Tips for working from home with a 1 year old

[Moonbabyskalimba]

I was on maternity leave during the March lockdown, so if Boris announces the same thing again it will be my first experience of working from home with a non walking 1 year old at my feet. DP is a keyworker so won't be able to split childcare through the day.

So...any tips from home working veterans?

Well, I would say that it depends on what you do. In all honesty, it will be hard - are you able to work in the evenings instead? Or ask for furlough for childcare reasons? My children are older but I can still remember the days of looking after a 1 year old, it was a fulltime job. Sorry to not offer any tips really.

Early before your DP goes to work and during nap time and after child goes to bed. If possible I would ask to be furloughed for childcare reasons

Part of my job can be done in the evenings, but not all of it. I'm a junior manager so lots of zoom calls, dealing with complaints etc. Work is crazy right now. I really want to avoid furlough if I can. I'm feeling pushed aside enough after maternity leave as it is

Get all snacks/meals ready the night before so you don’t waste time getting them. Make the snacks difficult and time consuming to eat eg raisins, dry cereal.

Do you have a play pen you can use or jumperoo to kill some time?

Taking calls whilst walking the pushchair around outside

Be extra efficient nap time 😆

That’s all I can think of for now - good luck!

Do what you can when you can

Watching with interest as we're in the same boat with a 16 month old here. Absolutely dreading it

Can you social bubble with someone that also has a baby so 1 of you can look after both babies then switch?
I ask this but I have no idea if it is allowed :(

If you have to work from home (and not furlough or take unpaid leave etc) - Segment your day so you have distinct ‘working’ time and ‘non working time’ - boundaries can be as rigid or otherwise as you need but it tries to stop the day feeling quite so daunting. Think about if you are going to start early, work late, what time is lunch, naptime etc. It’s really hard, I can’t pretend it’s not, but eventually i realised structure was the only way of keeping going. Unfortunately there might need to be lots of screen time but also think about toys or activities that your child might be able to interact with without too much involvement from you.

I did it during lockdown one.

1. Snacks.
2. The use of YouTube. Blippi, nursery songs.
3. Got a spare grandma or friend, FaceTime supervision.
4. Maximise nap time!
5. A playpen is also a god send.
6. Headphones for calls.
7. Prepare the night before. Set up activity stations in a safe room so they can play and move freely.
8. Try and structure the day as best you can.

Last time you could be furloughed for childcare reasons.

Your boss is going to understand that this is a tricky time for all of us. If there’s some work that you really need to concentrate on, you could explain that you’ll be able to do it better during nap time or in the evening when your baby is asleep.
Write down your tasks in order of priority. If you can, you try to save less critical work for a time like the weekend when your partner might be able to help out more.
If you need to work while they’re awake, try to do it right after they wake up or eat. I find that’s when my dd is most content to play on her own, so I can finish up what I’m doing and then give her my full attention a little later.
If your LO enjoys it and you have one, they can also spend short stints in a baby swing, glider, or bouncer. This way, you may be able to have some peace and quiet to work as your baby entertains themselves.
Don’t forget to take breaks. I’d regularly take my LO for a quick walk in the pushchair around the block. It gave me some time to recharge my brain and my dd a chance to stimulate hers.
And don't bother feeling guilty — desperate times call for desperate measures.

@Moonbabyskalimba

I was on maternity leave during the March lockdown, so if Boris announces the same thing again it will be my first experience of working from home with a non walking 1 year old at my feet. DP is a keyworker so won't be able to split childcare through the day.

So...any tips from home working veterans?

Just do best you can love and apologise to all your clients

I'm in the same boat OP, except my DD is 16m now and I've had a taste of it when we had to isolate last month as her nursery bubble burst. It was very hard but mainly because DD is walking and a climber.

Turn your living room or wherever you are working into a mini soft play and baby proof to within an inch of your life. Buy in lots of baby snacks, Ella's meals etc to take the pressure off mealtimes as much as possible.

Toy rotation is also key to keep them occupied, if you can switch rooms in the morning and afternoon so it's something different.

In terms of work, hopefully you have an understanding boss/colleagues and the cute factor will sometimes go in your favour when they inevitably pop up on calls?

Good luck

I WFH in March with a 2&3 year old. It was really really tough. I got through it with Netflix and YouTube. Loads of snacks. And setting up 'stations' the night before e.g. Kitchen sink with loads of toys for water play while I send emails at kitchen table, Obstacle course around living room etc. I don't think I could have done it with nearly one year old. I'd suggest taking leave if possible.

Emergency nanny/childcare. If not then you will need to reconcile that your going to struggle to do both effectively and will set yourself up for a fall

Mine is 18 months but I've been really lucky in that my work are very understanding of the whole thing. If she screams/has a tantrum on a call, I mute myself and they move on and come back to me. I do stick her in front of the tele if I can for short calls just for some peace and I also do some work whilst she's eating so she's strapped down and can't go cause mischief! I get up early and do work, work whilst she naps and work in the evening too. Its really really hard but its manageable. Good luck!

I would also suggest taking furlough if offered. In March my toddlers were 2 and 3, I tried working with them watching television but it just wasn't possible. I had to work after 7 in the evening. I don't think I could even have attempted that with a 1 year old, they need even more supervision.

I'm sorry, I know that you didn't want that answer. Only other idea is a childcare bubble. I don't believe it is possible to work from home at the same time as doing childcare.

Do you mean if nurseries close too?

I know it’s a bone of contention on other threads but you may be able to secure a place at nursery with your DH being a critical worker however I am aware a lot of places require both parents to be critical workers to be offered a place. And you may not wish to take such a place even if offered.

Mine is 14 months. I give her random objects like wooden spoons, potato masher, sellotape... they keep her occupied much better than toys! She also loves playing with pasta. I use my iPad headphones for meetings which cuts some external noise out for the other participants when you can’t mute.

Good luck!

Nurseries are open

Thanks everyone. Thank god nurseries are open, although we''re just in the process of enrolling DS so praying they will still take him.

Hats off to everyone who did it back in March. I have no idea how you managed.