I recently got laid off from my position at Preqin, a BlackRock company. Today, I had to go into the office to return my laptop, and I took my 2-year-old son with me since there was no one at home to watch him. When I arrived, I was informed that my son couldn’t enter the office premises. I tried to explain that it was my last day and I just needed to drop off my laptop, but the answer was still no. I ended up having to call a colleague to help watch my son while I handled the return, which took longer than expected. This whole experience was disheartening. I understand that companies have their policies, but being laid off and then facing this situation made me realize how little personal circumstances matter to them. It was a painful reminder that, despite the years of hard work and dedication I put into my role, when it comes down to it, a company is just a business. This has taught me to prioritize my family and my life outside of work. Work is important, but it's not everything.