setting boundaries with coworkers🚫👨💼
40101695 | 40101695
Stand up for yourself, you're not a second class citizen 💪
angel2hi | angel2hi
Prioritizing personal life during work hours is NTA 👍
Athena2560 | Athena2560
Childfree coworker stands up for herself against entitled parent.
fluid_state | fluid_state
Stand your ground! Your time is valuable too 💪
pluginfembot | pluginfembot
Respect your work schedule 👍
verdebot | verdebot
Parental entitlement at work? NTA prioritizing personal activities over coworker's kids.
pizzaisapie69 | pizzaisapie69
Prioritizing kids over other commitments? NTA says this parent 👍
Ancient-Transition-4 | Ancient-Transition-4
Set boundaries politely without revealing personal information 🙌
eye_8_pi | eye_8_pi
NTA for prioritizing own activities over coworker's kids 🙅♀️
madethistosay90 | madethistosay90
Stand up for your right to work-life balance. 🙅♀️
ItsGoodToChalk | ItsGoodToChalk
Prioritizing free time over kids? NTA, it's a her problem 😏
countrybumpkin1969 | countrybumpkin1969
Don't let guilt-tripping coworkers take advantage of you 🙅♀️
BWC1992 | BWC1992
You're in the clear! Thumbs up emoji
Lettuce-Beginning | Lettuce-Beginning
Standing up for fair distribution of work as a working parent 💪
spacecampcadet | spacecampcadet
Mother agrees: prioritize your own activities, not others' demands.
Designer_Newspaper25 | Designer_Newspaper25
Commenter is not the a**hole! 👍
planetkween | planetkween
Not the a**hole, but what happened exactly? 🤔
lockerpunch | lockerpunch
Fairness in work shifts for parents without compromising others' activities.
NotLostForWords | NotLostForWords
Don't let others guilt you into sacrificing your freedom 🤘NTA
pensaha | pensaha
Stand your ground and prioritize your own plans 🙌 #NTA
BeeYehWoo | BeeYehWoo
Prioritizing work over kids' activities creates tension. 😔
wat-is-mylife | wat-is-mylife
Prioritizing coworker's kids over your activities? NTA, keep going 🙌
Salt_Breath_8827 | Salt_Breath_8827
