Work & childcare

[ElevenTwelve13]

Recently my manager has started asking me about my childcare arrangements. I've been in the job for nearly 5 years and this is the first time this has come up. I've never taken the mickey and always work my hours. Theres never been a time when I've been called upon and unavailable due to childcare. I've made early and late starts on time and before colleagues without school aged kids so its not like theres a history there. My works unaffected which my manager has reiterated. My OH is not willing to pay for any childcare and has told me he finds it too stressful trying to get done on time to pick up every day. Am so exhausted from trying to do it all and the anxiety of the situation that I fall asleep as soon as kids in bed which doesn't help with OH. I feel I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. Work not happy with me or OH. Anyone else had a smiliar experience? Any advice? TIA

Did your manager indicate why they are asking you about childcare if they are not unhappy with your performance? I don't see that there is a problem unless they said that there is!

Your OH sounds awful.

What ages are your DC? If they're young yes it's reasonable for your employer to expect you to have childcare in place.

Your OH needs to suck it up and pull his weight.

Agree your OH is awful.

It’s probably a company wide thing- they are looking to ensure that everyone has appropriate childcare.

The majority of people are sensible- myself included- but then there’s a few who take the piss and ruin it for everyone else.

Recently my manager has started asking me about my childcare arrangements

Why? What has your manager asked? I don’t really understand the relevance

Why were they asking though?

Do you mean you're working from home while also looking after small children?

This is strictly not allowed in my industry.

Do you have your children home in your care while you are working? Or are they home but with your husband?

My OH is not willing to pay for any childcare

Where are your children when you are working?

So he won’t pick them up from school?

Same. All employees with children under 11 are asked to show proof of childcare arrangements, or a statement that they are being cared for by a grandparent, relative or friend. Too many pisstakers sadly meant that this was necessary. Any non compliers were called back to the office FT.

So what are your childcare arrangements? Are you doing school pick up every day and working with the kids at home?

What are your childcare arrangements? Most companies don’t allow working and looking after children at the same time so presumably you have them in nursery or childminder? What’s the problem?

Under 11 is a bit steep.

It's frowned upon if they're under 7/8 where I work

Seems it doesn't it? Think it was because people were doing pick ups/taking to clubs etc in work hours and some primary schools do not allow children to leave alone until year 6.

That’s what happens when some people take the piss though, they ruin it for everyone else and companies have to bring in stricter rules.

Depends on the job I guess - they're essentially saying you can only have children at home if they're old enough to be home alone. Which is fair enough really.

Are you trying to WFH and provide childcare? The kids are 50% your husbands responsibility he needs to very quickly rethink his approach.

afraid this is it in a nutshell.

One colleague was spotted going into a toddler group in work hours by another colleague on AL, laptop left connected for the duration. Not on.

More context is needed here. Personally I would not deem it suitable to be working a full day and looking after a child. It's fine to do once in a while if child is sick or off school/nursery but not all the time.

How many days a week do you work and have your child? You might be entitled to some free hours, can you use them?

Your OH sounds awful to not realise you can't juggle both effectively.

What are your current childcare arrangements OP?

Agreed on people taking the piss - it’s nice to be flexible but you can’t WFH and look after young children.

I had one team members putting in a meeting at 3-4 every WFH day. Obviously thought I was born yesterday…!

Work not happy with me or OH.

Why is work not happy with you if you have no performance issues.

Was your OH a SAHP and now returning to work?

What has changed that is now causing issues with work/childcare?

So their not young (8+) and are in school during the day. The reason I was given when work first mentioned this was I might get called out for work in the future. Don't get my OH wrong, he does do his share. I think it's just a different experience for men. I asked him how many times his boss asked about childcare. Unsurprisingly this wasn't question he'd been asked by his work.

Your not making any sense!

So do you have childcare then or not?

Work not happy with me

Why?

This thread is pointless if you don’t bother to answer any questions.