Has anyone worked from home with a 1 year old?

[sunshinecitrus1]

Truthfully, how is it?

I think it depends on your job and also your partner's. DH and I had to work throughout the entire pandemic, and our childcare was closed for a lot of it. Luckily the majority of our work can be done at any time, so we ended up working evenings until 2am and all weekends to catch up. It was a nightmare but that was with a very busy job, 2 children (1 and 4) and no childcare at all. If you're only trying to cover one day a week and you are prepared to (and you're job allows for it) work some evenings and on the weekend to catch up what you can't do during that day, I think it's absolutely doable.

It’s really not fair on the child, at that age they need attention and shouldn’t be left to play with their toys or in front of a screen all day long. My DD was nearly 3 at the start of lockdown and I was swapping childcare and work shifts with DH, but it was tough on all of us - even with understanding employers as it was an unprecedented situation.

Yes due to the pandemic...it was awful. I wasn't very productive- and I did have childcare in the form of dad- it might have worked if he hadn't known I was there but there wasn't much space for that.

Not safe to do.

I did 10h a week WFH for a few months but my employer was very flexible. It was work that I could do without input or liaison with others. I could do it during nap times (2h a day) but if that didn’t work out I could do it in the evening or weekend. This was a job I had been doing full time (and has done a bit of home working due to pg complications) but my maternity cover left unexpectedly so my boss was a bit desperate to have someone keeping things ticking over. I then when back 3 days a week (combing WFh and office based), but my DC went to nursery.

Only during Covid and had to split care with DH in shifts to get anything done during the day. We also woke up early and worked later to ensure all work was getting done (both in professional roles).

I think this depends on your baby and so is really subjective. At the beginning of lockdown I was on mat leave & ended it early so I could support my then boss with various pieces of documentary work from home. DS just played by my feet (he loved to crawl) from 6 months and then when I returned to work he went to nursery on the days I wasn’t wfh. We have the same schedule & it works for us because as long as DS can see me and touch me (even if to put his face on my lap) he’s happy. I planned my wfh days around his nappy changes / meals / naps. Now I own the workplace I allow all my employees to do the same if possible - some can and some can’t so it’s important to be flexible. I have several girls with high needs babies whose wfh days can only start after their DPs come from work or after babies go down for a nap - so deadlines need to be planned accordingly.

IMO if people continue to see wfh as a get-out from paying childcare they run the risk that employers will be far less likely to employ women of childbearing age any more, or they will remove the provision for working from home.

I had to ask to be furloughed during first lockdown with an 18 month old. (also had a 3 year old so that didn't help!) But I'd say impossible.

From experience, if you’re a bloke doing it as part of new remote working you’ll be fine and when your son interrupts video calls it’s laughed off… when you’re a mum with two primary aged kids that are just in the background when it was lockdown - not OK!

@TheGirlInTheGreenDress

From experience, if you’re a bloke doing it as part of new remote working you’ll be fine and when your son interrupts video calls it’s laughed off… when you’re a mum with two primary aged kids that are just in the background when it was lockdown - not OK!

I totally disagree with this and not my experience at all but I guess it depends on role, sector and ultimately seniority. I work in a very male dominated field.

During lockdown we all did what we had to, working at home with a baby / toddler without childcare isn't sustainable for men or women.

Parents abusing WFH to avoid the use of childcare is going to have such a negative impact on women in workplace. Get childcare. For EVERY day you're working.

Impossible unless you can organise your work load so that you only have to work when the one year old is sleeping or being looked after by someone else. It's impossible to do both at the same time and the one-year old would probably benefit more from being in nursery in this situation rather than having to share your attention at home (if that's a possibility).

@M4857493

Parents abusing WFH to avoid the use of childcare is going to have such a negative impact on women in workplace. Get childcare. For EVERY day you're working.

Absolutely this, with bells on!

I have a 14 month old and he needs so much attention, can’t play alone for more than 2 mins, very clingy etc (but lovely!). I can barely load the dishwasher regularly, no way could I do any meaningful work,

I can't do it as can't concentrate at all. But my partner does it fairly well and makes it up after dinner. He works for himself so is entirely flexible. It's worked well while money has been tight bit we're putting in place a more permanent solution now.

Neglectful of the one year old! No one should even attempt it.

Very white male dominated company in a very white male dominated sector. In this instance, he is more senior. This is a company where at least one Director admitted he was more than happy to be the person coming in to the office (we needed at least one person in) so he didn’t have to do the homeschooling so it’s not a massive surprise.

^ Comment above is in response to @itwasntaparty

I have with no choice (first lockdown) and it mostly involved
-getting up late/going to bed early

• working in any naps (which started nap refusal!)

-house being on a shocking state

• me being miserable
• my child getting just enough attention to be safe but no more.

I would never, ever choose it!

Firstly I've never had anything mentioned about not looking after your child during working hours in any contract for any job I've ever had😂

Not sure why that is funny.
There are an abundance of things not explicitly written in my contract, because it is just obvious.
No, it doesn't say "You have to have childcare in place for your working hours" because it is obvious, and doesn't need to be stated.
Mine doesn't state "You need to be clothed whilst on zoom / Team / any other meeting" because it is just damned obvious to any sane person. Mine doesn't state "You mustn't tell the clients / customers / service users to F* Off" either, because, once again, it is just implied, that normal sane people don't do that whilst they are working.

@Kite22 i'm talking about the people that come onto MN saying, 'you can lose your job as it's in your contract that it's not allowed.' I'm clearly talking about the people who say it's WRITTEN in your contract

I worked around my son but only when he slept which I got him into a good routine for. It was very intense sprints but I like working this way.

You couldn't do a normal working day at all

I'd sack you. For the sake of the child.

You underestimate what your child deserves and what your employer should expect to even ask this.

Yes. DH looks after her and I work in a separate room. That's fine (very nice in fact as we all get to have lunch together etc) but there's no way I could do it while actually looking after her.