Lone parent and no childcare.

[OrangeBlossom3]

I'm a lone parent who is able to work from home but part of my job involves making phone calls and recording these for around an hour at a time. All other computer work I could do or when my DD is in bed. However she is only 2.5 so I can't rely on her to safely be quiet while I'm on the phone. Also I'd need to keep her entertained and not in front of tv all day every day.

She usually goes to my DM (60) 2 days so Ive now stopped this, and nursery 3 days which closed last Friday.

I am not a key worker. I live in shared ownership and not clear on if I could get help with rent side? My employers have said if need to take unpaid leave if I cannot work.

I'm just very worried about what is the right thing to do. Would I be entitled to claim anything?

Thank you

Could you try staggering your days.

Keep your DD up late so that she sleeps late and get some calls in before she wakens?

Then nap in the afternoon before keeping her up again.

It means no downtime for you but might work.

Otherwise, talk to your employer. There must be someone there who understands what it's like to try and work with a toddler in the room.

Or get signed off with stress. Ring GP, explain.

No Universal Credit if you leave your job - or if you are sacked for that matter. It's not an option.

Are the phone calls very interactive or is it more like giving a lecture with questions? If the latter can you record your part in advance on an evening, then just deal with the questions while on the phone?

I've a nurse therapist and currently trying to work from hone with two children. Trying to complete therapy sessions over zoom etc whist kids keep coming through wanting things has been interesting to the day the least! But at the start of each session or meeting I just explain that there was a chance a child may appear, but that I had tried my best to settle them doing something else, people understand that these are exceptional circumstances honestly.

You can claim after resigning but you have to have a really good reason for quitting.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/leaving-a-job/resigning/deciding-whether-to-resign/

Any childminders near you taking non-key worker children?

It's so difficult. I have to make calls to patients and am a single mum to a nearly 3 year old. I'm fortunate in that I only work part time, so I've been spreading my hours over the week and trying to schedule things so I start early work for an hour while he plays on the sand or watched tv or does stickers, then give him my undivided attention for half an hour/ an hour to fill up his metaphorical cup, then back to work for an hour or so etc. For calls I'm mostly giving him the tablet to play on / watch tv, and apologising for any interruptions. It's not ideal by any means, but it's better than me not doing my job at all, as it stands there aren't enough staff so my patients wouldn't be getting support right now if it wasnt for me.

OMG im not even a lone parent but my husband is a keyworker and I can work from home, with a 1 yo and 3yo.... great. Whats happening in our household is Im failing at everything. I only have to do three days a week but its not happening. A lot of my collegues are having similar issues, I rang childrens services to find out what to do and there is actually no answer, they asked me to quit my job???? I had a nice line about my children being more important than my job.... that i moved to this area for .... that there are no other jobs like it....

Im trying to focus on the fact that im not having to pay for childcare and blaggin my job and hoping this doesnt last too long but i feel that im going to have to fail, call the doctor and get signed off sick with stress.

From what I can gather you can't request to be furloughed, at least that's what the response has been so far. People that have are not even sure they will have a job to come back to after it all depending on how it affects the business.
The calls are interactive, it's not a option to record in advance but I appreciate the thought.
She no longer naps. I've been trying with that but she won't.
She won't cope with me being on the phone as she doesn't understand. She wants to touch the laptop and the phones and goes on and on until I give her my full attention.
I have a meeting with my manager tomorrow remotely so I will have to explain and see what she says. I can't afford to take any less money and I'm not sure about childminders. I can't think straight about any of it.

Hi OP, it is such a difficult situation isn't it. I am very empathetic. I know it feels distressing, you need to work to pay the mortgage but you can't work as your little one just doesn't understand the importance.

What is your job exactly? Would it work to share a PowerPoint instead or have a live type chat via Microsoft teams or similar?

I am in a similar boat at the minute, lone parent and working from home. I am a teacher but with a pastoral responsibility so still having to make some calls although using the chat on Microsoft teams a lot too.

What's working for me if a call is unavoidable is explaining at the start that I am working at home and also caring for my child so they may interrupt but I am doing my best to settle them. I then set my child up with a treat, tv and stickers or colouring in or something and a snack. When very desperate I set him up with bowls of water and bubbles to bathe his dinosaurs and deal with the mess after.

I take the call but they only tend to last twenty min or so. If I am calling a colleague as opposed to a student and my son is interrupting I let him to settle his curiosity and that seems to help.

I know it's tricky but may be best to try and find a solution and keep your job and security. This is a scary time for all of us, work must know how hard it is to juggle childcare!

Or last thought . . . Perhaps their key worker from nursery would be willing to do an hour walk in buggy each day getting in their daily exercise? You could sanitize buggy handles before and after etc?

@jinx I really appreciate your post. Sometimes it's hard to think outside the box when in this frame of mind.
Very similar but teacher of adult apprentices.
Maybe if the weather warms up I could get her out in the garden a lot more and keep her occupied that way for my phone calls at least. I will try and think more creatively tomorrow as ultimately I have to continue I do not have a choice.

I have been thinking further and wondered if you could redesign your calls a bit so it’s a mix of interactive and the apprentice completing set exercises during which you can mute and interact briefly with DC. I also have relaxed usual limits on screen time at the moment. Is there something they find particularly addictive-peppa pig? that you could save for call time. I warned my client of potential interruption this week and actually it was them not me that was interrupted. Millions of us are in the same boat. Don’t panic xx

@HappyHedgehog247 thank you for your comment. Yes I think you've got some good ideas there. She is a peppa pig addict and then some 🙈 I actually managed to get her to nap today! It wasn't over a call time but it gave me an hour to get through work in peace and got some good amount done. Today has been much better than yesterday even though I'm still knackered.

Is it just an hour a day OP that you need her occupied for?
The rest of the work you can do when she's asleep? Is that correct?
I just want to make sure

Glad today went better! Just think one more day and at least it will be the weekend.

I’m a lecturer, and today was joined by various children, pets, and one mum while doing student meetings. My own cat appeared for one of them. I think everyone gets that this is NOT normal - if a student turned up to one of my actual classes in pyjamas I would be horrified, now it just seems the norm! We are all muddling through and doing our best.

As an aside, both my neighbours are lone parents. My DP and I are both PVG checked through work, and we are happy to mind children if neighbours need to nip out, or even a bit of s break. Those children are older (6/7/8) so we could sit in another room or at the front door if we had to. Neighbours may well be willing to help. Similarly, one of my students is on her own with a baby, and I have offered to bring her shopping if she gets stuck.

It’s so challenging isn’t it.

Can you take a mortgage payment holiday, a council tax break or personal loan break if you have one? Do you have any savings you could rely on for unpaid leave? Can you borrow some money from your parents?

Sorry if someone has mentioned this but can you do instant messaging instead of video conferencing? I appreciate it would be difficult to type if she is pestering you but may be less worry about her interrupting on camera/ the phone.

You’re doing a great job and just remember lots of people are in the same situation so I’m sure your students will understand.