This professor’s thoughtful gesture for his graduate student is winning hearts online

A professor, who set up a travel crib in his office so that his graduate student could bring her child to work, is winning over the internet. Taking to Twitter, MIT Professor Troy Littleton posted a picture of his “favourite lab purchase”, a mobile crib that he set up in his office so that his graduate student can bring her 9-month-old baby to work.

“My favourite new equipment purchase for the lab – a travel crib to go in my office so my graduate student can bring her 9-month old little girl to work when necessary and I get to play with her while her mom gets some work done. Win-win!!”, the post said.

Take a look here:

My favorite new equipment purchase for the lab – a travel crib to go in my office so my graduate student can bring her 9-month old little girl to work when necessary and I get to play with her while her mom gets some work done. Win-win!! pic.twitter.com/1R7QKprOLr

— Troy Littleton (@JTroyLittleton) May 7, 2021

Many who came across the post lauded the professor for his kind gesture. However, the tweet also prompted several discussions on paid maternity leaves for working women and free daycare facilities. Take a look at some of the reactions here:

Imagine being a kid and growing in science lab, where ur mom works, sounds like solid backstory for the main character in adventure story…

— LazyGyodza (@LazyGyodza) May 8, 2021

This is the way. Thank you! pic.twitter.com/LVQT4p4GQK

— Dr. April Gile Thomas (@AprilGileThomas) May 9, 2021

Well, I hope you realize this will probably lead to joy, laughter and feelings of warm, fuzzy adoration between you and a baby girl.

— Meryl Slay 🦈 (@MerylSlay) May 8, 2021

This made my day. You are a pride to the academic community setting this example, bravo! pic.twitter.com/hBFarZpUFv

— Dr. Julia Gala de Pablo 🔬👩🔬 (@JGaladePablo) May 8, 2021

20 years later the baby will grow up with tons of memories of being at her mom’s workplace and this world will be kinder and warmer

— Angry Daenjangnyuh (@AngryDaenjangny) May 8, 2021

It is a great innitiative from your side, but what puzzles me is that there’s no free (or almost free) daycare in your institution where your student can leave her baby while she works. You’re offering a great solution but the problem seems to be much bigger…

— Noelia Ferruz (@ferruz_noelia) May 8, 2021

Endless, useless lectures don’t bring more women in science. We need real, practical solutions, like yours. Great lesson for me. Thank you very much for sharing this.

— Vahid Abdollah (@vahid_abdollah) May 8, 2021

This reminds me of my wonderful doctoral advisor. She encouraged me to bring my infant to meetings, and she would take care of her while I got work done. It meant so much!

— Dr. Heather Farmer (@heatherfarmer__) May 8, 2021

I want this in every single work environment. Enough with daycare and pre-school. I WANT TO BRING MY FUTURE CHILDREN TO WORK WITH ME. Let them learn what I do. Let them interact with older generations. Let us all be a community.

— Missi 😴 مليسا (@HoneyBeeRock) May 8, 2021

As the tweet went viral, Littleton, in a follow-up tweet, said that the words of appreciation should not be for him but his graduate student who is determined to complete her thesis project and take care of her daughter at the same time.

Well that little tweet blew up?!? However, I wish people were able to spot the real hero here. It’s the graduate student mom, not me. She’s amazing to do all she has to with her daughter and still keep up her thesis project research. Happy Mother’s Day to all – they deserve it!

— Troy Littleton (@JTroyLittleton) May 9, 2021