It's okay to not hold the baby, right?
I'm the same person from the Nephew Vacation Ruiner post and I now love this site. I've spent the last few days reading everything posted. It's refreshing to see so many like-minded people!
Anywho, my coworker had her son right before my family's trip to Europe at the start of September so it being the start of August you can imagine I've seen the baby since then. Especially since she's been in every single day since she left for her leave. She always brings the baby.
I've held him, I've cooed, I've awwed. I've done everything you're "supposed" to do when there is a baby around. But yesterday when she brought him in I was busy with a project and since I've seen him everyday I didn't see the need to stop working so I called a quick hello and acknowledged the baby before getting to work.
She comes over before she leaves and asks if I wanna hold him. Politely I declined and I swear you'd think I told her to fuck herself with the baby. She stormed out and now I'm the pariah of my section. My section is mostly women and one of them told me that it's rude to ignore the baby.
I spoke to my male boss later on and he thought it was hilarious and said that he noticed that when the only man in our section ignored the bebe-melee nothing happened to him. So, thoughts, did I in anyway do something rude or wrong here? I don't see what was so bad about saying no.
I mean, maybe if I had never shown an interest before or had been rude when she asked, but I've done everything from plan the office baby-shower to attending the kid's christening. Is there some unspoken rule that if you're female you must always be interested in a baby you've seen everyday since it's birth?
Anywho, my coworker had her son right before my family's trip to Europe at the start of September so it being the start of August you can imagine I've seen the baby since then. Especially since she's been in every single day since she left for her leave. She always brings the baby.
I've held him, I've cooed, I've awwed. I've done everything you're "supposed" to do when there is a baby around. But yesterday when she brought him in I was busy with a project and since I've seen him everyday I didn't see the need to stop working so I called a quick hello and acknowledged the baby before getting to work.
She comes over before she leaves and asks if I wanna hold him. Politely I declined and I swear you'd think I told her to fuck herself with the baby. She stormed out and now I'm the pariah of my section. My section is mostly women and one of them told me that it's rude to ignore the baby.
I spoke to my male boss later on and he thought it was hilarious and said that he noticed that when the only man in our section ignored the bebe-melee nothing happened to him. So, thoughts, did I in anyway do something rude or wrong here? I don't see what was so bad about saying no.
I mean, maybe if I had never shown an interest before or had been rude when she asked, but I've done everything from plan the office baby-shower to attending the kid's christening. Is there some unspoken rule that if you're female you must always be interested in a baby you've seen everyday since it's birth?