To ask how you are juggling childcare and working?

[DizzyR]

I am working from home whilst also looking after a 15 month old who has a short attention span and a fascination with my work laptop. DH is a key worker so I am essentially solo parenting and getting little to nothing done during the day. 15 month old is an early riser and bad sleeper so can’t work before he wakes up and I can do some work in the evening but honestly I’m so exhausted I wouldn’t be doing a good job (and can’t squeeze 7hrs into an evening).

I feel very fortunate at having a job but am slightly worried I won’t have it for much longer at the rate I’m going. Furlough isn’t on the cards as there is enough work to go round.

What are you doing about working and childcare?

Also should add - our childminder isn’t working anymore and there are no local nurseries open that would take our son (as dad is key worker). There is a chance my DH could move to wfhing too but we don’t know for sure.

Badly. We’ve been given a chance to volunteer for furlough and I’m hoping I get it. DH and I both working from home with a whirlwind 18 month old, it just doesn’t seem feasible to continue like this for 2/3 months - I’ll end up burning right out

I’ve volunteered for furlough. It will be a significant salary drop (70%) but we can’t carry on like this with a toddler. She’s currently being raised by Disney plus and is learning bad habits.

Financially we’re fucked but at least my kid won’t be an arsehole.

My DH is also working from home (38 hours) and I work 30 hours. DH is working 6:00-14:30 and I look after DS. DS goes for a nap at 12:30, we both work during nap time and I finish at 18:30 while DH does the afternoon childcare. I realise we are very fortunate.

@Nixen and @Espoleta I hope you both get furlough. Wish I had this option. I’ve just been told to try and fit the job around childcare or to take unpaid leave which I just can’t afford.

I'm very lucky that I have a very understanding employer who has said not to burn myself out and if all they can get is an hour that they'll take it. With a 15 month old and 3 year old I'm just about managing an hour and a half when the little one naps and the older one watches frozen 2 again!

@balalalala that is very lucky indeed. Good for you!

Just about.
We're all home, I have a toddler and older teens and we've worked out a schedule around the toddler ! Where I live we're at the end of week 3, first week was awful 2nd week slightly better, this past week we've had a productive week all of us finally. I'm lucky as there is enough of us to tag team looking after the toddler.
Our government announced that schools, nursery etc would stay closed until our May vacation ( we don't have an Easter one)
I am finding it stressful as hell keeping everything up and running and just trying to keep all happy and also be professional while on work calls. My team are similar in age but have no children and seem to think a 3 yrs old can take care of themselves 8 hrs a day !
My company on a whole though have been very understanding and are trying to make it work for everyone, we are a mix of office and production staff not everyone can work from home. They introduced an hour bank so people could save over time hours or work less hours but make it up later scheme, which has really helped a lot of people..
I'm luckier than most I realise this but it is very hard work.

DH is wfh and I'm on maternity leave. It's sounds fine having two adults at home and one who's essentially the childcare just now, but it's a nightmare. We have thee children under five including a four month old baby. It's running me ragged trying to keep the older two quiet and away from DH while he's working or on calls whilst I'm also seeing to the baby.

Our house is small and there is nowhere to work really, neither of us would ever normally work at home so this isn't a situation we are set up for. The kitchen table is the only place really but I can't keep the kids (or me) out of the kitchen when I'm making bottles and a million snacks a day.

I'm really stressed and DH is too. Plus I can't imagine he's delivering at work.

Badly. Luckily my boss is lovely and has said that if all I can do is a few hours a day, they would rather that than not have me at all. She has offered to reduce my hours but keep my pay the same which is amazing but I haven't taken her up on that yet. If we carry on like this for too long though I might have to look at that.

I'm working 7am - 2pm but probably having to take 2 hours out of that overall to make breakfast/lunch, change nappies, wipe bums, feed the baby, set up games etc. So I'm catching up in the evening once they are in bed.

DH is a firefighter and is working nearly every day either covering colleagues who are off sick or doing extra duties they've now been asked to do. Luckily he's around enough to do the shopping so I don't have to do that at least but trying to work with a 4 year old and 7 month old is interesting. They have been so good, dd1 has watched far too much tv though.

Luckily because I'd only just returned after May leave id stocked the freezer with meals and stuff so I'm not having to worry too much about dinners. But I would really like a break now!

Same and I'm 33 weeks pregnant! Usually my mum and sister have my 14 month old son 2 days a week then the childminder 2 days a week. I'm not usually office based but due to my pregnancy i went in just before this all kicked off. Feeling a bit off most of the time with the lack of human contact haha.

Badly- trying to work different shifts. But by the time the backshift comes round I am knackered and can't be bothered with any of it. I have to attempt to fit in 6 hours tonight. If I manage 3 I'll be happy.

Both DH and I are key workers, DM usually looks after DS but obviously can’t right now. We managed to shuffle our shifts around to cover childcare ourselves, it just means we don’t see a lot of each other as DH now only has one day off a week and is usually asleep in bed when I get home, up and out before I get up in the morning. It’s lonely but we’re managing.