WFH with children

[Annie232]

On many threads I hear women pop up and mention how they WFH x number of days and so don't need childcare on x number of days. Incidentally, within my NCT group on discussions on return to work a few of the women have said similar and that they plan to WFH 1/2 days a week and therefore save on childcare. Is this a thing now?

I assume it’s wrap around childcare they refer to. Being able to do the morning school run and pick up then either work a final couple of hours while the kids are around or pause and finish off later in the evening. A baby there’s no way!

It might depend on your employer and the age of the children but it isnt a thing for my employer.

A baby and toddler wouldn’t really work and I suspect most employers wouldn’t be happy. An older child who can amuse themselves, get their own drinks etc wouldn’t be an issue.

DS is in nursery the days I WFH. I know one friend who “bodges” a day between her and her DH and it’s a nightmare.

I’d say this, about my ten year old though! So, yes, wraparound care.

I’ll feel a bit silly and a mug paying for childcare going back to work if other mums are saving money by keeping there their babies with them whilst they wfh.

I like working from home as it saves on after school care. My dc walks to and from school herself but would need childcare if I was in the office till 5/6pm. In her younger days there is no way I could work while she was at home, even for an hour, but she is old enough to organise her own snack and either watches tv or goes back out with school friends till I finish.

Well those mums won't be keeping their jobs for long!

I can guarantee you that the women looking after babies or small children while working are spending most of the time failing their employer, failing their children, or both.

You need childcare if you're going to work. End of.

My husband I tried to both work from home with a 1 year old during covid (as did much of the country). It was an absolute nightmare and if I could have persuaded my childcare provider to take my child and my money I would have!! Try it for a day, I promise you won’t feel like a mug paying for childcare at all.

older children, fine, but under school age (and probably even school age for more than a couple of hours at a time), it won’t work.

My employer has specifically said we should not be looking after children while WFH, I could never do it with one SEN child and a toddler as I have to constantly be available to take customer calls.

Weird way to look at it, but I wouldn’t worry about it in any case because that won’t be happening for any length of time, if at all.

Such a bad idea as all of us who tried it during lockdown can tell you.

Yes, with a calm DC who is late primary age it might work…but no way with a preschooler!

I don’t think it’s common for people to actually do this. Many people plan to do it and realise that it’s stupid.

If DD is sick sometimes we will both wfh and alternate our day so we don’t have to take unpaid leave. It’s hell though and means you’re basically working from 5am to 11pm and it’s exhausting.

You need to speak to people who had to juggle wfh with children at home during the lockdowns-they’ll tell you how easy it was (NOT!)

Has your baby arrived yet OP? You seriously can’t work, efficiently as your employer would expect, whilst caring for a baby. It’s not possible. If you are self employed, fine. But my employer expects me to work when I’m paid to be working

Strange take on it! If anything I’d feel quite self satisfied that baby is getting the full attention and care they deserve in an excellent childcare setting whilst I’m able to do a proper job at work. Most of us have juggled it during the pandemic and honestly, it’s shit, stressful and nothing gets done well.

Unless of course you’re talking about a primary school age child where you can do a quick dash to pick up and plonk them in front of the TV with a snack until 5 - that generally works fine! Younger ones though, no way!

I'm planning to try work from home 2 days a week when I'm due back in work. My little one will be 9 months so I'm obviously setting myself up for an excellent time.. but it's saving me roughly £500-£550 if I can do it so I'm just going to try ride it out and see how it goes

OP - look. I went back to work in Jan 2020, and in March 2020 I was suddenly WFH with a 12 month old. It was SHIT. I cried about the lack of attention my poor DD was getting, and cried with frustration as I tried to join serious meetings with her cruising round my legs, screaming. This wasn't by myself too - I was tag teaming with DH Obviously I didn't have a choice back then. You do. Its not being a mug to be a good parent and have childcare sorted for a baby.

thats a big saving. Think I am missing a trick here that others have already cottoned onto.

Its definitely not a thing amongst people I know, and my place of work definitely wouldn’t stand for it. Older kids who can look after themselves and just need a vague adult presence / supervision - not as bad, but young children, toddlers and babies no way. I had to do it for one day (with works agreement as they preferred me to do some work rather than miss a whole day) in school holidays when childcare fell through, it was unbelievably stressful and unproductive.

If I was an employer I'd ban wfh if I knew this was happening

Unless your job is flexible enough that you can do pretty much all your hours during nap time and in the evenings after bed time this is just totally unrealistic. On what planet can anyone do a decent job with a baby who is likely moving around and wanting attention. It’s also highly unfair on the child as you’ll need to be ignoring them.

thats a big saving. Think I am missing a trick here that others have already cottoned onto.

The trick being that you are short-changing your employer or short-changing your child. Or both.

This. I thought I could have it both. keep my money and look after my toddler whilst working full time. Boy was I wrong. Needless to say that he's in nursery full time now.