Working from home with a 1 year old?

[Janedoe95]

Is it possible? Or completely unrealistic.

I work a 9-5 but I’m lucky that my job is more task based I’ve only been back to work a week but have managed to get all my work done using nap time, bedtime and sending the odd email whilst DS is distracted.

is it unrealistic to think I can survive like this for maybe 6 more months hopefully by the time DS is 18 months or even two it will be easier?

im only in my office two days a week so was initially planning for DS to be in nursery 3 days but the prices have just gone up and it’s so expensive!

I'm on almost 28K which I thought was a fair salary to have a baby on but 5 days a week would cost me nearly £2000 a month! Which is obviously more than I earn.

i think I’d probably be better off on benefits staying at home with my baby whilst my partner works but I’d be completely reliant on my partner and then have no pension too.

(my work do know my baby is around when I work from home some days as I breastfeed but they also don’t expect me to be looking after him and working so “legally he’s being watched by someone else”)

I really don’t know how other women do it especially single mums the I’m 26 and the majority of mums I know my age don’t work and others are having babies mid to late 30s and 40s

Then ask to reduce your days and have a day off.

She’s planning on not doing work the days she’s at home so In that sense … she can pay as much attention to the toddler ..

My DS has a job like this (digital marketing), as long has he gets his tasks done the rest of the time he is off. It amazes me, I hear him gaming online or taking a long bath mid afternoon.

@Quveas you seem like you’re taking this personally.

as I said I would also be working from home I’m just saying that I think I could get 95% of my work done on the two days in the office but I’d still be working whilst at home. But like I said my job is task based so I’d only be waiting for more tasks to come in.

my work is planning an executing and I plan per quarter prior to having my baby I’d occasionally have a week even 2 of no work just sitting online because I’d done everything in advance of the next quarter

Is your child a robot? How do you stimulate them during your working day?

So she wants her employer to pay her to watch her toddler?

I stimulate them by playing with her….

odd you think she is just left in a corner.

@NoelNoNoel haha that’s my job too! Hense why I think it might be possible

I work from home with my DC one half day a week out of necessity. In my experience, the older they get the harder they get. My DD is 18 months now and naps are short (if at all) and she is much more demanding of my attention.

You can't work and care for an infant of that age at the same time.

You need to pay for childcare.

A lot of it looks like it's based on parents who tried to look after their toddlers whilst working from home during the pandemic because they had to, I'm not sure how that's not based on life experience?

Ask for more work to do or get another job if this one is too easy for you

Because if you read those posts they work in roles not overly set up to do both.

The OP is

really not a difficult concept

In your position I might try to swing it once a week on your quietest meeting day. But you'll essentially be risking your job every day if someone notices and complains.

Like a PP, I found this difficult enough with teenagers and, trust me, they’re not after my attention every minute of the day.

I think you’re being unrealistic and I’m surprised there are jobs around that can be done in 10% of the time you’re paid for when so many are struggling to fit the work in.

Janedoe95
@NoelNoNoel haha that’s my job too! Hense why I think it might be possible
I think I agree, or maybe compromise on three days nursery.

I have a guy reporting to me wfh with his child there. He thinks he gets enough done. He is massively massively underperforming. He has been told he must use childcare and given a reasonable time to get some in place. He hasn't so I've had no choice to put him on performance management plan.

What benefits can you get?

Even if none, even if nursery eats up all your salary and part of your DPs, it’s worth keeping the job if you can afford it. It keeps the job, your experience and, if you are paying into a pension, keeps you building up your pension. It’s well worth it long term.
And childcare costs should not just be weighed against your salary. They are family costs.

MITs not that unusual for child care to eat up all, and more, of one salary in the UK ( though it is shameful that it does).

I'm not sure why you are being so rude to me

Until half way through the thread we didn't even know what job the OP did!

Well if you’re working, then I assume you do leave her in the corner. Which is just really bad parenting!

You’re either working or parenting, you can’t do both together.

Probably doing both very badly.

Any job that requires you to attend meetings during the day, or to deliver something, or to read or concentrate on something... you simply cannot have a baby or child relying on you. We tried doing that during covid and the stress was unbelievable.

I don't think this would be possible with a one year old. A friend of mine did it with his two year old for a year but it was very stressful for him and to be honest his daughter showed signs of needing more engagement and stimulation outside of the home, from what he told me anyway. You need to have the time to interact with them as well as supervise.

My views are based on having a kamikaze toddler who used to do stuff like move furniture to escape out windows or work put how to unlock doors or open baby gates. I could barely go to the loo and she didn't believe in naps.

Other toddlers are more sedate (like her sister...)

I work from home with my 1.5 year old daughter sometimes. It’s so tough, and I usually have to catch up when she’s asleep or her dad is home to help. It’s impossible to do voice calls as she’s constantly looking read to or lifted etc. Sometimes I can distract her with TV but that’s not really fair either.

Agree that it’s not possible. During the first lockdown DH and I were working from home with two kids under 3. It was hell. We probably worked more house overall but we’re not as productive. As soon as we could we got the kids back to nursery. And I went back to the office.

work knew that we had to work crazy hours and were sympathetic to a point but they did have a rule that we either work from home or took care of children. 100% focus on one task. Not trying to do both.

now as a one off it’s ok. But not full time. The odd day if kids are sick maybe. But that’s it.