Hypocrisy

I have always found it hypocritical that certain people in the work place are held to different expectations on the hours they work. The difference is between those WITH kids and those WITHOUT. I realize that I am about to enter the world of WITH kids...so this frustration will cease for me directly....for the most part. However, I get irritated at the way I (and others) have been treated over the years in this arena. I remember a particularly butt-in-sky lady of a co-worker of mine said to me, "you should not advertise that you are leaving at 5 pm." Uh. Why? The other 3 sales managers have left to pick up their kids or go home. Why not me too? Because I don't have kids to pick up? I got here this morning by 8 am worked my butt off. Didn't take a lunch. Certainly didn't take the 8, 15-minute smoke breaks today that YOU took. Why can't I go home after a hard days work at a decent hour to be with my husband? Or go to the gym? Or walk my dog? My boss (at the time) each day arrived sometime around 9 am, took smoke breaks all day long, and would leave by 5 to go pick up her kids. So why can't I leave after a hard days work? Here's a funny story. I have a friend, an old radio friend, who works at the gym that our management gets "free" memberships to. He had told me over and over how my former management team works out for hours 3-4 times a week in the middle of the day. One manager actually plays on a basketball league that is for 2 hours long each session....3 days a weeks. Ironic....eh? I get the crap for working a solid day...and they are taking HOURS in the middle of the day to NOT work. Odd. I have been witness to other managers being excused from long meetings that were running late because the had to go pick up the kids. What if *I* had something I needed to do after work? Just because I don't have kids...I have to stay? Ah the hypocrisy.