Be honest. Who worked from home while also having their DC their over Easter hols?

[Whatsgoingonwithmyhead]

Less of DC’s classmates at camps and a lot of the parents very vague about their plans.

Just wondering how common it is for people to WFH whilst also looking after their kids in the school hols these days ?

Did you do this? How old are your DC and did you get a proper days work done?

I used a mixture of camps & grandparents. Appreciate I’m fortunate to have local, helpful grandparents and I earn enough to pay for camps. I also took some annual leave. My DC is 5 and super active so no way could I work with her there!

Just interested. Not judging anyone. School holidays are long, money is tight and not everyone has family help so appreciate covering school holidays is a huge headache for lots of families

Edited to say I note the typo in the title before someone leaps on me about it!

Mine are 2&4 so I have no chance. I know colleagues that work with similar aged kids and I just think it’s so risky firstly due to the nature of our work that can have legal implications and secondly there’s no way you’re adequately supervising kids that age.

It winds me up TBH because I’m forking out a fortune for childcare whilst others are playing the system.

That said, if you’ve got more independent children at an older age, I see no issue in doing this and checking in on them etc through the day

Person with child-rearing responsibilities generally needs to make childcare arrangements during times they are doing paid work for an employer.

Not quite sure how that's a perplexing concept.

What else could she have done? Nurseries were closed, schools were shut, grandparents were vulnerable, no mixing was allowed. This was the absolute norm in lockdown and employers had to accommodate that. Of course their work suffered a bit, and I expect their children were a little overlooked at points but there was no other option.

But 2&4 is still really young. It's not really comparable to upper primary or HS kids.

It's completely inappropriate in my role. Imagine ringing someone when you're suicidal and hearing 'mum I want a satsuma' in the background

I do. But they are 10 and 13. At this age, they disappear for a whole day in their rooms. I need to knock on their doors to find out what they were doing.

I can't imagine my teen actually say that. She'll go and get herself a satsuma. More likely the peels will be left on the kitchen worktops, along with many packets of sweets and crumps from her making sandwiches.

Why do you care?

Don't your struggle with that though? Day after day of them being in their rooms?

No we don't, we used nursery, then holiday camps and taking days off between us. But these things are expensive. I do feel bad for those who cannot afford them.

If they can do their jobs then it's OK.
If they can't do their jobs then they won't last for long, unless you have ineffective managers, in which case I'd be looking for another job.

And lone parents don't have anyone to spread leave out with.

I didn’t during the Easter break as I was off for most of it and we were away but I have done it before and will do it for the odd day during the summer. Almost everyone at my work will do it, not for two weeks straight but for a day or two here or there, everyone is aware and no one is bothered as long as work is done but then I am not in a call centre or anywhere that people are calling me all the time so it’s easier plus mine at 10 and 7 and can amuse themselves for large parts of the day.

Edited to add I wouldn’t do it with pre schoolers as had to do it during lockdown and it was a nightmare!

So? They are free to get other jobs. I don’t get the summer off but I don’t complain that teachers do because it’s a perk, if you want the perks then go get the job?

Not day after day. The OP just says over the Easter break. We never pay for any childcare anymore. We use a combination of annual leave, purchased leave, swapping weekends and stay at home. Effectively, DC is never more than a day at home on their own each week.

They also walk home after school. I think the OP is assuming children that can't be leave at home all day on their own are the same group as those who can't look after themselves with an adult at home. You won't leave a 12 year old at home alone, but they also are capable of using public transport to go to school and make a simple lunch and turn on their playstations.

It is.

Out of interest, are you as interested in the perks that some of those roles enjoy that remote workers don't? As an example, I work remotely and don't have access to any staff discounts on anything, whereas I did when I was in retail and hospitality. I can't access an NHS pension either, but most nurses can.

But this is the problem, it's so nuanced that it ends up being unfair. Say Becky works from home with her 11 year old, you as a manager say that's ok, but Lisa can't because her child is 6. Or all your mates wfh with children but you can't because you work for the nhs or child protection or ministry of justice?

@Vod come on, 10% off a Haven holiday does not equal no petrol costs, childcare, public transport, registration fees etc

I didn't say anything about Haven holidays? Interesting that you left out the NHS pension there too! Those employer contributions would pay a looooooot of childcare.

I did one day with them both home. They are 8 and 12. I gave the 8 year old option to go to camp or she could stay home but she'd have to entertain herself. Rest of holidays they were with their dad or i was on AL.
I will do it on occasion but think its boring for them and harder for me to work with them home although they are at the age where they aren't much bother.

I worked half days while dc was at camps. Something that wouldn't have been economical or practical if I was in the office but by WFH it meant I could do 3.5-4hr days and use holidays for the other halves and still be on top of urgent matters each day.

Saves the scramble and ill-feeling about those who always take leave at certain times of year if you have the option to wfh and can do so out of any earshot of children.

Given cost of living, anything to reduce transport costs even for a couple of weeks a year is worth having.

@popandchoc That's probably normal. My 10 year old says she doesn't want to go to club either. She'd rather be at home with game consoles, youtube, netflix and disney+. I do sign them up for hobby based activities, but they aren't childcare and run only 2-3 hours either in the morning or afternoon. So DH and I end up having to do pick up and drop offs to them during the work day.

I did for the odd day and work are aware and don't mind. Many times I've joined a big team call and a few colleagues are cuddling a baby, have kids popping up on the screen, need to nip off quick to do the school run, etc. It's a very family-friendly company with a lot of women in senior positions.

DH and I make sure we tire DS out on the days we have off work with him, get him out the house, doing activities, etc. It means that on the odd day we're working he's pretty content playing with his lego, building something, watching a film or gaming for a bit. DH usually finishes work mid-afternoon which helps shorten the day. We don't make a habit of it, however we use it in combination with annual leave to try and make it stretch.

@SpringBunnies she would prefer hobby based things too. She said she likes camp over summer as they have water slides and slip and slide and things so will send her more then.