Wfh with 13 month old?

[Cluelessmillennial]

Hi everyone, I need your advice.

I got offered a job in recruitment. It's home based Monday to Friday 9-5. By the time they want me to start my son will be 13 months. He's 11 months now. We have a lovely nursery down the road from our home and he would only need to do 3 ft days and dh can have him for 2 days. Am I crazy to think I can wfh with the baby? He's very attached to me and hasn't been around many people. We have our routine with naps etc and I'm worried he will be scared and lonely at the nursery. Also we still rock to sleep and have to make sure all the little burps are out. He still naps twice a day. I thought of a childminder to come at our home but dh insists on nursery since our son hasn't hit all his milestones yet and everyone tells us he needs to go to nursery to catch up to the other kids. We don't have any family near and all our friends work.

Do you think it can be done? He's a very energetic little boy but a total sweetheart just wants to be next to me. Can anyone working from home and/or in recruitment advice me please? Tia xx

@Cluelessmillenial Nope! Desperation called for desperate measures! I had no other choice but it all worked out okay in the end. You think you're drowning at the time but hindsight proves that you've done okay! I have one DS in med school and one DS in engineering, both early 20s, living in their own homes with long term partners. You'll be slated but ignore that, it can be done. Absolutely can be done.

DS2 is 13 months, he is so needy, there is no way in hell I could focus on my work at home with him around.

He too is a lockdown baby (June 2020) when he started nursery he'd never met another baby, he has never been to soft play - he has built a fabulous attachment to his nursery staff, they are our village and are playing a huge part in helping us to raise him.

@OldTinHat there will be a clause in OP’s contract saying you can’t WFH without childcare. Yes many people had to do it in during lockdown but that was under extreme measures, it would not be allowed in normal times, unless you have a very flexible work arrangement.

I did it because I had to last year when covid shut the nurseries and it was hell. Unless you can split your day so you work very early morning before they wake, nap time and after they have gone to sleep. It is impossible to do. You can't concentrate on work as at that stage they are moving and into everything so you are constantly watching them and stopping them from doing things. They have a concentration span of less than 10 minutes so your constantly swamping actives. Once you have done one meal, cleaned up, changed the bum and sorted an activity you kind of have to start again. You don't have time to sort to your needs as well as do your job. Babies don't often do what we want when we need them to do it. Take napping some days they may go off easier and other days it can take over an hour.

You will find that you can't be a good mum and a decent employee in this situation and will feel like your failing at both. Your child will be much happier at nursery when they have the full attention of other people and socialising. You may find that when you do go back and they start nursery they will be off sick a bit when they are building up their immune system. You need the flexibility and patience of your employer in these situations not every day.

100% no. Your employer's will be less than impressed. Your child will be treated like a nuisance (you can't avoid it no matter what your intentions are) and your stress levels will be through the roof.

I don't think it's right to WFH with a child of this age
Different during lockdown but not a long term strategy
We would not permit staff to do this other than in an emergency