Working from home with kids

How does one do it with an infant and toddler? Just wondering how a person can actually work/get work done?

Re: Working from home with kids

You can't.
You need a sitter or a nanny or daycare while you work.

Re: Working from home with kids

You can't! I can WFH with my 3.5yo if he's sick, for example, because he can play himself and watch tv. If my 15 mo is sick, I either need to get a grandma here or I have to take PTO. She still needs my full attention.

I've WFH during snow storms, for example, when DH is also around so I can get on calls if I need to. But on a regular basis? It's impossible. I WFH one day a week and my children still go to day care then.

Working from home with kids

Omg don't even get me started on this topic. I'm a sahm. Dh works in the city. The last 3 days he's been working from home and it's miserable. I just told him to go into the office (in our house) and close the door and don't come out. How do you explain to a 3 year old and a 1 year old that daddy is here physically, but mentally he's at work. Shoot me.

Re: Working from home with kids

Asking cause my cousin is doing this 1 day a week no sitter no daycare that day. I dont want to ask but asssuming she isnt working work stuff for her 8 hour day.

wondering what her coworkers think but i know its up to the boss.

Re: Working from home with kids

Re: Working from home with kids

I don't WFH but those I know who do say they need to get a sitter or put DC in daycare to get anything done.

Re: Working from home with kids

you really cant. unless she doesn't have work during normal working hours. she can do her stuff at night.

It wasn't bad when they were a newborn but once mobile its nearly impossible.

I dread the days when I have to work from home when my kids are sick or daycare is closed for the day I do it but at the EOD I want to go in a room lock the door and not see anyone

Working from home with kids

You can't. And if you try you will soon find out it is impossible. I have the ability to work from home sometimes and my DS is ALWAYS st daycare. I would end up fired if I worked from home with my DS...I would never get work done and forget about any conf calls. Its bad enough with the dog.

IMO even with a sitter kids will still want to see mommy and go to mommy for things so it would still be tough with someone in the house.

When I work from home it isn't to save on childcare costs its to cut down on commute.

Working from home with kids

I do work at home some times. The key to being able to do it is having a job that you do not have to be doing something at a particular time. I work with my kids and get them involved in something and then I do work while they are occupied. Once that is done we go onto the next thing. However, it usually turns out to me getting about 4 hours of work done during "normal working hours" and then getting everything else done when they are sleeping at night!

Re: Working from home with kids

As a working mom, commuting to NYC every day, paying a small fortune for daycare - I feel EXTREMELY strongly about this -
You CAN NOT, and SHOULD NOT be allowed to work from home WITHOUT full time child care. NO company should allow this, and I believe there should be very stringent rules and contracts put in place for a WAH arrangement, and those rules must apply to all WAH arrangements.

Re: Working from home with kids

The only reason I've been able to do it over the years on an occasional basis, is because DW is a SAHM, and I have a door with a lock on my office...

Even now, with DC in the double-digit ages, whenever I leave my office to go to the bathroom, I usually get barraged with questions, requests, etc.
I can't imagine getting anything done if I was the primary caregiver, with much younger DC.

Re: Working from home with kids

I know many parents WFH with their kids. DH WAH and I SAH, it's too hard to handle kids and work right now. If I return to work, he will handle the bus pick ups. Some people can manage it and save a ton of money in the process. Many have kids that get off the bus and never have to pay for childcare (after or before).

Message edited 8/24/2016 10:08:40 AM.

Re: Working from home with kids

Re: Working from home with kids

Re: Working from home with kids

I want to clarify by saying that now that DD is older- school age- it's more doable.
She's more independent, I can tell her that mommy is working and she needs to go play, watch tv, read or color quietly, etc. She understands it now.

But the situation you describe- infant and toddler- no way.

NO way in hell

Message edited 8/24/2016 10:19:17 AM.

