QUESTION:
I´m facilitating work sessions of a new organization and have a real problem with two members and one happens to be a baby! The new mom, who´s a very important contributor and founder of the organization, is determined to bring the baby to all our meetings. How can I deal with the disruption?

Leon Sharpe
Program Associate
Group agreements have always been useful to me to put the responsibility for behavior back on the group members. Your situation is a lot like dealing with a member who´s always late. Try getting the group to talk about how the meetings are going. At some point, you´ll have to give some feedback to the group and ask for suggestions. How can we be more productive? How can we include this mom and make it easier for all of us to participate?

Vicki Luther
Co-Director
I agree with Leon, but I´d also add that offering childcare might be a solution. Even having a teen volunteer in the same room to play with the baby might help. Another strategy might be to take a break when the baby cries. To tell the truth, sooner or later the group will have to deal directly with the disruptions and your job is to make that as helpful as possible rather than letting the resentment build up until there´s a conflict.