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?

There is no way you'd be able to do this with a toddler and even with a baby without working up hours in the evening and killing your self. I know people that do the odd half day ina week if they have flexible companies that have to work in the evening

I did it for a while when self employed and through lockdown and it was stressful and absolutely horrible. Youngest was 3 then too.

I love the assumptions of either 'dabbling on a laptop' or 'lying to my employer about having a baby'

I was the size of a house when I was pregnant so definitely couldn't have hid that

I'm not saying it'll work perfectly at all and if it doesn't work out then extra days at nursery it is. I can afford if it needs be but I'd rather try and know I did what I can to save money.

I worked from home during lockdown for 2 years and a good chunk of that was with a 5 year old when he school closed and when she sadly caught covid and I managed fine. Yes on an evening once she was in bed I would slowly rock myself in the bath with the shower on.

I'm used to multi tasking and I'm pretty bloody good at it so as I said, it's worth a try.

Its still a ‘days work’

I don’t know anyone, let alone in a senior position, who classes 2 HOURS as a days work.
I barely know a single person in a senior role who is expected to work less than say 8-6. I get not having a structured 9-5, I don’t even do that. When I wfh it’s largely on my own terms but no way in any industry is 2 hrs a day acceptable for a full time salaried position.

Its impossible. Its fine for an emergancy or short notice nursery closure/ill child. But anything else is ridiculous.

If you want to get anywhere in your career don't do it

Because it works

Or kids over 6

Ah yes I guess a child who can entertain themselves might be ok

What do you do?

I need to know what you do for a living!

i am on a senior professional role and I have never seen anyone getting away with this. A few have been sacked for putting in a couple of hours a day and turning up when they felt like it. But they were alcoholics and spiralling out of control.

if a full time job can be done in a couple of hours how does your employer make a profit? Why would your employer expect so little from you? No one can be son magnificent that they can do 40 hours worth of work in 10 hours. If you worked for me I would be seriously reviewing your work load😂😂Or is it public sector?

Seriously @CherylCrows i need a career change.

I am sat here on a Friday night having taken a few days leave. I have probably done a coupon of hours a day while on leave - just to keep up with emails and manage a few issues for my team.

if there is a profession out there where I would only be expected to do two hours a day while earning a high full time salary I need to know what it is!!!!!

I’m global head of martech for one of the worlds largest FMCG companies.

They still turn a profit as they own many of the worlds biggest brands.

My employer doesn’t expect little from me, I deliver a large amount of value, and have done since starting. They expect a lot, I can just do it in a short space of time due to the type of work it is.

And it’s really not all that rare, at least 8 men and women who work under me do the same, and it’s replicated across the business and across markets.

I also know it’s quite common across the sector and for similar roles in other sectors too.

Well my contract when I worked stated 8.30-5pm, so that to me was my day’s work.

If I decide to finish at 10.30am that isn’t a day’s work.

Im amazed I have to explain this to a so called high flyer that you are supposed to work the times and hours you are contracted to.

Because “it depends how you view a days work” and “that’s just what it’s like where I work” sounds like a whole lot of excuses for being a skiver.

Just own it! You slice and you think you’re entitled to the alive because you’re good at your job and they were desperate to fill your position

Jesus christ, not really sure how it’s confusing for anyone to understand people might be contracted for set hours but not require to work an entire day 9-5.

Because if your contracted hours are 9-5 that’s when you should work. If your work are flexible it doesn’t have to be 9-5 but it does have to be 8 hours at some point that day.

I actually don’t understand why that confusing TBH. Even teenagers starting at McDonalds understand they get paid for the hours they work and cannot do less if they feel like it

And as I’ve said many times, they couldn’t hire someone part time to do the same

Except it apparently can because you only work 10 hours a week 😂😂 which is fewer than most part time employees so obviously the role can be done part time

I can manage a day with my 8 and 6 year old…they just sit in the iPad all day!! Any longer than that and they go to holiday club mainly just to get them moving!!

This is really remarkable. You could half, even quarter, your team tell them that all need to work full time hours and get the same output for a quarter of the salary bill.

i am in awe that this is possible. I have honestly never heard of such extreme easy work for big bucks. Teenagers need to know - no law or medicine or accountancy! I would have totally changed my training had I known this would be an option.

you could work three full time jobs!!

I agree and don’t believe the people here who swear blind it’s achievable are being entirely truthful.

I’m laughing at the amount of posters on here seemingly unable to understand many people work in professions where they can easily do this.

DH is one, he actively works a handful of hours a month but is employed on a full time basis, he looks after our 2 kids (although one is in school now) and is paid very well.

I know many mums and dads that do this too. The world of work has changed significantly over the past 5 years and even more so since COVID.

There is no way I could work effectively and look after a small child. And I found looking after a baby very, very boring and really full on. Parenting is relentless, why you would try and do it whist working at the same time ? That is bonkers. I put mine in childcare from 1 year old full time and it was expensive £1200 month. But I enjoy my job and was a much happier mum. My LO also really likes her crèche , maybe I would feel differently if she hated it.

Post it on LinkedIn and I might believe you.

It's so easy to make up any old crap on anonymous forum.

I wfh with my 2 year old a half day every week and DP does for a full day. We make it work.

As mentioned

its a bit strange how so many seem unable to accept there are many jobs where you’re paid for what you can bring to the table, not for the 40 hours you’re contracted to work.

I could never ever accept a job thinking “well they’re lucky to have me so I will work less than half my hours”. I don’t know many companies so desperate for staff they’d accept this either

As mentioned it's easy to make up any old crap when you don't have to own it.