Just created a Blog on this but I thought I might post it here too just in case I get more response!
As I sit in my home (child 3 is at nursery) - other two are at primary school getting ready for a talent show! I have been pondering this strange world we live in where the work place does not fit in with family life. I don?t really understand why it has to be this way - why does work automatically mean wringing every ounce of energy out of someone or a constantly be asked to push yourself that little bit further. Why can?t we create work places that fit in with school runs and holidays ? they might have to be different sorts of places from your average. A workplace should be a place to learn and engage with others - making money might not be the key issue!
What would happen if lets say a gang of parents were to get together, find a space with two rooms, set up a workplace in one room and a playroom in the other. People would do work/child care in shifts. If it were run as a cooperative then people could sign on for a couple of days a week. The pay would probably be low but it would give a focus - somewhere to go that belonged to them.
If one did set up such a group what sort of work could they do?
Would a call centre work?
How would you get clients to take you seriously? Dependent on the group of parents they might well be able to sell themselves as an above average group of employees - more liable to take clients seriously etc.
How would you cope with holidays?
Well I?m just pondering - never hurts to imagine what a utopia would be like!