...to ask how many people are WFH with no childcare right now?

[michaelbaubles]

Seen a few comments on other threads at people incredulous that anyone was having to work from home with no childcare, and I thought surely a huge amount of people are?

Check in here - I'm teaching, full time from home (basically working 8.30-4 on and off, no live lessons but setting and marking work, chasing up students and responding to messages and emails all day), and I have 2 DC, 6 and 8 here too.

DP is here but he is also working from home (freelancer, has to keep hustling and chasing up funding to get any money at all).

OK I wouldn't normally be working like this but some posters are acting like it's literally impossible - it isn't - it's hard but we have to do what we can.

For some WFH is becoming permanent
ING in Spain but not in Luxembourg (issue is cross border workers tax issues)

luxtimes.lu/business-finance/40938-ing-staff-to-telework-for-good-in-spain-back-at-desks-in-luxembourg

Just because you arent struggling doesnt mean others arent.

'Marking and responding' to emails doesnt take all day . Try a high pressured job with a demanding boss and deadlines then have this conversation.

It's not possible to 'teach' from home which is why you're finding it a breeze

It’s everyone I know except a couple still on mat leave

We are. In theory we’re all fine. But in practice our mental health has all taken a massive hit. The kids are bored and feel neglected, and we feel like we are failing both our jobs and our employers. And family relationships are very strained at times.

In Meghans words - surviving not thriving. And while that might be ok for the short term, it certainly isn’t long term.

Depends on how demanding your work is,. If you are in meetings all day and when not doing involved analytical work with deadlines then it is harder than uploading a few worksheets, doing a few emails and marking a few worksheets. In fact, my son's teacher isn't really marking, just does a "like" and occasionally writes "well done". The TA also does "like" s. The maths is white Rose maths so it is just a case of downloading a worksheet. So their wfh (neither has dc) is much lighter than mine.

I do. On the surface it’s OK as DD’s 9 but she’s been practically self-educating 🤷‍♀️

Some research on WFH from Luxembourg
delano.lu/d/detail/news/half-jobs-can-be-done-remotely/210815?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Friday%252019%2520June%25202020%2520Noon%2520Briefing&utm_source=Newsletter
QUOTE
Will the sectors which have been obliged to telework continue to do so? Mellouet analyses: “Paradoxically, during the lockdown, employees in finance were among the most numerous to telework.” Yet, according to the Liser study, they were also the least likely to have their company's consent to do home office work. “This result can be explained by the strict data security rules that govern this sector.” Will the crisis have lifted the barriers for them? Mellouet was not ready to make any projections about teleworking in the aftermath of the crisis.
END QUOTE

I don’t know why people are attacking others for having safety concerns re working from home. I have a 1 and 4 year old and me and my husband are having to tag team in shifts because it isn’t possible to effectively work with both of them. That seems to be the widely accepted model for those with small children. The older one can be left with the tv and she’ll be fine. We had too many near misses with the younger one when we were both trying to do things or distracted with work. I fundamentally do not think it would be safe for someone to be working all day (and do a good job) while in charge of a baby or young toddler.

Husband I both WFH no childcare

@Sailingblue just the one nearly 2 year old. We have to tag-tram too. Pretty exhausting!

I’m an FE tutor working part time with a nine year old at home. It’s intense.

Dh works from home. He has both kids (3 and 4 years old) whilst I am at work. He struggles on those days and unfortunately they spend a lit of time either in front of a tablet or tv. He tends to work in the dining room and keeps an eye to see what they are doing and regularly checks on them when they go quiet and get up to mischief!

WFH Full time with no childcare. 8 year old and 4 year old. Absolutely exhausted and not winning either at parenting or work. Both our work involves a ton of zoom calls daily and in my case, lots of ‘thinking and research’ time in order to be productive. Work sympathetic enough but for how long...

Us! I'm back at work 4 days and DH is WFH with DD's. They're noting managing to get a huge amount of schoolwork done because most days DH has back to back zoom meetings.

I feel so sorry for the poor girls

@Gfplux this thread is about WFH while looking after children, not about WFH full stop. Totally different thing. Any employer who requires employees to WFH permanently will still expect them to use childcare when it is available and most parents would choose to do so anyway.

Several million

Both me and DH are WFH with a 5 year old. We've been told no school until September.
I'm on my knees with exhaustion and stress

We were until 2 weeks ago with an 18 month old. We've been lucky her nursery has reopened and for the days we want. Most of our friends haven't been so lucky - either no childcare at all or their nursery/school has reopened but only for one or two days so juggling kids and work on the other days.