Dear Harriette: With regard to the ''take your daughter to work'' discussion, I was reminded of when I asked my boss whether I could bring my daughter in to the office. He said sure. The next morning, we were surprised to see that he had made a little paper nameplate on the desk outside my door. He gave her a handwritten letter that he needed her to type. She spent all morning on it. She spent the afternoon on the floor of my office playing with the items we brought from home, but she witnessed my phone work, computer work and the people coming and going from my office. When she seemed a little bored, I took her downstairs for a cold drink and a snack. At 5 p.m., she was more than ready to go home. That's when my boss came in and thanked her for working with us - and he gave her a $5 bill! You should have seen her face. You should have felt my heart swell. I would have gladly moved mountains for that man. Wise enough to realize that working is just a part of life, he did not care that he didn't get every minute of my time that day. In return, I will never forget his humanity and his respect for my family. Now 28, my daughter is expecting her own child. I'll bet she hasn't forgotten him, either.

- Susan, Detroit

Dear Susan: It's amazing how many people have responded to this situation. Many human-resources professionals have warned of the legal repercussions of bringing a child into the office. The what-ifs are endless, including ''what if a disaster happened and the child got hurt.'' The range of potential disasters is quite real. Another is, as you alluded to, the potential lack of productivity, at least at the same level one might have if the child were not in the office.

Can I say also, whether it's politically correct or not, whether it's proper corporate protocol or not, the reality is that we are part of one society, one humanity? The scenario you described warms my heart. While it isn't necessarily reflective of an emergency or of an infant in the office - which is how this discussion started - it is representative of what can happen when a child comes to work. The experience does not have to be a disaster. It can be uplifting and memorable for everyone. I'm sure I will get more letters from naysayers, plenty who have an arsenal of sound reasons that a child should never be welcomed at a parent's job. But I maintain that, somewhere in the midst of these hard-and-fast rules, humanity has to rise up. How can we care for one another in moments of need? When families are involved, it may mean a child has to come to work on occasion. Is that so bad? It's hard to believe that so many people have no space in their awareness to consider welcoming our children.

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* HARRIETTE COLE's column runs Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. E-mail her at askharriette@harriettecole.com.