How many hours can a single parent realistically work now?

[firstmentat]

Just interested in people's opinions. What do you think is a realistic number of productive hours per week a person can work during the lockdown in the circumstances below? An expectation of full time hours is probably unrealistic, but how much is reasonable to expect? Trying to manage my expectations re work productivity.

If there are suggestions of a tried-and-tested timetable, I would be really grateful.

• Single parent (the other parent is not involved);
• Two children, 4 and 6;
• Not a key worker (so children at home);
• Desk job (similar to data analysis / software development);
• Some light managerial / supervisory duties;

Thank you all!

Why do we use the term single parent...most children will have two parents.why on earth aren’t both parents looking after /wfh in turn, why is it generally mums doing the juggling. When will men pick up the slack
(A bit off topic but it makes me so mad)

Depending on the individual, their sleep needs and the flexibility of the work they could well exceed 40 hours a week.

If kids in bed for 2030 and the individual can get by on five hours sleep they could work four hours in the evening, get up and do two hours before kids get up then perhaps slot 3-4 hours in during the day. Seven days a week that’s 70 hours a week.

I used to work 1700-0100 and found I could cope very well so long as I got at least four hours decent sleep between 0200 and 0600. Now I find I am most productive early morning and if working on a big project will get up at 0400 to start work.

It's unsustainable but maybe 4 hours after they go to sleep and a few hours during the day?

The childless shouldn't have to pick up the slack, but the reality is they will end up doing so and that's not fair.

The dc’s dad has now been forced to have them mon and every other Tuesday so I can get my statutory visits in. If there’s a duty issue where I have to go to a home/school/foster placement/hospital my ds1 is 17 so can have them in an emergency. On the days I have them DD (8) and DS2 (12) need hourly ‘choices’ conversations. They have to choose 4 school based topics/pieces of work and 2 fun things off the board daily but this needs managing. DD needs specific help with maths.

My employer was all ‘do not come into the office, wfh, do the visits with PPE and distancing and do as much as you can as you have 3dcs’ but have been buggers really, they have loaded me with team two training sessions to do next week, we have a daily Skype meeting to attend at 3 to ‘catch up’ but it’s really to keep an eye on us, I have new cases coming at me and if I go inactive my boss rings me to talk about something inane she could have emailed me about. So they are getting their 37 hours from me but I’m not feeling very productive or committed. I am thankfully leaving soon as I have a new job. So i’d say FT can realistically give 25 productive hours.

I actually reduced my contracted hours by 50%

Ah right thank you for the clarification. That is a different situation

I don't get those having a pop at ColourMyDreams. This is how employment works. You agree contractual terms and if you don't like them, you seek work elsewhere.

Posters on this site used to have two brain cells to rub together. Sadly standards have dropped through the floor. What a prime example we have here.

No one agreed to their contractual terms in the context of a global pandemic where childcare is unavailable. Children need to be cared for, they can’t be parked in an empty room 9-5, while busy worker bees focus wholly on work.

I hope I’ve explained that in simple enough language for you, but clearly we can take no chances here so please shout if you’re still struggling to understand.

Who else thinks that in reality @colourmydreams works the fry station at McDonalds?

Contractual terms shouldn’t just be there to cover the employer. There should be flex in the system to allow work life balance and if there isn’t, you are doing it wrong.

You do know, when you are on your death bed dying, you won’t be thinking ‘well thank fucking god I put those extra hours in’.

Single parent full time WFH.
It's tough. I hate it but manage ok as I wake early and (apart from exercise time) don't stop for the day till about 11pm.

I have a marvellous employer who has both given me some days to focus on my son and also just accepts that I am also caring for a vulnerable relative whose needs have increased.

In return I will pick up when my colleagues need time off or will do extra when I can. I'm lucky.

If kids in bed for 2030 and the individual can get by on five hours sleep they could work four hours in the evening, get up and do two hours before kids get up then perhaps slot 3-4 hours in during the day. Seven days a week that’s 70 hours a week

As a lone parent to young primary age kids ? First igot annoyed, then realised that this pp is presumably on the fry station with colourmydreams....

Not many hours - flexibility would have to be allowed - e.g. working first thing in the morning before the kids get up - working later in the evening when the kids are in bed - but certainly not a full shift.

How could you in reality.

