Office Is Demanding Child Care on My Work at Home Day?!

If they don't let you care for your child at work, why should it be a suprise that they ask for child care when you work at home? As your child gets older, it will be less of an issue, but with a new baby, you don't even know what kind of issues you'll be facing (colic? teething? milk allergies? you've got no clue about its temperment and sleep schedules before the baby comes!) child care while you work at home could be as simple as someone staying with you for the day - you don't need to have another day at a center. You should consider a compressed workweek (4-10 hour days) if you can't afford another full day of care.

And, as unfriendly and unfair as it seems, I totally agree with the other mom who cautioned for every mom who works "half-asses" it from home, they make it harder for the rest of us to work out flexible arrangements. One "slacker" new mom can ruin it for everyone else in the company. It did at ours - I have to fight for every flexible thing I have right now. I'm not saying you are such a mom, but don't let yourself go down that path because you're worried about the cost of daycare. You'll just hurt yourself and your co-workers.

1 mom found this helpful

Wow! I see the support is at a minimum with your question!

I have done it for 3 years. I do contract work all from home. I have a 3 year old and a 4 month old. You have to be very creative with what you do. Maybe it means working a little longer during the week or bust your rear while your child is napping. It was never "half-assed", as that's not the person I am. I took pride in my work and knew that I was getting a good thing to be able to work from home.

Maybe you should be honest with your employer and let them know that the reason you are asking to be at home 1 day is to save $. Let them know that you are willing to flex your time on your day home to work around the baby.

When I would get phone calls, my employer would ALWAYS ask if it was an ok time to talk. Most of my work was done on the computer or via email and a lot of the time it was with a baby in my arms.

It can work. Good luck!
B.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi,
It is extremely diffucult to get anything done, let alone work while caring for your baby. You should feel lucky your work is being accomodating. Arranging for child care while you work at home is standard practice and legal. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

This is the sort of situation where everyone loses in my opinion - either the work duties or the child is going to be deprived of the full attention they each deserve. If you truly value your job, you should heed their recommendation or things could become unpleasant. What they are asking is legal.

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I currently work one - 8 hour day from home in a 2 week timeframe. My boss is very flexible, but I really spread out that extra 8 paid hours into to a few hours every day/night when either my daughter is sleeping/occupied or when my husband is home in the evenings. As long as I get my job done and my boss gets no complaints, he allows me to continue this schedule. Of course it is not announced in my office, because some of my coworkers would have problems with it. I guess it all depends on the job you do. I have been doing this schedule since my daughter was born, and she has adapted very well. She is now 21 months and loves cartoons, colors, or reads. I am able to make a few phone calls when she is occupied, but a lot of my work is computer based so usually people at my company don't even know I am not sitting in my office. It takes discipline to work from home, and unique scheduling, but you can do it. I actually find I get more done from home on certain days than when I am in the office getting interrupted every 5 minutes. I think more employers have to learn how to be flexible with their workers, especially the mommies because if not they are going to lose hardworking, dedicated, multi tasking workers. Good luck!!

T.,
Not sure if it legal for work to impose that upon you, I would ask an attorney. But then on the other hand if they are paying you I guess they can make the request.
I do daycare from my home & I have an opening for Friday's.
If you get stuck and and they demand they child care, I'm $35.00 a day. Let me know if you need help. I have really good families & kids.
Good Luck, Kris

No T., don't lie...it was great of them to allow you to work from home. If you have a home office and if it's feesable have a friend or relative come into your home for that day if available. Pay them with maybe a gift card , $5.00 from Panera bread, or subway, etc and a thank you card. sometimes those little thoughts can add up to count for a lot!

It would depend on what type of work that needs to be done. If you need to type a bunch of reports that need to be turned in by Monday, then yes I would lie because you would have the whole weekend. If you need to make 100 phone calls then you prob will need a little help, little ones are not that quiet. You could look for a high school student to come after school, it would be cheaper and baby would be home. I used to work two days at home and I got everything I needed to get done in about four hours because I worked fast and had no interruptions, it took me 6+ to do the same at the office. Good Luck.

I agree with most of the other posters. I thought that I could get work done while home with the baby (don't they sleep all day?) but that was BEFORE I had my baby. Now I know that you don't get squat done unless you really do have someone else looking after the baby. They don't sleep that much and it will be incredibly hard for you to focus on your work AND feel like you're giving your baby enough attention. So yes, you do need childcare. Even if it's only for 6 hours a day (in which you can be super-efficient) you need to have it.

That said, working from home WITH some childcare is great - especially if you're breastfeeding. It means that you can take a break to feed him whenever he needs it instead of worrying about bottles, pumping, etc.

Good luck!