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Original poster

Work at home mums - do you have childcare?

20 replies

footprint · 29/10/2005 11:10

Any other work at home mums out there? I want to work from home, but it is simply not working trying to work only when dh is home to look after dd (18 months). I wondered if anyone manages this or if paying for childcare is necessary.

Just interested in other people's experience

OP posts:

Gobbledispook · 29/10/2005 11:14

I work from home and have done since ds1 was 5 months old.

When I only had him I used no childcare - he started a morning nursery 3 days a week when he was two, but by then I had another baby anyway so I still had a baby around all of the day.

Ds2 started morning nursery when he was 2 so I had 2 in morning nursery 3-4 days a week, BUT by then I had ANOTHER baby! So still have a baby around all day.

Now have ds1 in reception, ds2 in nursery 3 mornings and ds3 at home all day (they are 4.5, 3 and 14 months).

I work when the older two are out and ds3 is asleep, evenings and weekends.

It's a killer!

Nightynight · 29/10/2005 11:21

Ive worked from home, but dx was looking after the children. I should think it would be fairly hard with an 18 month old and no childcare. On the other hand, all you would need would be a babysitter. Do you know any unemployed 16 year olds??

katymac · 29/10/2005 22:01

I'm a childminder and I'm seriously considering sending DD (7) to a holiday playscheme.

She drives me mad - interferring, arguing, being contrary......

I don't think I can do another holiday like this

winnie · 29/10/2005 22:40

I think it is practically impossible without childcare. I work from home and before ds started school he was in nursery.

bobbybob · 29/10/2005 23:16

I worked from home once ds was a year and we moved into a bigger house. However nothing took off for me until I found him some childcare when he was 20 months. Now I am really busy and work 15 hours with 14 hours childcare. I had to get a cleaner too.

Think of the other benefits - no commute, no need to buy as many work clothes (or maybe none at all), can hang washing on line if it's a lovely day, make your own lunch rather than buy one...

triceratops · 30/10/2005 03:26

I work from home and have just got a nanny this week now that I have 2 kids it works out cheaper than nursery. It is incredible - I have got at least twice the work done.

ThePrisoner · 30/10/2005 23:21

I childmind for some parents who work from home. It was not practical for them to offer lots of "quality care" and run the business at the same time, as something would have had to give. I guess it would depend on what sort of work you intend to do though - do you need to be on the phone, can pick up and put down work if your dd needs you, would you be working a full day/part-time?

HellsTreef · 30/10/2005 23:39

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Scaryskribble · 30/10/2005 23:43

I know what you mean Hellstree, I don't have the childcare problem as my 2 are at school, but family still see my business as a wee hobby. Lots of promises of help but none ever come through as everything else is more important . Maybe once I am a dotcom millonare they will take notice of me .

jabberwitchy · 30/10/2005 23:43

Dh works from home so on the days I am at work we have a nanny in for half a day, otherwise I don't see how he would get anything done.

Wordsmith · 30/10/2005 23:53

Suppose it depends what you do and how old the children are. I can't have my kids around me when I'm working. Lets face it - if you worked OTH, would you take your kids with you?

I have had 2 or 3 days childcare since DS1 was born and now the same for DS2 (Day nursery). And now DS1 is at school I stop working at 3pm and (invariably) start again at about 9pm.

riab · 31/10/2005 11:40

You need childcare - unless you're working in the evenings when they are asleep!

Lookoing after kids is a f/t job - you can't give either your (paid) job or the kids what they need if you are trying to type with a baby under one arm.

However it doens't mean you have to pay for 8-5 childcare, be creative in how you use the time, for example if your child has regular naps you can plan to do some work during the sleeps then get maybe a half day of childcare.

motherinferior · 31/10/2005 12:03

It depends on how much you need to do. If you can get by with 'a bit of work in the evenings' - and you don't mind having no other life - then maybe you can manage. If you need to earn half, or more than half, of your domestic income, then you will need childcare and guaranteed hours when you are available for work. I work four days a week. Until very recently my earnings sustained the Inferiority Complex. And pay for childcare too.

HellsTreef · 31/10/2005 14:56

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Original poster

footprint · 31/10/2005 15:13

Thanks for all your replies. The problem is that we can't afford childcare until I earn some money, and can't earn money without childcare....I just can't get anything done. For example, dh just took dd out for a walk so I could work, which was GREAT, but came home 40 mins later and handed her to me complete with shoes, coat etc still on and felt that he had done his duty for the day.

Dd is terrible to get to sleep in the evenings, so that time of day is hopeless for working.

The idea of an "unemployed 16 year old" is a good one though. I will have to look into that further

OP posts:

Gobbledispook · 31/10/2005 15:15

Was just about to say - you can't do it without supportive dp I don't think.

Also depends if your work has peaks and troughs. I do get the odd week/weekend dotted around where I have no work because a project has ended and anothr not started. I couldn't do this if it was full on every single week.

HellsTreef · 31/10/2005 15:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

wysiwyg · 22/11/2005 21:25

IMO it's the most stressful think=g in the world to try and do work - while looking after children. I took on some work during mat leave fitting it in during naps, in the middle of the night usually - and it was awful.

Sugarmag · 13/12/2005 12:05

Childcare definitely.

I work at home and send DS (2.5) to a childminder for the hours that I'm working (4 hrs/day). DD is in nursery, including a few wraparound hours for that same time. I occassionally work with the kids here if one or both of them is sick and it's difficult. I can usually get maybe a solid hour, or hour and a half but that's pretty much it.

I see a few people have recommended babysitters, but from my own experience babysitters charge more than childminders! Crazy I know but when we go out on a Sat night we pay the babysitter £5/hr whereas my childminder charges only £3/hr. So look into all your options before making a decision.

I don't LOVE my job but workign from home definitely has loads of advantages - so much flexibility. I can be hear when they are sick. I don't have to commute. I don't have to take a day off to arrange a plumber/painter/furniture delivery/whatever. While the kids are still young it definitely works for me but couldn't imagine doing it if they were home all day.

Caligyulea · 13/12/2005 12:10

Definitely have to have paid childcare.

Looking after children is one job, doing a paid job is another. IME you can't do them together.

Your DH has to understand that if you're working, he has to treat you as if you're in an office - he wouldn't take his DD off to your office to take her gloves off if it were outside your home, would he?

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