Re: Working from home with kids

Posted by Bebelove

Posted by MarisaK

As a working mom, commuting to NYC every day, paying a small fortune for daycare - I feel EXTREMELY strongly about this -
You CAN NOT, and SHOULD NOT be allowed to work from home WITHOUT full time child care. NO company should allow this, and I believe there should be very stringent rules and contracts put in place for a WAH arrangement, and those rules must apply to all WAH arrangements.

A company would never be able to enforce this. My whole neighborhood works from home, Mostly men. Ironically many of the women are forced to be in office

Re: Working from home with kids

Posted by NervousNell

Posted by Bebelove

Posted by MarisaK

As a working mom, commuting to NYC every day, paying a small fortune for daycare - I feel EXTREMELY strongly about this -
You CAN NOT, and SHOULD NOT be allowed to work from home WITHOUT full time child care. NO company should allow this, and I believe there should be very stringent rules and contracts put in place for a WAH arrangement, and those rules must apply to all WAH arrangements.

A company would never be able to enforce this. My whole neighborhood works from home, Mostly men. Ironically many of the women are forced to be in office

They could enforce it by asking for proof of paid childcare each month.

Re: Working from home with kids

I'm going to add as a sahm of a toddler and infant I'm lucky to get to go to the bathroom by myself.

Re: Working from home with kids

Posted by GoldenRod

Posted by NervousNell

Posted by Bebelove

Posted by MarisaK

As a working mom, commuting to NYC every day, paying a small fortune for daycare - I feel EXTREMELY strongly about this -
You CAN NOT, and SHOULD NOT be allowed to work from home WITHOUT full time child care. NO company should allow this, and I believe there should be very stringent rules and contracts put in place for a WAH arrangement, and those rules must apply to all WAH arrangements.

A company would never be able to enforce this. My whole neighborhood works from home, Mostly men. Ironically many of the women are forced to be in office

They could enforce it by asking for proof of paid childcare each month.

How would you prove that your spouse or a grandparent is watching DC for free?

Re: Working from home with kids

Posted by NervousNell

Posted by GoldenRod

Posted by NervousNell

Posted by Bebelove

Posted by MarisaK

As a working mom, commuting to NYC every day, paying a small fortune for daycare - I feel EXTREMELY strongly about this -
You CAN NOT, and SHOULD NOT be allowed to work from home WITHOUT full time child care. NO company should allow this, and I believe there should be very stringent rules and contracts put in place for a WAH arrangement, and those rules must apply to all WAH arrangements.

A company would never be able to enforce this. My whole neighborhood works from home, Mostly men. Ironically many of the women are forced to be in office

They could enforce it by asking for proof of paid childcare each month.

How would you prove that your spouse or a grandparent is watching DC for free?

Yeah true, didn't think of that.
I doubt it's something companies would do anyway.

Re: Working from home with kids

Posted by GoldenRod

Posted by NervousNell

Posted by GoldenRod

Posted by NervousNell

Posted by Bebelove

Posted by MarisaK

As a working mom, commuting to NYC every day, paying a small fortune for daycare - I feel EXTREMELY strongly about this -
You CAN NOT, and SHOULD NOT be allowed to work from home WITHOUT full time child care. NO company should allow this, and I believe there should be very stringent rules and contracts put in place for a WAH arrangement, and those rules must apply to all WAH arrangements.

A company would never be able to enforce this. My whole neighborhood works from home, Mostly men. Ironically many of the women are forced to be in office

They could enforce it by asking for proof of paid childcare each month.

How would you prove that your spouse or a grandparent is watching DC for free?

Yeah true, didn't think of that.
I doubt it's something companies would do anyway.