It's shocking that people are having to work a full shift while looking after their kids when they've no child care facilities available.

It shows how far we’ve fallen that even in a global pandemic people are worrying about hours etc.

Off the point, but relevant to how some employers think. When my husband (who worked for the same employer as me) was dying of cancer, my employer told me I could take time off to be with him "and then make it up after he's dead".

Single parent . What I am doing is letting my kids do what they want all day
And working FT
They are 12 and 9 however
And are playing obscene amount of video games

Your ages are very bloody hard and I think a 6 hour day , doing some when they sleep and some in front of screens is the MOST you can do .

If you can get them to bed later and waking later you can get some good morning hours in

Hard through

I could probably manage about 5 Hours a day, if I were to do maybe two separate hours during the day, and then three hours when the went to bed.

If kids in bed for 2030 and the individual can get by on five hours sleep they could work four hours in the evening, get up and do two hours before kids get up then perhaps slot 3-4 hours in during the day. Seven days a week that’s 70 hours a week

And why would we be advocating people work themselves into an early grave again?

If kids in bed for 2030 and the individual can get by on five hours sleep they could work four hours in the evening, get up and do two hours before kids get up then perhaps slot 3-4 hours in during the day. Seven days a week that’s 70 hours a week

What a twattish comment. You know that’s not reasonable and no decent employer would expect that. You’re just being —a twat— contrary.

It’s going to be interesting going into the next few months and the easing of lockdown. The number of parents who are going to refuse to send their DCs to school, and refuse to go back to work having been furloughed because they don’t feel safe, is going to be huge. Boris will have a battle on his hands I’m guessing.

My dc are the same as yours
Fortunately my employer knows in normal times I work very hard so I have the benefit of them knowing that I'm doing as much as I can.
I think I have tried every combination of work/kids balance.
The one that is working best is I get up and have breakfast/school work/games/ walk. Then home and have lunch.
After lunch they will amuse themselves with a film or some crafts (I accept the mess). Then I spend a bit more time with them/dinner/bath/bed. I work from 8-11pm then go to bed. I am actually more productive in those 3 hours as no-one can phone me. So I'm doing approx 2/3 hours. If not becomes a big problem then I will add on a weekend evening to add a few more in.
I do the cleaning quickly during the day and have a big clean on Saturday mornings.

Everyone picks up slack in different ways. In my immediate team there are 7 of us. 4 of them(all either without dc or have adult dc) have been on sickness level warnings for the last year. I help out and cover their work when they are off sick so I expect them to help me now and take a bit more on.

I have tweens.
I'm still doing my normal 18hrs a week. It's a struggle trying to fit it in around feeding them and breaking up fights on my working days.

My kids only stopped fighting 30 mins ago. No chance of an evening 😂.

The pp inCroatia would do well to remember that the NHS is a public service as are the police, fire, teachers, social workers, bin men and numerous other departments that are very busy delivering essential services.

@LaurieMarlow - goodness, what a way to have a conversation. You're entitled to your point of view, as others are to theirs. Just because you disagree, is no reason to belittle, insult and just generally be rude.

If you believe current laws aren't up to protecting workers (I wouldn't disagree with that statement), advocate - effectively - for change rather than slagging off others.

As for leaving kids alone, I didn't mention that and certainly wouldn't suggest it. However, my personal experience is that it is possible to work when you have young children to care for.

@ C152H

It’s very simple. If you post on here like an idiot, you’ll be treated like one.

Yes, let’s talk about contracts. When I returned to work after mat leave I ALSO signed a contract with my nursery to provide childcare. How about I go waving that in someone face right now, insisting it’s honoured.

Global pandemic, the rules have been changed from under us. Looking after children is a full time job. We are supposed to do another full time job on top of that. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out the issues there.

However, my personal experience is that it is possible to work when you have young children to care for.

And your extensive experience covers pre schoolers, SEN, demanding jobs, home schooling requirements, kids who don’t do screens, does it?

I’m sure there’s the occasional child happy to sit in a room and be ignored. I’m also sure that’s not typical. The bottom line is if you’re fully focused on work, you can’t also be on your children and vice versa. That shouldn’t needed to be spelled out, but hey ho.

It’s very fucking difficult for people right now. I have a friend who’s basically on the verge of a breakdown. Single parents are screwed.