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Working from home with children?

10 replies

KM38 · 15/06/2021 17:42

I’m due to return to work after Mat leave in a few months. They’re letting me drop to part time but I’ll be working just to cover childcare costs and keep my foot in the door really. No financial gain from it at all. And they’re making it really awkward and difficult 😓 Once he turns 3 we’ll receive some of the government funded childcare but the next 2 years will be me working just to pay someone else to look after him (I know I’m not the only one in this position, it’s just shit and I’m having a moan 😅)
Is there such a thing as a job that you can do from home with a baby?! Maybe something flexible that you can do for a few hours each evening rather than 8 hour days?

I’d love to to be home with him all day but would also like doing some kind of work. Am I dreaming of the impossible? 😅 has anyone found this magical job?

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namechange6754 · 15/06/2021 20:28

Most reputable employers will have a policy that disallows WFH alongside childcare.

It really helps to view childcare as a joint expense rather than looking at it from your income alone (assuming you have a contributing partner of course, if not, definitely look at universal credit) Remember even if it just covers your wages that you are making pension contributions and keeping your toe in until it is more worthwhile. The childcare years seem long, but they go very quickly and can be a safe investment of your time (and money) to remain employed during them. Sorry I know that doesn't really help you, but maybe help to reframe your mind around the cost of childcare.

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Randominternetbitch · 15/06/2021 20:45

Sorry OP, no employer is going to allow you to work and look after a baby at the same time. There is a reason this isn’t the norm.

You could look into starting your own business but you will need a skill people would be willing to pay for. This would give you greater flexibility around how and when you work.

Childcare cost are horrendous, many of us have been where you are but it is temporary and being able to keep your foot on the ladder during that time might prove beneficial in terms of progression. Many women give up and then find it difficult to get back to the same level or earning potential they had before.

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KM38 · 15/06/2021 20:48

@namechange6754 Oh it definitely is a joint expense 😊 it’s just so frustrating knowing that you’re having to trust someone else with looking after your child all day just for the sake of keeping your foot in the door. I know in the long run it’s worth it but definitely frustrating. My partner works away from home for weeks at a time so in an ideal world I would be at home with baby 24/7 rather than him having one parent who’s away for weeks and another one leaving him for full days. And we could tighten up our spending and afford for me to be a SAHM but trying to get back into work after that can be difficult (especially in the current climate) and I worry it would be more disruptive to DS if he has one parent away then suddenly he starts full days in childcare at 3 after being home with mum for 2 years!

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Orangedaisy · 15/06/2021 20:49

Become a childminder or nanny with own child. Lots to do to become either but you can keep your child with you.

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TreeDice · 15/06/2021 20:51

I cant imagine any jobs that would let you spend enough time with your child and be productive enough to an employer.

Would you really be able to ignore your DC for hours a day?

Could you look into compressing your hours instead so you work longer days but have more time off maybe?

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KM38 · 15/06/2021 20:52

@Randominternetbitch Yeah I understand that with employers and WFH. I was thinking more along the lines of being self employed and WFH but I’m still trying to find my skill or my genius idea that allows me to do that 😅🤣 I know it’s worth it in the long run just dealing with the cost but it’s definitely frustrating!

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namechange6754 · 15/06/2021 20:54

@KM38 my husband works away for months so I sympathise. Though that's probably where our similarities end lol, I am very career minded and was frankly quite happy to not be the one at home dealing with a toddler! I imagine it must be frustrating if you'd rather be at home and having to pay someone else to do something you'd rather do, I was always very grateful to our carers 😂😂

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KM38 · 15/06/2021 20:57

@Orangedaisy Yeah that’s an option that’s been suggested to me by a few people but I’m not 100% sold on the idea and I feel that’s something you really need to be “all in” on to make it work!

@TreeDice Definitely not planning on ignoring my child for hours a day 🤣 it was more lighthearted hoping that someone had found a magical job that lets you work a few hours each evening when DC goes to bed and still brings in decent money 🤣 Compresses hours would be ideal but I work in retail as a manager so I have no flexibility over the length of my day. Will be going back part time doing a job share.

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KM38 · 15/06/2021 21:04

@namechange6754 I think covid has played a huge part in it tbh. I had always imagined I’d go back to work full time but the last 8 months DS has been at home with me with DH coming home for a few weeks here and there and he doesn’t know anyone else. We have very little family support, HV hasn’t been doing home visits, baby clubs haven’t been running and I don’t know any local mums so it’s only in the last month or so that DS has started interacting with many other people so im hoping to ease him in gradually over the summer with clubs etc then part time childcare when I return to work. I couldn’t bring myself to leave him full time straight away after him having so little time with other people so far!

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namechange6754 · 15/06/2021 21:24

@KM38 I can't imagine how difficult it must have been have a baby this last year!

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