Comments on: Family Friendly Jury Duty http://wfnetwork.bc.edu/blog/family-friendly-jury-duty Work and Family Blog Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:51:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Lisa http://wfnetwork.bc.edu/blog/family-friendly-jury-duty/comment-page-1#comment-1365 Lisa Thu, 28 May 2009 21:29:14 +0000 http://wfnetwork.bc.edu/blog/?p=162#comment-1365 I am facing this dilemma right now. I was summoned to jury duty in Arapahoe County (Colorado). I am a stay at home mom to two young children (ages 2 and 3). The court tells me I am required to leave my children in daycare so that I can report. The court pays for the daycare, but still I am furious about this. My 2-year-old has never been away from me. We tell children to beware of strangers, don't talk to strangers, don't take food from strangers, yet I am expected to leave my children in a facility with strangers - some of whom will have the most intimate access to my children (changing diapers, helping the older child go potty, etc.). My husband and I chose to be a one-income family so that our children could reap the benefits of a stay-at-home parent. While the court's requirement does not present a financial hardship, the fact that they are mandating that I put my children in daycare, and that the court has chosen the facility, strikes me as an insufferable intrusion into family life. Many states allow primary caregivers of young children to be excused from jury duty. I don't understand why this is not the case in Colorado. I am facing this dilemma right now. I was summoned to jury duty in Arapahoe County (Colorado). I am a stay at home mom to two young children (ages 2 and 3). The court tells me I am required to leave my children in daycare so that I can report. The court pays for the daycare, but still I am furious about this. My 2-year-old has never been away from me. We tell children to beware of strangers, don’t talk to strangers, don’t take food from strangers, yet I am expected to leave my children in a facility with strangers - some of whom will have the most intimate access to my children (changing diapers, helping the older child go potty, etc.).

My husband and I chose to be a one-income family so that our children could reap the benefits of a stay-at-home parent. While the court’s requirement does not present a financial hardship, the fact that they are mandating that I put my children in daycare, and that the court has chosen the facility, strikes me as an insufferable intrusion into family life. Many states allow primary caregivers of young children to be excused from jury duty. I don’t understand why this is not the case in Colorado.

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