To think a primary school child can watch TV for an hour while a parent WFH?

[SomeNights]

I'm trying to work out future finances and one thing I'm trying to calculate is childcare costs once school starts.

DH and I both work from home, DH almost entirely, and me a couple of days a week. We live very close to the school (less than five minutes walk). AIBU to think that one day a week (probably Friday as very quiet for both of us) we could bring DC back at 330pm and either just finish working in the evening (we're both in roles that would allow this) or, I'm a worst case scenario and we had a meeting, could sit DC in front of the television for an hour with some snacks and work from the office in the room next door?

Or is this horribly neglectful and we should sick up needing after school club each day?

What kind of age might this be acceptable from? Top infants? Juniors?

Are there any pitfalls I might not have considered?

i think an hour one day a week is fine if you know your child will happily sit still and let you work

Many people at my work do this most days not just Fridays! Kids need downtime after school and tv will be fine until you finish work.

I think thats reasonable. You know your child and if you can trust them to watch TV while you work and know that they would let you get on with your work that’s fine once per week. On a Friday you child will probably prefer to be at home and have some alone time rather than kids club etc?

Of course it's fine.

That’s fine but be prepared for your child to want to chat/decompress before vegging in front of the tv.

I wouldn’t do it too young- they still need supervision, someone getting them a drink and snack while they’re little. And what if one or both of you was called away or in to the office?

From about 8 if sensible? My 10yo walks herself home from school now and potters around until I've finished

From juniors or where they can reliably sit with a snack and some telly or quiet play I'd say an hour once a week is reasonable.

Younger or if they're going to want your attention, or you're likely to have to be multitasking throughout then personally I wouldn't do it as it's likely to mean neither area of responsibility is done well

I would do this, especially on a Friday when they will be tired and a bit of tv is totally fine - reception children might need more support but my y1 would be fine with this, even getting a snack and drink.

Use the walk home to focus on them and their day

Also host some playdates early on so if anything crazy came up you could call in a favour

And check whether after school club does ad hoc bookings - Friday is the quietest day for ours so they would jump at the chance

It really depends on your child and your job.

I don't think my year 1 child would deal well with this, he would want at least some time with us beforehand but weirdly my reception age child would be fine with it.

We have jobs though where meetings aren't always predictable and it wouldn't be ok to say "no, I can't make that meeting because I need to pick my child up from school" or to have them disturb a zoom call.

So our plan is to wait until more like 8/9 before we do this. We also live very close to the school so our kids should hopefully be able to walk home by then
.

Really depends on the child. Dd1 watches just about anything on TV and doesn't move. Dd2 is fussier and moves around a lot/gets distracted. She will walk off and do something else for 5/20 minutes then come back.

Dc should manage by Juniors for an hour I think, though still child dependent. Though I'd still expect interruptions occasionally.

My DS starts reception in Sept so we are having similar conversations at the moment. I don't think he'd be able to do this yet or, at least, not reliably (and inevitably would kick off on the days when I had something important to do)

You know your child. Just check your work policies some say you can’t work with children under x age. Also depends on your work - if it’s confidential, client facing then no. Mine would have been fine not everyday but once a week definitely. She used to watch those barbie dvd’s if I needed to do something and not move a muscle! She was also sensible and could be trusted not to wreck the house.

I would probably do it from age 8, once a week is fine, not every day.
Not sure what age top juniors is?

@roses2 sounds like your colleagues are piss-takers

We do this on a Friday for a Y3

I meant top infants/juniors.

If there’s 2 adults at home. One can collect and one have 10 mins with child when they get in to say how is your day, make a drink/snack. Just cut your lunch short/log on earlier and factor in a 10 min afternoon tea break

I don’t see the problem with this. I would probably start the day an hour or two early to ensure the work is done just in case DC needs/wants attention.

I did it on some days, we would talk all the way home then he would sit in front of the television with a plate of “crudités” (carrot sticks, salad, fruit or anything healthy enough to serve as a snack without making him miss his dinner) while I worked nearby.

Yes that’s fine, my preschool aged child would be fine with this. I wouldn’t leave the room for an hour though but would as they got older.

Jesus, how do you think working (single) parents manage? An hours TV is fine, as is 4 hours and you need to work 🤷‍♀️ we all do what we need to get by, so yes of course yanbu- it’s life, children adjust to what is needed, which is a wage to look after them.

I think this is ok from 6 or 7. My 5 year old, although understands it in theory, will still sometimes come and interrupt me to tell me they need help wiping their bum or spilled a drink or have sat on the remote and done something to the tv. So we use acter school club as most of the time it's fine but not what you want when you're on an unexpected meeting with your boss's boss

Mine would be fine individually. Together they’d argue which makes it nearly impossible.

I think this is completely fine as long as your kid is likely to be good at vegging rather than constantly pestering you or needing supervision and you don't take the piss with work. Mine would be fine with it.

We started doing this one night a week earlier in the year and have increased since Easter. ASC now £30 a day for two DC, it’s too expensive with the COL increase.

Juniors upwards is fine for most children. Back when I was at school kids had keys on ribbons around their necks and let themselves in from 8!