Changing working times

[100daysto40]

I wfh and know am very lucky to be able to do so. I am struggling with the kids however (1 primary school, 1 infant school) and feel they are being made to fit in around me and DH.

I generally do 8.30 - 5.30 but think can be really flexible with hours if need to....

What do you think will be fair on the kids. DH less flexible and finishes at 4.30

I was thinking start at 7, log of from 12-3 kind of thing then on in evening?

Can anyone suggest what could work or what they are doing?

I normally do 8-4 but have been doing more 9-5 lately. However, tomorrow I am going to do 7-2 (I'll make up the hour) to see how that goes. My work is really flexible. I do think if I decided I was starting early and finishing early every day there may be a few raised eyebrows.

It massively depends on your family. Would the children prefer you finishing earlier? Also, are there any specific days you need to work certain times?

I only do 30 hours per week and am finding split days good. I usually do 7.30am-11.30am. I then make them lunch and spend time with them in the afternoon. They are allowed screen time from 3pm so I then log back on for a couple of hours. Mine are a bit older than yours though (6&8)

I'm interested to see this OP. I'm meant to be working from home from next week. DH is home ATM, but I want to spend some time with the DC in the day, hopefully get out for our walks together.

I do flexi time anyway, so was thinking about doing 8-12 and then having a break until 3 and then doing 3-7.

What do yours do when you are working? Sorry I misread before and thought you said one infant not infant school! So probably similar ages to mine..

I’m splitting my hours all over the place but my work don’t really care when I get things done

Today is going to be something like that Dolly Parton meme going around: 6-7, 8-12, 3-6

DC (3&6) are having “tv power hours” in the morning then either me or DH are with them from 12 with no tv allowed

I’m lucky to have a sensible boss who understands the importance / impact of childcare. I log on early and then check emails off & on throughout the morning, but mainly do homeschooling with the children. In the afternoon they play and I work. Employers are kidding themselves if they think this is normal homeworking because it really isn’t. It’s the whole of society making adjustments due to the pandemic which means that parents’ roles have changed completely.

Sorry typos and maybe not clear, have woken up tired! Hunter - I meant I would log on later to make up hours, not just finish early.

Fatted - yes exactly that kind of thing....

Mine both at CM til 5.30 on a school day (when DH collects).

I’ve been logging on at 8 ish , then around 9 get the kids school work set up . Then working till about 12-12.30 with breaks to help kids . Lunch till about 2 then work till about 4.30/5 and check emails after and log on again if needed .

Is hard to juggle isn’t it?

I’m thinking if I can block time out Rather than dop in and out will best best for kids, best for me

OP - I know I meant more, is there a meeting that you need to attend at 4.30pm etc.

Like I say, my work is really flexible too but there seems to be an awful lot of meetings lately!

Ah sorry

Well DH logs off for good by 4.30 so can take over childcare. Then I could do bedtime hour.

If he and I do t clash with lunch break that’s 4 hours one on one they will get each day, me and him not so much!

Really keen to hear how this is working for others

And yes meetings are killing me too!

I used to work 4 long days but am now working short days over 6 days and so is my dh. One does the morning and one the afternoon each day say 7am to 1pm and 1pm to 1pm to 7pm. If your dh cany change hours, what about spreading over more days or doing one of the weekend days when your dh can be in charge? It's not like we are going out anywhere anyway....

On the seeing each other point, I think that I am seeing my dh much more than normal anyway what with tea breaks, breakfast, lunch and dinner together etc.

I always have a lot of morning meetings, so have to be quite on then, we were starting kids homeschool pretty early so they could get started before my first meeting. Then yes taking a bit of a break to help them in the middle of the day and working through their afternoon screen time and at least one of us working in the evening while the other cooks dinner.

Today is easter holidays though, so I'm going to try and do my usual hours while they do completely their own thing and see where we end up!