It would have to be treated just like everything else, such as Internet access in the office, and surfing all day. It's up to the manager to decide if the person is accomplishing X number of hours per day, or Y number of tasks. If someone is working in the office, but only accomplishing half of what they should be, the manager should figure out why. The same should apply for WAH employees.
That's kind of how it's dealt with at my job. As long as I get my tasks done, I'm good, regardless of where I'm sitting for the day. (And my Internet speed is actually faster at home!, so I can often get some tasks done quicker when I'm WAH... )

Re: Working from home with kids

Posted by GoldenRod

Posted by NervousNell

Posted by GoldenRod

Posted by NervousNell

Posted by Bebelove

Posted by MarisaK

As a working mom, commuting to NYC every day, paying a small fortune for daycare - I feel EXTREMELY strongly about this -
You CAN NOT, and SHOULD NOT be allowed to work from home WITHOUT full time child care. NO company should allow this, and I believe there should be very stringent rules and contracts put in place for a WAH arrangement, and those rules must apply to all WAH arrangements.

A company would never be able to enforce this. My whole neighborhood works from home, Mostly men. Ironically many of the women are forced to be in office

They could enforce it by asking for proof of paid childcare each month.

How would you prove that your spouse or a grandparent is watching DC for free?

Yeah true, didn't think of that.
I doubt it's something companies would do anyway.

It would have to be treated just like everything else, such as Internet access in the office, and surfing all day. It's up to the manager to decide if the person is accomplishing X number of hours per day, or Y number of tasks. If someone is working in the office, but only accomplishing half of what they should be, the manager should figure out why. The same should apply for WAH employees.
That's kind of how it's dealt with at my job. As long as I get my tasks done, I'm good, regardless of where I'm sitting for the day. (And my Internet speed is actually faster at home!, so I can often get some tasks done quicker when I'm WAH... )

Re: Working from home with kids

Posted by alli3131

Posted by GoldenRod

Posted by NervousNell

Posted by GoldenRod

Posted by NervousNell

Posted by Bebelove

Posted by MarisaK

As a working mom, commuting to NYC every day, paying a small fortune for daycare - I feel EXTREMELY strongly about this -
You CAN NOT, and SHOULD NOT be allowed to work from home WITHOUT full time child care. NO company should allow this, and I believe there should be very stringent rules and contracts put in place for a WAH arrangement, and those rules must apply to all WAH arrangements.

A company would never be able to enforce this. My whole neighborhood works from home, Mostly men. Ironically many of the women are forced to be in office

They could enforce it by asking for proof of paid childcare each month.

How would you prove that your spouse or a grandparent is watching DC for free?

Yeah true, didn't think of that.
I doubt it's something companies would do anyway.

It would have to be treated just like everything else, such as Internet access in the office, and surfing all day. It's up to the manager to decide if the person is accomplishing X number of hours per day, or Y number of tasks. If someone is working in the office, but only accomplishing half of what they should be, the manager should figure out why. The same should apply for WAH employees.
That's kind of how it's dealt with at my job. As long as I get my tasks done, I'm good, regardless of where I'm sitting for the day. (And my Internet speed is actually faster at home!, so I can often get some tasks done quicker when I'm WAH... )

At my company if you want to work from home you are supposed to put a plan for the day in place for what you will be working on and provide it to your manager. Your manager can then check to see what was actually completed and it goes against your performance review and if things are being done WFH privileges can be revoked.

Re: Working from home with kids

Posted by GoldenRod

Posted by NervousNell

Posted by Bebelove

Posted by MarisaK

As a working mom, commuting to NYC every day, paying a small fortune for daycare - I feel EXTREMELY strongly about this -
You CAN NOT, and SHOULD NOT be allowed to work from home WITHOUT full time child care. NO company should allow this, and I believe there should be very stringent rules and contracts put in place for a WAH arrangement, and those rules must apply to all WAH arrangements.

A company would never be able to enforce this. My whole neighborhood works from home, Mostly men. Ironically many of the women are forced to be in office

They could enforce it by asking for proof of paid childcare each month.

How would you prove that your spouse or a grandparent is watching DC for free?

Message edited 8/24/2016 11:15:07 AM.