They're holding it during the day because the people organizing it probably aren't commuting instructors. More likely, they're office staff who work there during the week. Midday for an hour during the week spells extra long lunch for them.

I've been working as a writer with the same place for four years. Despite having a longstanding relationship with the paper, I never get invited to the Chirstmas party -- nor do any of the writers. I kind of envy people with office potlucks:)

Hope your flu goes away. The news was saying that the county and St. Anne's are down to about 400 flu shots each.

If this illness keeps up, we won't be going, regardless. ;-)

Seriously, though, I'm recalling my father's company Christmas parties - he always brought us, though it wasn't overtly "kid-friendly." We had a great time anyway. Eric's company Christmas party, on the other hand, was specifically organized to not involve children; it's a gambling theme, and it's at night. For that, I have no problem getting a sitter or else staying home with Sam. It's the midweek, midday, potlucks and holiday receptions, only an hour or two in length, that bug me. They don't just punish (albeit unintentionally) those who are full-time caregivers for children, but those who live far away and only teach in the evenings, who perhaps have other jobs. Why not do it on a weekend?

Some events really aren't for kids. The people hosting parties they hope will be adults only aren't doing it specifically to punish children or parents. They themselves may be parents. Some events are adults only so that the grown folk attending can have a night of adult conversation without having to entertain, distract or otherwise attend to a child.

If an invitation doesn't mention your child, it may be that the event is adults only. Instead of assuming, I would ask and make a decision based on that -- rather then turning up with baby onboard as it were. If your child is the only kid at a party, chances are, it isn't going to be a fun time for her.

One of the women who attended a bridal shower we hosted brought her three year old. The girl kept taking things off the buffet and throwing them on the floor. That and screaming. Sometimes a babysitter is a good thing -- for both the kid and the parents.
Carrie's work party is a day time event, but probably not kid friendly either. There won't be many (if any) other kids there (many would be in school), there won't be toys or activities for Sam. It's also an office party. Those generally exist so that you can get to know colleagues apart from the work you're doing and/or drunkenly grope them in the copy room:) Just me? Buehler? Oh well.

Personally, if I were in Carrie's place, I wouldn't go at all. Not because having a little kid makes a woman a social leper -- if you don't care that other people might not like it, breaking ettiquette isn't that big of a deal. But why get to know/schmooze with people you're never going to see again? You're moving in a month. The college is very commuter oriented. If you don't know the faculty very well, it might be better not to bother.

YMMV, naturally.

Not popular opinions, but maybe good to see where the other school of thought is coming from.

Re: bringing Sam to work parties-- I decided, when Llani was a baby, to just assume that any invitation extended to me (or to Adrian and me) was also an invitation extended to Llanina, unless the inviter specifically said otherwise. After all, when I'm invited to a social event, it's pretty much a given that Adrian is invited, too, since he's a part of my family. Well, Llani is a part of my family, too. I don't ask if I can bring her, just as I wouldn't ask if I can bring Adrian.

Obviously, if it's a night of drinking and carousing I wouldn't bring her, but it's been years since I've gotten that sort of invite. I've brought Llani to family parties and dinners out, bar mitzvahs, a casual wedding, and a summer BBQ, and in most cases she was the only young child. Sometimes people were surprised that I brought her, but she's a pretty mellow kid and her "behavior" was never an issue. No one has ever complained.

I really hate the way our society views children as this "other" instead of part of the family unit, and the assumption most people make is that, as a rule, the parents go out and do whatever and the kids stay home with a babysitter. My family is a unit, together, not two seperate age-sorted groups.