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?

Having worked through covid with a 2 year old at home, it's not sustainable

Unfair on the child

I think most employers would not approve

Child is at school and we don't use wrap around but i have to stop work for 2-3 hours in the afternoon and then pick up again in the evenings

Totally unfair on the kid. What are your plans: telly? Ipad, playpen?

Childcare is expensive but the child needs stimulation. Fresh air, exercise and socialisation

It depends on the nature of your work. I used to do three hours on a Monday when my child was small (and pre covid).

But realistically I did at least two hours on a Sunday (to catch up Friday that I don't work) , a small amount on Monday morning and an hour on Monday night.

My eldest now lets himself in after school most days I'm but I do make alternative arrangements if I have particularly important meetings. He's 10 so it's literally shouting hello down the stairs and my husband gets home half an hour later. The five year old goes elsewhere.

I'm well experienced having them at home due to covid, and they know the score, but it's something I'd only do in an emergency and not with a toddler (well I did a whole year but not by choice and believe me no sane person would choose it!)

My employer is flexible on this although I still typically arrange some childcare in the holidays purely because it’s boring for dd to be stuck home while I work. Dd is 10 though so she’s quite happy to be able to lay in in the holidays and then play out with friends if they are around and it doesn’t really interfere with my work. Would be completely different if she were younger though and I don’t think anyone should expect their employer to be happy with constant interruptions and a lack of focus on work during paid working hours.

wfh doe’s definitely help me with the school run as I don’t then have a commute after and don’t need to use wrap around child care on my wfh days. We still use wrap around on the days I work from the office

Havent read the full thread but this is truly crazy. You cannot look after a preschooler whilst also doing the demands of a job! What happens when you are meant to be in a Teams meeting or you get an important call from a client (for example) and your child has done a poosplosion requiring a 20minute cleanup?? Its just not on or professional.
Dare i also say that at nursery, they do so many activities with messy play and exploring creativity and learning songs, they are learning important social skills interacting with their peers. ETC. If they are stuck home with you whilst you are also working i imagine you will be relying on peppa pig to fill a few hours of the day!! Yes nursery is expensive but find a good one and children really thrive in so many ways. Id rather pay the money than keep my dd at home with me because the money i save would truly be at the cost of her development.

I’m able to work from home 2 days a week but my parents takes these days off so it’s ideal in the sense I can help with lunchtimes / quick toilet breaks/ quick odd jobs around the house etc. There is no way I could get a sufficient amount of work done if I was just looking after the baby myself.

Those who claim to be WFH but are actually only doing a couple of hours work in an 8hr day, do you not think your boss, colleagues or those who report to you actually notice or question what you are actually doing all day?

Most employers have very strict policies about this- wfh is not a substitute for childcare.

I don't work from home but my husband does. When my son was very young (under 6 months) I could pop out for a couple hours for appointments and leave him with my husband while he worked. There is no way I could do that from 7 months onwards, he wants to be on the move all the time and he needs attention and encouragement to help him learn.

I've a 10 Yr old and could work from home occasionally with her. It would involve plenty of tv/laptop time though, I wouldn't be doing anything with her apart from occasional check ins and a long lunch. I'd do this on a poorly (but not sick) day where lounging on sofa by side of me would work. Anything more sickly and I'd need an annual leave day.
Managed through covid with her and older sister but they were doing online lessons throughout, so I could leave teachers entertain them for hour or so at a time. And husband was WFH too with both of us with flexible working and understanding employers, so we could juggle and manage.
Younger children would be impossible in my opinion. Especially if your work involves meetings, dealing with other people where being disturbed looks unprofessional. During covid lovkdowns people were sympathetic, but it's back to normal more now.

These are presumably new parents who didn’t have babies or children in 2020… wfh with kids at home did not work for anyone I know of during lockdowns!!!

WFH offers flexibility and has benefits but not paying for childcare is not one of them. There are some jobs where it might work but they are the exception rather than the norm.

WFH a couple of days a week for me means that working compressed hours is easier, I don't have to pay for early drop off or late pick up at nursery and I can keep on top of the housework which means that time with the DC isn't taken up with chores.

And I'm in a senior manager role, assessed by output, not micro managed with two preschool DC.

My 10yo and 6yo spent one day in holidays while I worked they went square eyed from around 8 hours of tablets and tv
They weren't bored weren't disruptive but it's not happening regularly

It’s a thing . Since covid my company allows people to work from home with children at home . I do it myself so refuse to sit here criticising those who choose to do it ( despite in the past having had to pay for childcare even when working from home for my m middle and older child ) .
is it easy ? No by no means , but needs must and as long as it doesn’t affect the job being done I don’t think most places will care .
doe sure affect the children , yes it’s harder but it means I can give them time more flexibly when the option was not seeing them at all for the work day .
the downside is it’s exhausting and you need to be organised and I often work outside office time to organise things and get prepared .

It’s weird that some posters insist it can’t be done. It depends on the job. My friend has done it 3 days a week for 18 months, her youngest child is 3 and the older one is at school now. Her husband does it the other 2 days. It works for them, they’ve both had promotions in the time they’ve done it and they both take their child to the park, soft play or playgroup as well as do painting/baking and similar at home each day. They get a couple of hours of work done before their child is awake for the day and they’re just very organised people.

My DD was 7 in the first lockdown. I've worked from home since that day with no childcare. Any younger might have been awkward but she was fed at lunch time and able to ask for anything during the day.

The NCT group OP refers to are obviously not talking about wraparound care though. They’ve got babies.

Don’t feel silly or a mug. Most jobs simply won’t work this way. I worked as a criminal barrister for 8 years with babies and young children, wouldn’t have even known if nursery or school were phoning me, no way could I ever do the school run. I’m not going to feel silly am I, and you shouldn’t either.

Honestly, I think this creeping notion of combining work with having children around is really undermining the value of both roles. Both are full-on, or at least always have been in my experience.

I misunderstood and thought WFH meant what the fucking hell with kids! I get it now.

It’s a recipe for having a breakdown or loosing your job or both. Personally I value my child, my career and my mental health way more than the money saved.

If it’s really easy to look after a baby and work then why don’t we sack off nurseries all together and just let our DH’s look after the babies all day whilst trying to keep down a job?

What industrial sector are they in, because I'm clearly in the wrong one?

@Summerfun54321 I totally agree WFH with young children us isn't fair on them or you.
A couple of hours afterschool isn't a huge issue but the thought of them sitting watching telly for days on end during the holidays is just sad a very boring holiday for them.

As for preschoolers just totally unfair to even attempt to work and childmind. Why not bin the schools and teach from home too?

Simply 3 into 1 doesn't go, your job needs attention, your school child needs attention and you baby.

I work a senior role and as a team leader and work from home with a baby . Just because you cannot do it doesn’t mean it’s impossible