Whiners Unite!

We moved to Fairyland for my husband’s job. He works with children. He in fact manages staff that work with children. Much of his staff is not much more than children themselves—and they act like it. At the risk of sounding old and out of touch (“ Back in my day . .“), I have to say that the rising generation of young adults are a big bunch of whiners. Perhaps this is just the vocal minority (we can only hope), but I am appalled at their careless, excuse-ridden behavior as employees, and as role models to children. Granted, I don’t get much detail. My husband is terribly professionally tight-lipped about these things, but since we live here, I pick up a bit of what’s going on. And I have to say that a portion of his young staff are worse than my 4-year-old when it comes to whining and temper tantrums. Somehow I don’t recall anywhere in my employment history (“Back in my day . . .”) where I felt I was in any position to whine to my employer about the basic rules to which I was asked to adhere. Sure, you might not like it, but suck it up or find another job! Now, I’m not talking about accepting unsafe or ethically improper practices in the workplace. In fact, I’m talking about rules that are designed precisely to protect employee and client safety, or to enforce ethics.

Let me provide a couple of examples. No flip-flops are allowed in the workplace for obvious safety reasons. “The flip-flop rule is stupid!” “Let’s have a flip-flop protest day.” Yeah. I’m thinking the Great Flip-Flop Protest will go down in the annals of history next to the great strides made by the union movement in protecting the rights of workers everywhere.

And how about this one folks—today’s big shake-up: drug testing. I’m no lawyer, but as far as I understand it, illegal drugs are still illegal—even the drugs that you think shouldn’t be illegal. They are still illegal. I also understand that your employer has the right to expect you to be a law-abiding citizen and that you can lose your job for breaking laws even on time-off. Particularly if you have signed a waiver agreeing to all this—I don’t know, maybe the up and coming generation really can’t read. Which, of course, is entirely not their fault. My second example follows.

Every person hired here in fairyland is required to sign a drug testing form which states (I’m paraphrasing) that they are not allowed to use illegal drugs during their term of employment and that random drug tests can and will occur throughout this term as well. They have the right to refuse to take the test, but such refusal will result in termination of employment. I may just be old-fashioned, but generally when I sign something, I read it and only sign it if I agree with the terms.

Back to my example “but, you should have given us warning.” “This isn’t fair.” And so forth. What part of “you are not allowed to use illegal drugs during your term of employment and we will test you or you will lose your job” is not fair warning? What a bunch of whiners. And, to top it off, some of the leadership staff is whining about the unfairness of all this and how these bozos are some of the best staff. Boy, if this is the cream of the crop, I’d hate to see the whey—maybe the rest of them do drugs in front of the kids they’re supervising, not just on their time off.

Oh, and what about "if they have it all out of their system and are able to function and do their jobs when they're on duty, what's the problem?" What's the problem?!!? As a mother, if I entrust you with the care of my child (as an employee of an organization that boasts in it's mission building healthy minds and bodies nonetheless), I expect you to expect my child to follow the rules. I therefore expect you to MODEL ADHERENCE TO RULES be they big or small or whether or not you agree with them. Regardless of whether my child ever discovers what specifically you do or do not do in your time off, they will get the message loud and clear, somehow, some way, that you do not believe that rules are worth following. Therefore I DO NOT WANT THE CARE OF MY CHILDREN ENTRUSTED TO THE LIKES OF YOU!

So, the result of all this is that, rather than submitting to the testing, most of them decided to up and quit on the spot, dropping their responsibilities and supposed commitment to the children like a hot potato (“good riddance to bad rubbish” as the saying goes). Doesn’t that just speak volumes about character and commitment? (and no, you can't win for losing . . . )

And oh, the victim and martyr performances were astounding (listen, is that Les Miserables in the background? . . . Do you hear the people sing? Singing the songs of angry men). As if it’s someone else’s fault that they do drugs and as such are being forced to quit a job that expects them not to do drugs (It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again). And then, in a true act of solidarity (Will you join in our crusade? Will you be strong and stand with me?) Several of their friends quit too (boy, that’ll show ‘em, way to take one for the team, nothin’ like chaining yourself to a sinking ship). As if somehow, like a big kum-ba-ya sit-in we’re gonna force those big, mean, drug-free, child-safe workplace enforcers in their close-toed shoes to shut up and listen for a change. (When the beating of your heart . . .). “We’re not going to take it! It’s a free country for heaven’s sake and we can use all the drugs we want and still be morally fit to care for children. (Echoes the beating of a drum . . .) We can nurture the rising generation! We can show them that they too have the right to make stupid decisions that may drastically affect their future for worse. WE ARE TODAY’S ROLE MODELS! WE ARE TOMORROW’S HEROES!!” (There is a life about to start, when tomorrow comes!) Quit your whining already will ya?

One leadership staff member was heard to say “you should have anticipated this.” Anticipated what? That in one fell swoop, many of the offenders up and took themselves out of their positions of responsibility? I would have to say that immediately removing themselves from the influence of children is perhaps the single most responsible act they have performed since employment. It seems to me that the drug testing was far more effective than anyone could have hoped for—and no one even had to pay for the test!

Then, as the quitters drove off site with tears in their eyes and big frowns on their faces, honking their horns (that’ll show us), didn’t it just make the big meanies all feel so bad; as if this is all somehow everyone else’s fault. There was a time (back in my day . . . ) when people were taught to take responsibility for their actions—even their misdeeds. And that consequences dolled out were received penitently, the offender, having learned something very important, likely commits themselves to changing their behavior and making a better future for themselves. That is when, as they part, one feels a sense of sympathy for them, and hope for a better future. This however, makes you just want to shake your head and mumble to no-one in particular (because they certainly aren’t listening) “quit your whining already.”