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Original poster

Do all MNs wfh or in an office?

86 replies

Jeannie88 · 15/06/2024 00:33

Just an observation, so many posts seem to be from Mums who wfh or 'have to go into an office'.

Any others out there who do the whole getting up early, depend on breakfast clubs/wraparound care? So, getting dressed, commuting to work, doing the job all day face to face with the public, travelling back, pick up DC and catch up on chores?

Just wondering if anyone else actually goes out out to work anymore. I guess some of us do and find the posts about choosing to slack and bewilderment of a hard day of online meetings a bit strange?

I've changed career after a very long time in education and oh boy, having to be present in teams meetings while having my washing on etc is sooooo much easier! Xx

OP posts:
Pickingmyselfup · 16/06/2024 07:13

I'm a waitress in a golf club, work school hours 4 days a week earning minimum wage but I absolutely love it. I get to go to work and talk to people (whilst also making them coffee) Same people every day/week which I much prefer.

I would rather not work in all honesty, I have things I could be doing with my days but it's not an option so this is the next best thing.

I can't imagine working in an office sitting at a screen all day, I've worked in hospitality all my working life.

WitchyWay · 16/06/2024 07:05

WFH here

Caspianberg · 16/06/2024 07:04

I work from home 98% of the time. I do occasional face to face meetings but these are once every 1-2 months. I work part time

Dh also wfh. He works full time.
We tag team who does morning nursery run based on how early I start. I always collect.

GeneralMusings · 16/06/2024 06:29

It sounds like quite a few people do scho pick up and then work with young kids at home.

Id have thought they'd need childcare while kids are at home but obviously not!

jennymac31 · 15/06/2024 21:27

I do hybrid working and am in the office 2 days a week (my DH WFH) but with 2 DC at Primary school we still have to do the whole drop-offs and pick-ups. The kids are in after school club Monday-Friday and they go to breakfast club on the days that I go into the office. I've done hybrid working for the last 10 years but DH only started WFH partway through the pandemic.

Original poster
Jeannie88 · 15/06/2024 21:23

MidnightPatrol · 15/06/2024 11:22

Is going to work in an office not going out to work?

Theres a bit more to it than sitting on zoom meetings I would imagine.

Office work has its own intensities, but really you are sat on a chair and working on a computer. You are able to go to the toilet when you want, make a coffee, go out for lunch, no responsibility of looking after others.

This can't be compared to frontline jobs, on the go all the time, desperate for a wee but have to hold it in, then admin after work hours. Xx

OP posts:
Moreorlessmentallystable · 15/06/2024 21:23

I do hybrid working, and I appreciate being here when the kids leave/come back from school 3 days of the week. My job is more or less flexible, but I am still surprised at how many parents do the school run and get involved seemingly in ALL activities, are present in all meetings. Our school does the parents/teacher meetings twice a year, which are by appointment - I always chose to have the later slots 6-8:30pm, but they also do very regular open school 3-4:30 where you can go in, talk to the teacher and see what the kids have been learning, they do 3-4 of these a year, I never make these ones but other parents seem to (both) be there at each single one, they volunteer to take the kids to school trips etc, so I wonder if my work maybe is not as flexible as I think as other people seem to have a lot more opportunities to leave work at all times of the day.

NineToFiveish · 15/06/2024 21:16

I have a remote contract, HQ is in another country. I deeply appreciate the flexibility and take the level of trust offered very seriously.

I sometimes get stir crazy, but remote working means my family have a better lifestyle on the whole.

Chonk2023 · 15/06/2024 21:14

I used to work on site, breakfast club, after school club , 40 min commute each way 5 days a week but my son hated it. He went into reception in September and I stupidly thought he would adjust well due to being in nursery 4 days a week previously.
There were tears and meltdowns every single evening it was just too much.
I specifically searched for a fully remote job, it was difficult and I took a big paycut.
But I can do both school runs as my work are really flexible and my son is so much happier. I log on early / work late when needed. Also my son has adjusted fine and he is happy to play/ draw by himself with me in the room on my laptop for the last hour of my working day. If I need to take a quick call he knows to stay quiet.
I do look genuinely homeless at the school gates because I never have to be on camera though!
I do feel really lucky

PonyPatter44 · 15/06/2024 21:09

I hated working from home. It was boring, lonely, blurred the line between work and home, and I had to pay for my own loo roll!!

These days I have the flexibility to wfh if I want to, but I rarely do, for all the reasons given above. Also, given the environment I work in, if you're not there, you're not taken seriously and it WILL affect your opportunities for progression. I like my office and my colleagues, so I am quite happy going into the office every day.

Nourishinghandcream · 15/06/2024 21:07

I was office based and relatively happy with my work life balance.
COVID comes along and WFH was a revelation so two years later when they started pulling us back into the office I voted with my feet and retired (fifty seven). No way was I getting back into the daily drudge of commuting and sitting in a horrible (but modern) soulless corporate office.

