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?

Have you actually ever done this?

This.
I almost had a mental breakdown during lockdown and mine were primary age, not toddlers.
I'm totally bemused as to why the OP is ignoring every single poster with experience of this, who's said it's not possible, vs the one poster who's said they're going to do it (but hasn't yet)

Can you explain - you have a full time contact but do your work in 2-3hr a day?
Along with many others, and you think that's not uncommon?

I have never heard of a company employing many people full time who actually do 1/4 or 1/5 of the hours. Are management aware?

It depends on your baby and the work you do.

I had my own company when mine were babies, it was pretty easy with the first one up until about 9 months when she was into everything, the younger one was much harder as she was very colicky and screamed a lot. Nursery worked well from about 9-10 months onwards - they were there 0830 till 1200, then I'd pick them up give them lunch and they'd nap until about 3.30. The older they get the harder it becomes as they want your full attention and get grouchy and whiny if it's not forthcoming. It can be doable, but I understand why employers frown on it as you're not necessarily able to give the job your full attention.

See this is the problem, this is EXACTLY the reason people think those who WFH take the piss.

Because yes, if you work from home and take care of very young child at the same time, you are taking the piss.

mine are at school, and only on a Friday so I have my lunch break at 3pm so I can nip and do school run and they get home and sit with snack and iPads. I have wraparound care for all the other days

You are joking, right ?

If you don't use childcare and your child's development suffers from lack of stimulation as you are busy working ignoring them/sitting them in front of CBeebies I suppose you'll be expecting nursery and school to fund the extra input for your child to catch up will you?

Not to mention that you are not giving your job the full attention you are being paid for.

It is ridiculous to think you can care for a small child properly whilst working. The only way you can do this is if it doesn't matter when you log on so can do all your work once the child is in bed/their other parent is available to provide care.

It depends on what your job is - I'm fine doing general bits of work, but not calls or things which require unbroken concentration (ie a tax return 🤣) My daughter pretty much entertained herself from being about 18 months and I was obviously in the room with her, but she was happy to play and colour in and do her Lego etc, and also they nap!

Of course it’s relevant

many people in professional roles aren’t benchmarked by hours worked but instead are assessed on output

people saying no one should do this don’t seem to take into account the many people who work full time but don’t actually need to be working 9-5.

Whether you like it or not working for hours on end is dated and old fashioned. In digital roles especially so.

Explain what?

Im baffled so many on here seem to struggle with this concept, I don’t know many at work who actually work their contracted hours.

And I am management, I report into our SVP, he doesn’t give a flying fuck when I’m online as long as he is getting the benefit from having me in role (which they are) I was promoted on mat leave and regularly get my bonus so clearly no issues there.

It took them over a year to recruit for my role as it’s in an area of skills shortages (especially at Snr levels)

This is very common in many sectors and industries (definitely common in tech and marketing based roles)

My role is fully flexible outside of the 4 hours a week that I teach this semester. DH's is the same. It's still not possible for us to do our jobs without childcare.

Like many others, lockdown meant we were forced to try. We work for the same university who were, in fairness to them, fantastic to work for at that time. We both slashed our hours, and alternated days with DD as we both found full days much more productive than taking shifts.

It was hell, and the slashed hours weren't sustainable so the late nights crept up too. I moved our department's assessment processes online by emailing with one hand and pushing a buggy with the other. 2.5 years later I still hate playing in the garden as it takes me back to that time.

@CherylCrows how old is your child and how long have you been doing this?

What is a typical week mon-fri like with your child?

Why? My work bwforeoandemic used to be ant kids in the house. Since they've changed their tune as they saw productivity go up and disruption was minimal to none. Mine is now at school and 9yo. But home after school and holidays is not an issue. I know WFH permanently so I so school run, after school activities etc and hold down (very successfully) a full on IT role plus voluntary roles in Guiding, school PTA, school garden and junior tri club committee and do more than 37.5 hours/week.

We were both WFH due to Covid lockdowns until DD was one. I went back to work when she was 4m old, DH took the rest of the parental leave. It would have been impossible for us both to work FT with her around - as someone else said, we'd be failing either her or our employers. I still WFH but she's in nursery full time.

One of my friends is doing this. Both parents working full time, only have childcare for 4 days and are trying to both work from home on the 5th day so they can share childcare and work. Obviously not telling their employers this. I think it's a bit cheeky. Child is only a baby now, but will soon be a toddler and I think they'll find it difficult.

Its hard WFH and having little kids needing you! Its hard to concentrate and also, im sorry but when ive called companies and the person im speaking to has a child in the background, its unprofessional. Yeah times were different during the covid years but were back to normal now so. Imo it’s difficult and unprofessional. My company, unless my child was off school poorly, would not agree to this way of working. Given how demanding little toddlers etc are

I did 1-1.5 days a week working from home when DD was small. That means I did 1-1.5 days in total, spread across the whole week, not 3 days working at an office as well. I had the possibility of some extra work when she was about1.5, at which point I looked into childcare for a couple of half-days, because the work would not fit into naptimes and evenings.

@CherylCrows

So you're not actually paid a full time contract

You're paid for your skill set.

Different thing altogether

DD is 18 months and I’ve been doing it since going back to work when she was 10 months.

She gets up at 07:00 - DH sorts her breakfast out and gets her ready while I check emails from last night and the morning.

DH leaves between 08:00-09:00 depending on where he is that day.

DD and I then do our morning activities (park; cafe, meet with NCT mums, play dates etc.) until mid day

We come home and have lunch, DD then has her afternoon nap while I do the odd call or review docs/pitches/proposals. She sleeps from about 13:00-14:30.

If we have afternoon activities we will do them then (a couple of play date parents have us round after 3 as they have older kids, therefore we go round after they’re back from school) if not will do bits at home, baking (more for me than DD but still ) playing, crafts etc.

DD is quite good with independant play so will sometimes have a couple of 10-15 min periods where she will get on with something while I check teams, have the odd call, emails and reply to any questions.

DH comes home at 18:00 and sorts tea out while I finish up any last bits from work (30 mins tops)

A few times a month I’ll need to do a late call (worst ones are after Australia goes through daylight savings!) but DH is home and DD is usually in bed for those.

When I have to travel DH WFH and has a similar routine, his employers are also fine with DD being home whilst he works but it is less frequent (as I have dropped my travel down as a condition of returning from mat leave)

Or in my house. I’m self employed and need to block out noise, and my kids are noisy fuckers.

Having said that, I have annual passes to a local soft play and I go there and stick headphones in if they’re at home and I really need to work. They’re guaranteed to leave me alone for hours on end that way! And I can work if noise is blocked out

*Not in my house

’The odd call or review a doc/pitch/proposal’ between 13:00 and 14:30 and 30mins work “tops” at 6pm.

Sure, I buy that 😂

It’s still a full time contract.

My contracted hours are still 37 a week

but yes, I’m a skilled professional so get to set my terms a bit more than someone who can be easily replaced.

But many in professional roles are. There are entire industries crying out for skilled staff!

Working and childcare are two jobs. You can't do both well.

Doing it during lockdown completely broke me (I've still not fully recovered) and on the odd occasion I have to do it now I'm completely exhausted and stressed.

You need childcare if you're working.

I have annual passes to a local soft play and I go there and stick headphones in if they’re at home and I really need to work. They’re guaranteed to leave me alone for hours on end that way!

Yeah just take your kids to soft play where they should be under constant supervision, stick in headphones and ignore them for several hours at a time. Excellent parenting.