Entertaining a 13 month old whilst working from home

[Mummysparrow]

My childminder is on holiday for 2 and a half weeks in August and despite my best attempts I have only managed to arrange childcare for 5 of those days with another childminder. All childminders local to me are either fully booked or have holiday in August as well (or both). Not family close by to help and I was hoping to get my 18 year sister to help for a few days (as she loves babysitting her nieces and nephews) but she has recently got a boyfriend so no longer interested in helping.
I work from home a few days a week and few days in office. Hubby is going to work from home when he can (mainly when I am in office) so we have no choice to have her at home whilst we work.
Any suggestions on how to keep a 13 month old occupied without just shoving her in front of the TV every single day (as she will inevitably get bored)? Sensory activities welcomed. I just need to put a plan in place so I can rotate activities that will keep her occupied for more than 5 minutes at a time.
I am really not looking forward to it but really don't have much choice. I can't really take unpaid leave as it will mean I won't have enough money to pay the next month's childcare.

Are you paying your childminder whilst she is off?? If not then use that money for a nanny!

Ridiculous thinking you can work full time from home with a baby that age!

How have you used all of your annual leave between you and your husband?!

Your sister does not owe you babysitting duties (how much notice did you give her before assuming she would anyway?).

People are not being judgemental op but giving solutions and sharing experiences. A day or two would be fine.

Is it a full 8 days you need? Or is childminder away 2 full weeks meaning you just need 5 days covered if you have managed to get DC in with another childminder? Because in rear case id say take two days leave each from Christmas she cobble together one day working from home with DC.

What's your job OP?
My response depends on this.

have offered my sister a good amount of money but it is enough to entice her away from her boyfriend for a few days.

How much are you offering her, out of interest? Can’t she bring her boyfriend to yours?

I think you and DH need to both take some AL days to do this-working and looking after a 13 month is going to be a nightmare. Does DH have days booked off over Xmas? Can he have the kids and you work?

This is what my dd did during pandemic.

Got up at 5 and at desk at 5.30 worked until 8. During this time her DH had baby.

She took over with baby from 8 so DH could go out to work. She got baby down for nap at 10.30. she worked for 1 hour 15 mins whilst baby asleep. She cared for baby taking him out in fresh air to see sheep in field and looking for birds, cats etc. Gave baby lunch. Baby had afternoon nap at 3. She worked for another 1 hour 15 mins.

DH got home at 6 and took over with baby. Dd worked for another 2 1/2 hours. She said she was shattered most of time as baby waking in night.

Could you do this just for a few days? Bribe sister with high payment to help you.

All depends on the job. I would imagine HE is quiet in the summer. Not the same elsewhere. My customers, who pay a lot of money do not want to hear a child in the background.

Some kids need more supervision than others, some aren't able to work from home, some get stressed very easily.

Op is talking about a 13month old baby. All children of that age need constant supervision. Unless Op and DH can flex their working hours so they aren't working and childminding at the same time, ie working while LO is sleeping or tag teaming, working while supervising a baby isn't going to happen.

Of course it still depends on the baby.

In an emergency I could easily get a few hours of work done while sat with my laptop on the sofa and my 12 month old playing with her toys around me. Then do the rest while she naps and possible catch up on an extra hour or two after bedtime.

Bribe sister with high payment to help you

This. Most 18 year olds can be persuaded if you Chuck money at them, which is why I asked how much OP had offered. Mine prob wouldn’t do 8-6pm childcare for a baby/toddler for £20, but no doubt would for £80! How many hours would it be?

In future your AL is for this but in your current situation I would contact local nurseries to see if there are any staff who want to do it and failing that talk to sister again and see if she or a friend of hers can do it.You will be there so the normal safety and security requirements are moot.

The only solution (if you can) is to split your workday. When DD was that age and poorly, DH would work in the morning, I would put her down for a nap and work the afternoon and then we would catch up in the evening.

At 13 months, theres no way they will entertain themselves for even ten minutes. You will get stressed out.

Would a private nursery be better for you long term rather than a childminder? At least then the only reasons DC will be off would be for sickness, and not the whims of a childminder.

Preface, I've read about half of the comments - So take holiday leave now; and unpaid leave at Christmas. And save up between now and then for that unpaid portion to cover your bills.

Re the not being happy with a teenager thing... it's not like you are leaving the child in the sole care of a teen, you will be in the house in case of any problem and can check in frequently if you're worried. Also just don't get a random teen, ask for recommendations for one who has experience with young children and can offer references. For example my 16 year old daughter is starting a course in childcare in September and has references from several families she already works with.

“Activities where I don’t need to get involved”. OP your child is 13 months. These activities don’t exist. She needs full time supervision.

Really what you seem to be saying is you can’t afford unpaid leave so you want to be paid in full even though there is literally no way you are going to be able to do your job properly with your 13 month old there. That’s not even a toddler, she’s a baby. There is really nothing they can do without constant supervision.

honestly, I think you and dh just have to use some of the holiday you were saving for Christmas to cover it if you can’t do it as unpaid leave. You say your colleagues are glad you are going to be working because it’s busy but I suspect they have not really thought about how little you are likely to be able to do.

Surely you need to take leave, it's not possible to work and care for such a young child. Why not see if there's any teens in the area interested in helping you, they won't be sole charge as you are in the house

I work from home with my 13 month old. It CAN be done. You may have to be a little more flexible around work. It it CAN be done. Ignore people saying it can't.

It SHOULDN'T be done though!

@Youcancallmeirrelevant well alot of us don't have a choice. I've been doing it since he was 7 months old and can only afford 2 days child care because family let me down. Said they'd help then decided they wanted nothing to do with my son. It's their choice.

My work dosnt suffer, my colleagues are very happy with my work and my son is very happy. My nursery nurse who is supporting with this un avoidable choice is VERY happy with his development.

I'd be happy for you to PAY the extra £500 for my child care if you say it shouldn't be done.

What job do you do?

Oh please, every parent/family has to make decisions on childcare if they want to continue working. Expecting to be paid for working a days hours or however many hours it is while your attention is split is insulting to your work and your colleagues. Maybe you are lucky and they really don't care, doesn't mean other parents should be doing it. I'd love to save money on childcare, pretty sure every family would, but you don't risk your childs safety to do it.

The first COVID lockdown showed how dangerous it was for parents to be trying to work and do childcare at the same time. As i said it is different for older children, but babies and toddlers need 24/7 supervision, and you can't give 100% to either.

@Youcancallmeirrelevant well you want me to say my child's in danger and I won't.
We can agree to disagree on this as you Dont know my situation, how I raise my child etc

@TheOrigRights I organise quote and bookings for a training company. Most of its email based. I arrange calls during his nap and I work overtime if I have to. My husband also helps out as well.

I took DD to work with me at that age but she was a placid and static baby. A playpen and toys did the trick.

So you do have some childcare, in the form of your husband.

Hi OP @Mummysparrow , just want to give another side of the coin, as a lot of the replies on here are rather judgemental - MN can be that way at times.

I personally WFH with my 5 month old and it is more than doable. I very rarely need to take calls, so can normally cram all my work into nap times / evenings when my DH is home if necessary (my employer is more than happy with my situation as I am always ahead with my work schedule). As long as you are organised with your time, it is definitely doable.

I am not sure if you mentioned what your job entails but if it doesn't require calls etc, and your employer is aware of the situation in those couple of weeks, are they happy for you to work flexibility around your child, in order for you to remain working during that time? Working during nap times or after their bedtime etc?