Original poster
Jeannie88 · 15/06/2024 21:04

OneTC · 15/06/2024 01:42

Forums will always be best frequented by people sat at computers all day

I thought the opposite? Being on-line and being to have several tabs open do if you wanted to you could? Having no access to phone and restrictions to computer activity for safeguarding reasons means not being able to access SM. So, few drinks at weekend, browse, whereas some comment during the weekday while at work. Xx

OP posts:
UpUpUpU · 15/06/2024 21:00

Midwife and I do 3, 12.5 hour shifts a week in the hospital. I have to have childcare from 6:15am to 8pm or overnight.
I am behind on all my housework, life admin, shopping etc but love my job

Original poster
Jeannie88 · 15/06/2024 20:54

Isittimeformynapyet · 15/06/2024 00:47

MNetters work in all sorts of places OP.

I'm sure they do but for some reason all the threads I see are people telling about wfh or office issues? Xx

OP posts:
Original poster
Jeannie88 · 15/06/2024 20:51

Alsonotsurecontent · 15/06/2024 00:47

Whilst I do see the benefits of wfh, I do think there’s a lot to be gained from getting up and out the house, social interaction, meetings and discussions, catch up over coffee.
personally I couldn’t work from home full time, I appreciate the extra few hours I gain to get on top of the housework, but I would not be able to handle the isolation

Exactly, I can imagine it would be too easy to get into a bubble and those occasions of actually going and being part of the real world can be shocking for some! Xx

OP posts:
BoostBar · 15/06/2024 20:51

I’ve always worked full time in the office, including when my children were small. The only time I ever WFH was during the Covid lockdowns and the novelty wore off quickly. I like to get up and out and have a life away from my home and family.

Original poster
Jeannie88 · 15/06/2024 20:48

mollyfolk · 15/06/2024 00:44

I mainly work from home now, I drop my kids to school and pick them up two days a week. I worked frontline (but part-time) for a long time and all through the pandemic. And OMG working from home is sooo much easier. I cook dinner on my lunch, I save on childcare. My kids get to come home too. Honestly WFH is the answer for working parents.

I totally agree, so more flexible. My post is a response to OPs who seem a bit goady about how they can just tap a key to prove they're working, getting chores done, manage to look after toddlers concurrently, boast about being able to go out for a long lunch, watch and scroll during a meeting etc. The luxuries of not wfh, fair enough, but no understanding that if we all (hospital, schools, firefighters, police, shops) do this society would grind to a halt. Xx

OP posts:
Lisapillar · 15/06/2024 20:40

No I work in the NHS in operating theatres. Can’t wfh lol

Original poster
Jeannie88 · 15/06/2024 20:39

GeneralMusings · 15/06/2024 00:41

Oooh what did you change to OP?

I'm beginning to think I need to leap from education to something home based as it seems so much easier but not sure what all these jobs are or how you break in!

Well not so much wfh but adult education with the council so still planning etc but meetings are online and online training on laptop at home paid for so it's so different from full days in schools and all the behaviour, scrutiny, parents' evenings etc. Not as well paid when you've done a huge stint, a bit older, life work balance becomes more important. Xx

OP posts:
Original poster
Jeannie88 · 15/06/2024 20:32

Badgertime · 15/06/2024 00:38

I work in secondary so yes, I'm out of the door around 7.30am and finish up around 4pm.
2 DC in secondary and 1 DC in year 5. I still drop him at breakfast club but that will be finishing soon as he starts walking to school by himself.

I did WFH for a while during the pandemic and yes, it was much easier as I could wear my joggers all day and just put on a respectable top!
If I could WFH again with a decent salary, I would.

Same here, secondary school school teacher and the lessons from home were so much easier! Then teaching with masks and a plastic face shield with marked out areas in tape was also a lot easier as students couldn't mess about about as much, we were all.in it together.

OP posts:
thismummydrinksgin · 15/06/2024 20:09

No.

MumW · 15/06/2024 15:34

I work in a school so wfh not posible.

Ifitistobesaid · 15/06/2024 15:29

I guess a lot of people in customer / patient facing jobs just don’t have time to be on Mumsnet. If you’re interacting with people all day then driving home and looking after kids etc there just isn’t as much time to read and comment on threads properly.

FizzyStream · 15/06/2024 12:36

I wfh on Tuesdays. Have Wednesdays off and am in the office Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays.

DH wfh Thursdays and Fridays and is office based Monday-Weds.

This arrangement works well with childcare as we only have to manage one day a week when we need either wraparound care or my mum helps out.

PracticallyYesterday · 15/06/2024 12:27

Hybrid, and have been since long before Covid.

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