DEAR ABBY: Is there a polite way to ask a colleague to stop bringing her kids to work? Our offices are next to each other, and the dividing wall doesn't reach the ceiling. I have to hear them yelling at each other (they are 2 and 4), crying, whining and their mother's attempts at discipline, etc. This isn't occasional -- it happens often.
Should I ask her politely to stop bringing them to work? Or should I ask management to shift my office away from hers? -- DISTRACTED IN DETROIT
DEAR DISTRACTED: Rather than risk a confrontation with your co-worker, this is something you should discuss either with your supervisor or your employer. While I empathize with the woman's difficulty in finding someone to supervise her youngsters, if their presence in the workplace is disruptive, your needs should be accommodated.