While most jobs allow kids to visit their parents in the office, such as Bring Your Child to Work Day, Central has long frowned upon the practice. Children are now allowed on field trips and even sports practices. To administrators, kids at such events are distractions and pull the coach’s attention away from the athletes.

“Yes, children can have very fond memories of coming to practice with their parents, but when they take away from the coaches’ ability to coach, there is a problem,” said Dr. Mark Kolkman, principal.

Kids, especially at a young age, have been found to pull the teacher’s attention away from students. There are also concerns with safety when children are in the classrooms or hallways, which is why last year administrators informed faculty and staff that the Bring Your Child to Work Day would no longer be in practice.

“It is very hard for teachers to be attentive on their classes when their child is there, who they always have to have an eye on,” Kolkman said. “Also, if there is an emergency in the school, a teacher is more likely going to focus more on their child than any of their students.”

Many students still love when their coaches bring their kids to practice, finding that it makes the practices more fun.

“You got to see [the coach] as a parent, and how cute they were with their kid,” said sophomore Morgan McLaughlin, who played basketball freshmen year for Coach Ashley Welk, who frequently brought children to practice.

Although to administrators children are seen as distractions, they are not to these students. They are seen as a great addition to practice, and very fun to have there.

“Honestly they aren’t distracting. I still got my workout in when my coach brought her kids to practice,” said senior Courtney Cash, who had a cross country coach last year that frequently brought her kids to practice.

There is no rule in the student or teacher handbook that prohibits teachers from bringing their children to practices, but since faculty are no longer allowed to bring children to school, most coaches have stopped bringing their children to practices.

Teachers are allowed to bring their children to after school activities, such as football or basketball games, so long as the children have someone else there to watch them.

“When I want to go to football games as a fan, just to watch, I bring my kids. It is a great experience for them to remember,” Kolkman said.