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.

@TheOrigRights no he works to. We both work from home with my Son.

Also taking care if your own child is not childcare

Yes, I understand that looking after your own child is not childcare, I was thinking in the context of your child being taken care of while you work.
In essence, if you need childcare when you are working, the person doing that is providing childcare, and in the circumstance you describe, that is your husband.

My point is that you are not always looking after your child while you work.

Don't mind me, I'm just envious I guess. I'm struggling to juggle my work as a lone parent to a 13 YEAR old, never mind a 13 month old!

@TheOrigRights I see where your coming from. There have been times where I've been completely alone. And that's the same for my husband. That's usually when we have to do a little overtime.

Messy play has always been a plus (mixing water and flour ect) along with some nursery rhymes TV, he also has interactive toys. Though neither would work for a 13 year old I don't think.

He's never on his own when I'm working. And I can work through lunch. It really is a matter of juggling work. I'd not beable to do this if I had a completely phone based job where I was answering calls.

What other word would you describe looking after a child, whether it's your child or someone else's?

@Dinoteeth parenting if it's your own?

It isn't possible, as many people have said. You're duping your employer and could be on thin ice if they find out you're claiming to work when you are caring for your child. This is what annual leave is for when you have children unfortunately.

Nope Parenting is 24/7 SAHM or Employed mum / Parenting never stops.

Even if you have someone else caring for them, school, nursery, childminder if they phone with an issue you are still the parent who needs to step up.

In the majority of cases I would agree with you, but the OP has said her manager is fully aware and supportive, as are her colleagues, and she has been successfully doing this since her baby was 7 months old.

Actually, I'm not really sure what she's asking since everything already seems fine! A very supportive boss, colleagues who would rather she do something than nothing and a baby who seems to be very amenable.

I feel quite inadequate!

I worked 16 hours around my son at this age. The work could be done at any point in the day. It was only,possible because my son had a rock solid nap routine and he was so placid as a baby. And I did the kind of job which allowed this.

No way could i have done full time.

Actually it's a different poster who has been working from home since 7 months old, not the OP

I wouldn’t wish working with a 13 month old upon my worst enemy. I had to work from home for 2 weeks before I went on mat leave in April 2022 with a 27 month old.

If the only option is to wfh (and you have a really understanding boss) is to -

a) Start work at 5am to get at least 3 hours work in before Your DP will need to get DC dressed and give breakfast so you can work. Then when DP leaves for work you take over.
b) Hopefully your DC is a very good napper. Mine would have at least a 2 hour nap in the afternoon
c) As soon as your DP gets home they will need to start looking after DC so that you can work uninterrupted.

I worked from home from when my daughter was 7 months, admittedly 24 hours a week. I was going to get a nanny but my work told me not to bother. She used to come with me if I had meetings or inspections out of the house in the sling. Now she has her own little desk with craft supplies set up in the office if I have to go in, otherwise they know I work when she naps or in the evening. In the day time she’s always been quite content drawing or playing with Lego whilst I worked next to her on my laptop.

Just saw that you DP works from home sometimes. Friends who did this in lockdown one worked a 6am-2pm shift and then took over childcare whilst their DP did childcare from 6am to 2pm and then they worked from 2pm to 10pm.

You are all a very judgemental bunch. I am Just a desperate mum looking for solutions.

A 13 month old baby needs adult supervision. I don't think people are being 'judgmental' to point out that you physically can't work and safely supervise a 13 month old at the same time.

There are other ways, they are just not as easy/ cheap.

I would imagine you would have to have the most placid 1 year old ever to be able to WFH.

Many of us had to WFH with children in lockdown one. I only had to for two weeks but it was only possible as I got up at 5am to start work, then tried to pretend I was working in the morning, then my DD would have at least a 2 (sometimes three) hour nap in the afternoon, then I would log on at 8pm and try to finish off. I just about scraped by then I was on mat leave. My other friends with 2 year olds were almost driven to a breakdown whilst trying to work whilst nurseries were closed!

If you are completely stuck then you are stuck, but it’s not going to be easy.

WFH with a 5 or 7 month old is very different to doing so with a 13 month old, and regardless of whether you can, you shouldn't be. It's disrespectful to your work and colleagues and you leave yourself wide open to dismissal for poor conduct. You wouldn't have a leg to stand on.

As many have said you will either have to work through the night and childcare in the day, or take leave. I don't really understand why you can't take leave now and your partner or husband can take leave at Christmas.

Those posters who say it can be done. I don’t believe you are working FT for 7.5hrs a day with a 5 or 13 month child at home. I just don’t believe you are pulling your weight. I know you are saying you are but no. Prior to Covid we all had to pay for childcare or not work. What makes you think you can wfh with a baby. Incredible.

I worked full time home with babies, toddlers, ten years before covid. And yes I pulled my weight. I’m the self employed sole earner for the household. If I don’t work or pull my weight there is no money, full stop.

saying people always had to get childcare or work is false, working with and around your children is very normal in my friendship circle in all kinds of jobs, especially for women. I worked from home and I took them to work. I still do. I was working at home today with the children here and I will be doing the same tomorrow. They are bigger than 13 months old now but nothing much has changed work wise.

What do you do that means you can take your children to work?
I sit at a computer doing hard brain work all day. Even the interruptions of a pretty independent 13 year old (can you drop me in town, we've run out of milk can I have money to go to the shop, there's someone at the door who wants to speak to you). There is no way I could do it with a baby in my home office.