'Normalize This': Service Worker With Baby Strapped To Chest Sparks Debate On Working Parents

Nov 17, 2021 by apost team

Balancing home life and work life as a parent can be extremely challenging. Childcare is expensive, and sometimes plans fall through. Maybe your babysitter had to cancel because he or she was sick, or your family member who was supposed to be able to watch your kids for the day ended up having to take care of an emergency. Whatever the case may be, it’s the parents’ responsibility to take care of their children the best way they can, even if that means having to rearrange some circumstances at their place of work.

For some employees, their place of work fortunately offers a built-in daycare center, or their job provides them with ample time off for emergency situations to take care of their children. However, many don’t have this luxury and are sometimes forced to adapt at a moment’s notice.

In early November 2021, a TikTok of a fast-food restaurant worker went viral due to the fact that the worker was behind the counter while he had a baby strapped to his chest. The video sparked a heated debate about working parents and the difficulties of finding childcare, with more revelations coming to light as the days progressed.

While some people brought up points about how unsafe it was to have a baby at work, others pointed out that it might have been unavoidable. The video has continued to stir up plenty of comments with differing opinions as people share their thoughts about what expectations are really like when it comes to being a working parent.

On Nov. 5, 2021, TikTok user Leslie Munoz shared a video of a Subway employee working with a baby strapped to his chest. The video has since gone viral, garnering more than 4.1 million views and thousands of comments. Many people were blown away by the fact that this seemingly single father had to work while caring for his child at the same exact time, and they wanted to start fundraisers to help him.

According to the Daily Dot, Munoz is the baby’s parent, not the man in the video. In the comment section, she explained, “I’m actually the single mom. Guy in the Subway video is a friend/old co-worker who adores my son.” Speaking with the Daily Dot, Munoz said, “... He then proceed to make my sandwich, but as soon as a customer came in he was given back to me.”

The comment section has been flooded with mixed opinions on the expectations of workers and childcare. Many people supported the idea of allowing people to have their kids at work with them. One TikTok user said, “If I saw this at a local Subway, I would not be bothered. Sometimes childcare falls through.” Another user wrote, “Can we normalize this? There shouldn’t have to be a choice between taking care of the child and making money to care for the child.”

Munoz said that it was great to see that her video sparked such an important conversation. She continued, “I myself am about to start work and don’t trust/afford a babysitter so it was interesting to see people’s opinions on this  topic that I myself did not mean to start up."

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What’s your stance on this situation? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your family members and friends to find out what they think, too.