By Jamie | Leave A Comment
Like many companies, my employer hosts an annual summer outing. Mine is this Friday at a local park. We’ll eat burgers and hot dogs, the jocks will play softball, the wimpy among us (myself included) will play croquette, and we’ll all enjoy being set free from our office and cubicles for a day. I’m fine with pretty much any activity that doesn’t involve wearing a bathing suit in front of our CEO.
This year’s event scheduling, however, couldn’t be worse. You see, my company outing is being held on my daughter’s 6th birthday. Normally I would request the day off, but I just took an entire week off for a family trip to the beach. My department is very small and my boss will be on vacation this week, so it’s definitely not a good time to ask for additional time off. We’re having my daughter’s actual birthday party, however, on Saturday afternoon, followed by a small family cookout.
I’d love to take my daughter to the company outing, but children have never been welcomed in the past. Plus I recently caught some flack from a co-worker about me bringing my 3-year-old to the office (who was very well behaved, I might add.)
I’m going to respect my company’s decision to make it an employee only summer outing, and my daughter can spend the day having fun with my hubby or with my mom.
Does your company throw an annual summer picnic or cookout? If so, is it open to family?
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I don’t work outside the home but in regards to my dh’s company…I think they had company picnics until the year we got married and then nothing! I’m thinking that it was for all employees and their families.
For a summer company picnic I just can’t imagine it being fun for just employees to hang out without their families. But a day without work WITH pay – guess you got to love that.
In Seattle, hubby’s Mega Corp would have different outtings…some for just the employees. My favorite was a company sponsored baseball game every summer. We took the baby, went to the stadium and sat with all of his friends, after eating a company provided BBQ picnic. There was also an office trick-or-treat that was super fun for the kids, and a great way to show them off to the co-workers. It’s odd that your co. would be taking you to a park…and not inviting kids?! Sorry about the bad timing with the b’day!
My husbands company has been having company picnics for about 7 years now. It all started when my husband mentioned at lunch one day(with his co-workers) that our oldest daughter wanted to meet the people he worked with. So his then boss decided we would have a “picnic.” It ended up being on a very windy day in Sept. that was too chilly to swim in the pool. We did have a great game of softball and the “picnic” was catered. Since then we have had “picnics” at Great Adventure, a horserace track, a minor league ball park and a spa! Last year was the best where it was actually at a park and we had a “picnic” (baked beans, grilled chicken, coleslaw, brownies) The kids loved learning how to play cornhole toss. The company pays for everything and all spouses and kids are invited.
I’ve definitely got mixed emotions, especially because it’s my daughter’s birthday! I think (I know), however, that she’ll forget about it once we have her party Saturday and family cookout. Plus Friday night she has specifically requested a birthday dinner to her favorite restaurant, Cracker Barrel.
But yes I do wish it was an open event for families of employees!