Anyone else really anxious about the prospect of working from home with small children?

[Rosemarysbaby]

I know that this is a nothing compared to what many people have going on in their lives at the moment. And I’m very very grateful that myself and my family are not sick, currently. Just before you shoot me down for being selfish.

My work (university admin) is likely to close when the schools/nurseries do, rumour has it that might be the end of the week. My managers are putting measures in place so that we can wfh. I will be expected to carry on with meetings via Skype and a range of big projects that are planned to take place in this, what is usually our quietest period in regards to student support.

I have 2 DC, 5 yo will be fine watching tv, drawing etc... not ideal but needs must. I also have a very demanding 2yo and I’ve no idea how on earth I will get anything done with him around. DH is a nurse so he’s not going to be able to help and we have no family as our families are in wales and we’re in East Sussex.

No one else in my team has kids, if I don’t pull my weight it will not go down well. DS does not sleep well so I can’t be working overnight really. If I use my holiday I’ll be screwed for the rest of the years school holidays, if I take unpaid I won’t be able to pay my bills. I’m still expected to pay nursery fees even if they’re shut.

I can’t be the only one who’s in a similar predicament?

Yes completely agree with you. It's necessary but it is going to suck

Can you work in the evenings?

I could work a bit in the evenings, but DS is a bugger going to bed.

I won’t be able to manage my full workload that way though. It’s whether I’m allowed to do as much as possible or if I get penalised for not getting as much done as my colleagues. I work efficiently and am very good at my job and would just hate this to be the end of it.

I think I’m catastophising but it’s making me so anxious. Need to get over it really - it could be much worse.

I think a lot of employers are going to have to understand that people cannot get as much done as usual, especially if they have a job that’s tricky to do from home and/or they have young DC to look after. I hope yours will be understanding.

The only other option I can think of is running a childcare rota with friends locally who have similar age children. Even if you can find one friend who can have your 2 yr old alternate days and you have theirs on the other days (or ams/pms might work better) that’s twice the amount you can get done.

I also work in university admin. Last week I was at a meeting of all my counterparts across the RG. All of us were acutely aware of the effect that having small children around will have on the ability of any of the people will manage to WFH. I have a 2 and 4 year old myself.

As soon as it was starting to be discussed I mentioned it in SMT conversations and it was accepted without question that those with small children wouldn't possibly be expected to be working full time.

I find HEIs very responsive to parenting needs generally. I'd be surprised if your institution really was different and expected you to be doing the same amount as you would if your normal childcare was still in place.

Yes! I am! I have a 4yo with possible ADHD and for some reason, even when she's ill and I'm WFH, I'm first port of call for all incoming phone calls. I'm one of two in the team with kids, and the only one with a child under 8, and the only one who is a lone parent.

I said today that if the schools close, I'll do my best but I can't promise she won't make noise in the background when I'm on the phone answering enquiries. I think it's a bad business decision tbh, but am hoping users will have some sympathy in these unprecedented times. And I'm nervous about it in general, not just with the phones - I know I'll feel incredibly guilty ignoring DD for large chunks of the day for potentially months on end. 🤯

Thank you. I feel a bit better now.

My HEI might be responsive to parenting but unfortunately my department is not very flexible. I had to take them to HR to get flexible working and they are not experienced with employing parents at all (no idea why - it just hasn’t happened) and there is very much a presenteeism culture. None of my colleagues (team of 6, all same grade) have children and I still get snide remarks about not knowing which hours I work which days. In spite of me often using my childminder for additional hours to attend important meetings.

I suppose that’s a whole other thread! Just makes the situation more stressful.

I'm trying to work evenings to fill in the gaps between annual leave. DS currently has a viral wheeze so we are inside and off work and nursery. Dh gets limited annual leave and can't work from home so I'm flying solo working up 30 hours accross evenings to keep the money coming in. Not ideal but lucky work have been flexible