to think I can get by without childcare in August because work is quiet?

[isitPeri1]

Every August, work slows down massively. It has always been this way. There is barely anything coming in, hardly any meetings or deadlines, and most of my team is off. My manager and her manager are both away for the whole of August, so it is very unlikely anything urgent will come up.

I have primary school-aged kids and I am thinking I might skip childcare this year. I usually only have about one to two hours of work a day in August, and some days there is literally nothing to do at all. Anything that does come up, I can usually fit around the kids early in the morning or after they have gone to bed. I have proper annual leave booked for September when they are back at school, so I will get a proper break then.

Has anyone else done this? Just managed without childcare when work was super quiet?

Blimey, how the other half live. I really can’t see how these jobs are going to be around in 5 years time. Whose head do you think is going to be on the chopping board when costs are reviewed? Yup, that person who does bigger all for two months a year.

My DS doesn’t have DC but if he did he could totally do childcare and his job during quiet periods (the summer). As long as he does certain tasks during the week which can be done whenever he wants the rest of the time is his own.

@tumblingdowntherabbithole There's no need to yawn. I understand what you're saying about flexibility and I have a job that is partially WFH and has some flex. Sometimes I start a bit late, sometimes I finish a bit early or take a long lunch and make up hours. But there's a massive difference between that and taking your employers' money to swan around for 6 weeks with your kids whilst not being transparent about it.

Lots of people work in industries like this - it's not necessarily a case of making lots of money either, it's just that some jobs are more flexible than others, and have more regular, planned periods of down-time than others.

This^^ I would be really miffed if someone on my team shirked during the summer and then took leave as soon work picked up.

My work gets quiet over the summer too and we are encouraged to take a bit more time for ourselves (as in a longer lunch break or log off at 4pm) but if we wanted to go out for the day with our kids we would have to book annual leave. I do the odd day of working with mine at home but I couldn't do whole weeks - that wouldn't be fair on anyone.

I just can’t see why an employer wouldn’t enforce holiday to be taken in these quiet times. It’s very very very alien to a lot of people!

So what do you think she should do - sit at home at her desk all day, twiddling her thumbs? Because in many jobs, that is genuinely the alternative. There isn't anything to do because the industry basically shuts down for a while and there just needs to be a few people on-hand to answer basic, non-urgent queries.

OP has quite clearly said, several times, that she'll still be doing all the work expected of her - she's just also saving money on childcare. Sounds like a win to me!

Because there often needs to be someone around to answer phones or general enquiries - but it's not urgent and doesn't need to be done immediately.

I’m doing this now, i wfh. My boss is also currently doing this 😆

i’m a believer of being home and bored rather than summer clubs. I think they need summer away from scheduled activities

It sounds fine. Gosh, you are very lucky! August is so busy for my work and it's hard to get time off in the summer hols.

Because she'd rather spend it without her kids

Then why not be honest?

If having kids there all day with no other form of childcare, and doing fun stuff with them on works time really isn't an issue then she should let her employer and colleagues know.

If she doesn't want to do that, and hides it, then she is taking the piss.

Yep, I said upthread she should be honest about it :)

I could never get away with looking after my kid secretly for the entirety of August. If i needed a day or two I would disclose that Information and inform my employer off my working plan. Mostly to protect myself tbh, and if it’s reasonable I’m pretty sure it would be fine!

Totally appreciate every role is different - your role sounds very stress free and ideal tbh. (Appreciate this may just be August and I don’t know what you do). However, so many people are getting made redundant or let go at the moment because companies across the board are having to look at where costs can be cut. If I could get away with doing so little work for an ENTIRE month, I’d be expecting an awkward call at some point! Also if I was your manager and found out you had been ‘enjoying the summer’ when you were left in charge of the team - I’d absolutely be making cuts!

Given it seems to be well understood in your organisation that you basically have almost no work to do in August, what are they actually expecting you to do with your day? Stare at a blank screen waiting for an email to arrive.

It seems odd that they don’t either plan non-urgent tasks (admin, training etc) that can fill your time OR explicitly say you can work entirely flexibly/don’t need to fulfill certain hours.

It’s completely understood in my team and wider department that August is an extremely quiet period. There are genuinely days where there is no work coming in at all, and that’s been the case for years.

When there is work to do, I do it. I’m not planning to ignore my responsibilities, just to manage them around the kids for a few weeks during a lull, I’m not taking the piss. Work is not neglected.

I did it with kids that age, they came and went with friends etc but I have to say having their almost constant presence did drive me mad!!!

We have a contractual clause that if working from home you cannot have primary age children at home unless childcare is in place. If the clause is breeched you can no longer work from home. What are your contractual terms?

I don't get why you booked annual leave for September when they are at school. Why would you not book it during August if work is so quiet, to spend some proper time with them, take them out etc?
It sort of feels like you've done this deliberately so that you don't have to use your annual leave on caring for your kids but prefer to have time for yourself when they are at school

I have done this on a handful of days, but I wouldn't do it for the whole summer, no. My youngest is old enough to go to the park on his own, so I think that's a bit different from kids who need to be watched all the time.

It's not fair on the kids to be kept indoors whilst you work, and you shouldn't be going out with them if you're supposed to be "at your post", that would be taking the piss. If it's just a couple of days a week, then I guess it's ok, but you need to be careful that you're not breaking any work rules.

You're fine OP. MN can just be a bit weird when it comes to anyone who has a decent work-life balance, or the ability to work flexibly

Then why not tell work this is what you plan to do?

Let them decide if this is acceptable.

I don't have that clause in my contract.

Because she's lazy and work shy, saving up leave until work picks up again and she doesn't have to talk to her kids.

I can’t understand not wanting to take time off while your children are off, but if that’s what works for you 🤷🏽‍♀️.
My kids have come to work with me in the holidays/ inset days/ unwell with something not contagious, for a few years (they’re now 12 and 9). In fact, I have a fair few days over the summer where I will have at least one child (maybe 2) and our dog with me. My boss doesn’t know which days or if there’s any days, but she’s completely ok with it and loves having a chat with the kids and even giving them little jobs to do. In my previous job, if I took a child to work I would have had a disciplinary on the spot I reckon. All work places are different and if the rules are flexible enough to allow you to work as and when is needed, instead of a set time period, then I would go for it. It also depends on your children and how they would cope if you were suddenly busy for hours on end. I take lunchboxes to work so mine can eat as and when they need, but yours will be at home so you could make them something up, but it sounds like they’re old enough to get themselves a sandwich when needed.