WFH and childcare

[Pandersmum]

Is there any WFH job that can be done effectively whilst simultaneously being solely responsible for an under 5?

Are there any jobs where WFH when looking after 5-11 year olds in school holidays can also be done effectively?

Childminder?

Childminding. Otherwise, no. It’s not fair on your employer, your child, your own mental health and the millions of us who pay for childcare to work.

As others said, childminder. But that’s obviously not what you are asking. We have some people in my organisation that have tried to do this and effectively ruined it for all now. You can’t do both of them at the same time well.

An administration role that rarely has meetings if the DC is decently self sufficient from the age of 8 and thee is another parent so they get some days out and they have friends to swap play dates with.

Beyond that I can’t think of anything.

I can’t think of any jobs that you would be able to do this. Mines flexible to an extent and can catch up in the evenings but still need to be available for teams meetings and give full concentration with camera on, I couldn’t do that with my young DCs at home.

Is also say it’s not really fair on your child or safe if you’re trying to concentrate on work and look after them.

Absolutely no for an under five year old. Unless something where you can work part time at night while they’re asleep. For an over five year old only in childcare I think it depends on the child- my eight year old will probably be home with us for mid term while we work from home, but because there will be both of us there most of the time we can take turns to be on snack duty etc and get her set up with activities etc. Her five year old sister will be in childcare the whole week. They’re both capable of entertaining themselves for an hour at a time but only when you’re trying to do a days work with calls etc do you realise how much that does not equate to a full day.

for a child coming home after school and entertaining themselves while you work there full time I’d guess…. Maybe ten? But very child dependent

Being self employed?
Then you can clock on clock off as you need.and it's your own business that takes the hit?

Pay for childcare like everyone else

rhis is why so many employers are requiring people to be back in the office. It’s also terrible for the kids.

As a one-off, I can just about manage it with my 7 year old but it’s not a great day for either of us. Absolutely no way that I could do it for longer than that.

Agree that it’s people who do this who have forced employers to demand the rest of us go back to the office.

Thanks I was not clear.

I mean jobs that alternatively would be office based and where you are employed. Not child minders or self employed.

Then no, OP. There aren’t.

I think you were clear OP. People are just telling you that no, these jobs do not exist.

There are no office jobs that you can do whilst caring for a young child. You may be able to find one that's very flexible and allows you to work early mornings/evenings, during naptime etc so you can work around a child.

I have 2 colleagues who are currently WFH and are doing so without proper childcare for U5’s saying they cannot afford it. On being offered reduced hours contracts they have refused saying they cannot afford to do that.
The standard of their work has slipped and when ‘being managed’ by managers and asked to come into the office to work instead they have now gone sick (conveniently timed to cover half term as well).

As others have said, this is reducing flexibility for other team members and making ‘management’ bring everyone back into the office so that they cannot be accused of targeting parents!

As an occasional day, yes I could easily manage that. Not full time every day though.

No @Pandersmum unless a child can be left unsupervised you can’t be working 100% effectively. Different if someone else is there to look after them, or if they go to school/local childminder and you only need to be not working at specific times, which you extend your working day to cover. I WFH and take breaks to empty the washing machine or have a cuppa. But I make sure my actual working time is at least my contracted hours.

That is why most WFH policies now spell it out -ours does - specifically mentions making childcare arrangements.