Not paying for childcare this autumn as bills go up

[Essenceandvibes]

I've just had an epiphany.....I absolutely won't be paying a penny for childcare this autumn as bills increase and I won't be made to feel guilty about it either. I can work from home and watch my baby and pick up my 10 year old from school without the assistance of anyone else and if my employer has an issue with it, he can pay an extra £2000 per month post tax to cover the cost of full time help.

Our bills are going to be about £800 a month just electricity and gas alone for our detached 4 bed house, this isn't even thinking about the increase of petrol or groceries.

The mortgage has also gone up a few hundred quid too....childcare and commuting is now a luxury not necessity and I really hope every parent joins me in asking for employers like it or lump it

Shameful the government have let everything get this far, the knock on effects will be huge

Well you’ll just get sacked won’t you OP? See how well your finances do then 🙄

I know a couple of people who are secretly trying that, though not every day - just sneaking off to get young kids after school so they are both not at their "desks" really from 3pm onwards or before 9.30am. Colleagues are furious and it's "ideas" like this that make it difficult for women to get taken seriously in the workplace

That’s not necessarily true and is also very area dependent. Our 3-bed detached is costing almost £300/month in gas and electricity monthly and it’s by no means huge, so whilst OPs house is likely to be large, we’re not necessarily talking a mansion either.

That won’t work.

you can do a half way. 10 year old walk home and so safe after school care, you work from home if allowed to save commute. But a baby needs stimulation and time.
I work when Ds naps, dh is home at weekends or evenings. But that’s not full time hours

Totally unfair on your employer.

This reminds me of being at university and my tutor was about to become a father for the first time. He had visions of writing his book while the baby slept peacefully. Often wonder how that panned out!

Lockdown was different - there was no choice and therefore more understanding from both employers and the public. I don't know about anyone else but I'm getting pissed off now at crap service from companies whose employees are still unnecessarily wfh without proper access to the info they need to do their jobs and who are clearly not concentrating as they would in their proper work environment.

Unless you are totally irreplaceable, be prepared for your boss to very quickly get fed up. And once you've given up your childcare space you are likely to struggle in getting it back when you find you cannot work and mind a one year old!

No way can you work from home with a baby. You would do neither job properly.

£800 a month for gas and electric. Yeah if you say so luv.

What about those of us who can't work from home eg nurses, teachers etc. We're all on worse salaries than people in the private sector anyway. I don't think your employer will be happy about this. In an emergency, perhaps, but on a regular basis you can't be watching a baby (who will turn into a toddler and need watching every minute) and doing any productive work.

They all moaned about how they couldn't possibly be expected to do both.

An employer pays you £x in exchange for 7 1/2 hours of your exclusive time each day.

You now want that time to no longer be exclusive?

She won't neglect the baby. She'll neglect her job. Then she'll get the sack.

Ha
in lockdown I was trying to do my job and care for a then 3yo was absolutely hell and I was close to a nervous breakdown
neither work nor parenting was going well and I would have paid a million £ to have some childcare in place for my sanity

I have a colleague whose children are at home with him each morning till they go in afternoon nursery sessions he’s frazzled and started being performance managed for failing to do his job fully and properly

I hope it works for you but I couldn’t do this

Re the electric bills, I'm on economy 7 in what is technically a 4 bed semi (converted bungalow). My bills are also really expensive in the winter. At the moment I have no heating on, am turning the hot water tank off every other night because one tank lasts for 2 days of washing up and the shower heats direct from the mains and costs less than heating the water for a family load of baths. So people are trying to cut down but if you have kids there are limits to how much you can cut.

Well as a childminder I hope my lovely parents don't decide to do this 😂
However I'm 100 percent confident they won't...looking after babies/young children I'm out every day with them to softplays/parks/farms etc etc.
How do you expect to provide the stimulation and company of other children that your child needs if you are stuck at home with them all day?!
I think you're in the minority here luv

10 year old no issue. They can walk to school and back and entertain self after school.
Baby you can’t mind and work.
If you don’t want to pay for childcare look for an evening/weekend job and work around their other parent.

Like others I would love to know what sort of job you can do from home whilst caring for a baby ... it's just so unprofessional. I have to deal with colleagues who are 'working' from home, it's a nightmare. I work in retail so often I need answers immediately and can't wait for endless referrals and 'people to get back to me'.

Maybe my colleagues are just not very efficient .... had to laugh at an 'Online seminar for WFH colleagues to improve well being and prevent isolation' .

I'm with you OP!

Everyone I know who is self employed has raised prices to cover increased costs. My childcare went up by 11%. Left, right and centre I am paying more out.

My large corporate employer posted strong growth and profits in their last year.

My salary is flat as a pancake.

What will your baby do all day?

If you worked for my company it is gross misconduct to WFH and have childcare responsibilities at the same time (unless an absolute emergency).

As an employer, I’d be glad to see the back of you. What an entitled attitude. Yes, it’s shit. Yes, costs are increasing ridiculously but this is no more your employer’s fault than yours and it also directly impacts bosses and company owners up and down the UK. If you’re that bothered, go out and start your own business and give your own employees this incredible flexibility you think you’re owed, or pay their childcare.

Why do you think your employer should pay for your choice to have children? I expect there are plenty of child free people or people with older children that can do your job.

Go on, give it a try. Please come back and tell us what your boss says.

I think I’d have my jotters by Thursday week if I attempted this sort of carry on.

I will not be joining you OP.

Good luck paying your mortgage with no job

I can work from home and watch my baby

😂

As a mother of a 16 month old this statement is hilarious. How?? How on earth can anyone "watch a baby" and be productive at work? I can't even pee some days until 5 hours after I first needed to when looking after my baby, let alone reply to emails and write reports 😂

if my employer has an issue with it, he can pay an extra £2000 per month post tax to cover the cost of full time help

Think you'll find if they don't like it they'll tell you to get childcare sorted or get rid of you.

What happens if they say you can't WFH full time.

Not really your best idea