(titled edited because I'm hot-headed)

(Ding!) Customer Assistance in the “Family Is Important” department, please.

What’s on my list today? I won’t find it at one particular department store. That’s for sure.

I’m so frustrated with a the management at this store. I know they just fired an employee for mistakenly giving a customer back his check, The employee got no warning and no consideration as to their track record or length of service. Even if the check is for $5. This does NOT happen if a till is short $5 cash.

But my reason for writing is more personal because my family has been connected to this company for years. The store doesn't give full time hours to union employees, instead making Management (salaried) work all the extra hours they need. And not just 1 or 2 hours here and there. They are paid for 8 hours a day, scheduled for 10 hours, but expected to work 11 or 12. EVERY. DAY.

3. The store doesn't care if employees have families. You are expected to drop everything to accommodate their needs with as little as 10 hours notice. On vacation? Too bad, come back early. Got a kid? Don't give a shit, figure it out. Never see your wife? Get a divorce.

4. The store happily gives uninterrupted vacations to the Grocery Managers, Deli Managers, Baker Managers, Meat managers - all at the same time, but don't extend that consideration for Assistant Managers.

Here's the deal...my husband works for this company as a manager. Not the top either. While on a pre-approved scheduled vacation, he was called and told that he had to cut his vacation short because the Grocery Manager needed a day off. Keep in mind, the Grocery Manager took a sweet two-week, uninterrupted vacation in September. He was never called back early and, in fact, was never called with a single thing regarding work. Where as my husband, after working 12 hour days, spent the remainder of the night on the phone with work.

We have a 2 1/2 year old daughter, and he is her only child care for those days on his vacation. With 3 days notice, they expect him to drop everything and find a babysitter. Because the managers don’t care. It's as plain and simple as that.

The real icing in the cake? After being called back from vacation early, requiring husband to ditch daughter, he is being required to work graveyard shifts for 9 straight nights.

I know what you're thinking - that's not bad. No, no, no. This is 9 straight graveyard shifts in Ballard, WA - 85 miles from our home.

Oh, come on, Jen, that's not so bad. He'll have a hotel and with email and text and webcams you can keep in touch. Right?

Wrong.

He has been told that the company will NOT pay for him to stay in a hotel. They are requiring him to drive to and from Ballard for 9 straight graveyard shifts. For 9 straight days and nights, he will do nothing but work. He will not see me. He will not see his daughter. He will be required to drive 2 hours each way in order to work a schedule 10 hour shift, that will likely turn into an 11 or 12 hour shift.

Oh, but when he gets back, he'll get some time off and everything will be back to normal, right?

Wrong. Again.

His first presumed day off (we don't know since they haven't told him) is going to be on a Thursday - but technically he'll get off work that morning at 8AM, then drive 2 hours to get home in order to sleep probably all day and night (and won't get to see his wife or daughter for the 10th straight day) in order to then go to work on Friday at 2PM to work until midnight. (If you're keeping score, that will be the 11th day without seeing his wife and daughter, even though we're all in the same house).

Oh, but the end is in sight, right? Because Saturday he'll get the day off, I have the day off, we'll have a family day, right? Nope. He'll get 1 day off that week (Thursday), which technically isn't a day off because he's working til 8AM that morning. Saturday is another 2PM to midnight shift. Another day without seeing him (check your score cards - that's 12 days now).

Maybe you're thinking that I'm just whining and that I should just be THANKFUL that he even has a job, but what good is a job when all I get of my husband is a paycheck? That is all he's good for. We don't get to see each other, we don't get to spend time together and the worst part is, he doesn't get to see his daughter. She's at an age where every day she's doing something new and different. She's learning and changing and he's missing out on that. So ask yourself this question...do you work in a job that you'd prefer over your own child? Would you give up time with your child to work long hours that you aren't paid for? What price would you put on giving up years with your child and spouse?

And the sad thing is, we'd also like to expand our family. But in our case, it requires doctors and medicine and timing and because of what the company is doing, we can't do that. My husband won't be around when the doctor's need him. He won't be around when I need him. And most importantly he won't be around when our daughter needs him either.

This company doesn't treat their employees well. Keep that in mind the next time you shop. When you see them running ragged, trying to stock the shelves, remember that person has a wife and a child that they no longer see, all for the sake of the company.

Never confuse having a career with having a life.

Note: this was edited from my original version because my friend Eric is a smart guy and I'd be stupid NOT to listen to him.

First Day of "school"

Well, the day has come. Today is Carley's first day of "school". I say "school" but it's really day care. If we call it school, Carley gets excited - in theory.

I've prepared her as much as I can. I had hoped she'd get a good night's sleep so she'd be in a good mood, but of course, she didn't get to sleep until 11:15 or 11:30 (I don't know when because by then I was already asleep), then at 2AM she climbed into bed with me. I'm about to wake her up to start this new part of our day. I can only hope that her lack of sleep doesn't result in a meltdown, but if I know my kid, it will.

I've become quite emotional about her starting day care. I can't explain it, and unfortunately I can't control it. I wished to hell I could because people are starting to make fun of me, which has really been hurtful.

I hope she lasts all day long, but if not we'll try again on Friday.