Working Moms

please help from work at home moms

This fall I am hoping to work from home 2 days a week and come into my office for the other 3.  My boss says that they are willing to explore this idea but they aren't sure how I could get any work done with a new baby at home.  They want me to give them more ideas/information on how I might be able to make this work.  I would be the first in our small office to have this set up.

I've already started making a list of the things I could get done at home vs. in the office and my husband and I are going to talk about working from home on the same days (he has flex time) so that there are 2 of us to care for baby.  Any advice you all might have would be greatly appreciated.  I have a week to come up with my plan before our next meeting.  I'd love to do this, but now I"m wondering if I'm crazy for thinking I could work and take care of a baby at the same time....

Thanks in advance!

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Re: please help from work at home moms

  • I'll be honest - it will be HARD.  Taking care of a baby is a full time job, esp when they are young and naps aren't predictable. 

    My DH works PT and is home during the week a lot and takes care of DS. His job requires him to do  monthly reports - trying to find the time to even do that during the week is SO hard for him because DS sometimes sleeps for 2 hours, sometimes for only 30 mins. 

    Even when I'm home- it's hard for him to really find that time to sit down and do it as long as DS is around.

    I'm actually kind of surprised that your work is even considering this w/o making you have outside daycare for your child.

    "Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
    ~Benjamin Franklin

    Lilypie Third Birthday tickers
    DS dx with celiac disease 5/28/10

  • Have a sitter come to your house. Lock yourself out of ear/eyeshot. It's the only way.
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  • I work from home but DD is in daycare FT. I have to meet with customers and am on a lot of conferences calls, so can't really make it work with her. In a pinch, I can do it if she's home sick, but I usually enlist DH to stay home until 10:00 and then come back for an hour after she wakes up from her nap or I call in MIL.

    Is your work time sensitive (e.g. must be responded to during the day)? If so, I think you'll find it very difficult. I have one friend who made it work, but a lot of her job was writing reports so she could do that at night after DC was in bed, but then she was constantly tired. They ended up enlisting her MIL to help, and also finding a drop-in daycare center until she put her DC in daycare FT.

  • That's what I was afraid of (but what I needed to hear).  We've budgeted for full time day care already but I was just hoping for more time at home.  I think it's back to square one on this.

    Thanks!

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  • You may still want to explore the idea of working from home 1-2 days a week to get caught up on things at home, while still having DC in daycare, esp. if your daycare is closer to home than work.

    I love that I am able to throw in a load of laundry before a conference call, or make dinner during my lunch hour. Plus, some days I'm able to pick DD up at daycare a little early (e.g. at 4:00 instead of 5:00), and then do a bit of work after she's in bed if needed.

    Unfortunately though, if you're working F/T and have tasks that need to be completed during business hours, it's hard to work from home and take care of a child.

    Have you asked your boss if you can work 4x10 hour days instead and take a day off during the week and would that even work for your family?

  • imageg_belle:

    That's what I was afraid of (but what I needed to hear).  We've budgeted for full time day care already but I was just hoping for more time at home.  I think it's back to square one on this.

    Thanks!

    Working from home, though, still has its advantages even if you put DC into full time care.  Just being able to throw a load of laundry in while you're at home would be wonderful. Not having to dress up and "do" my hair and make-up would be wonderful! 

    I wouldn't write off the whole idea just because you may not be able to work it out w/ your DC actually at home w/ you.

    "Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
    ~Benjamin Franklin

    Lilypie Third Birthday tickers
    DS dx with celiac disease 5/28/10

  • I'd still like to work from home even with DC in daycare all week, but since no one in our office has done this before (and some would like to but can't due to their job roles) I have a hunch they won't go for it.  We aren't sure how my direct report will handle being my back up while I'm out on leave and so having her be the back up if I'm working from home is making them a be nervous. 

     The daycare we're looking at is between work and home but has a waiting list so that's why we're planning now. 

    I still have a while to work out some other options.  My DH and I are both in grad. school so we were trying to find a way to be home some days with baby/get work done/go to school at night and still stay sane.  We're still looking at if our finances would work with me just working part time also. 

    Again- thanks for all the advice/suggestions!

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  • I work at home three days a week and in the office three days a week. I started working from home when DS was a week and a half old until his was six weeks and then started my current schedule.  To be honest it hasn't been too hard.  Of course there are those days that will be, but for me it's not so bad. 

    If you have you husband there on the same days that will really help.  You could do shifts like you care for DC in the morning, he does in the afternoon, then you'll be able to get several hours of work done without having to stop.  Also to please your boss you could make your available hours on your days at home longer.  For me my actual hours on those days are from 11-5 but I always start earlier so I can get ahead and am not rushing at the end of the day, plus it makes up for all the breaks I take to feed him, change him, play with him.  My boss doesn't mind me working at home at all and everytime it's brought up he says the reasons are that I almost always answer my phone, always answer my emails asap and he can't tell whether I'm in my office or at home.  IMO I don't think it matter what your plan is, you just have to prove that you can handle doing both at the same time.  GL!

  • We aren't sure how my direct report will handle being my back up while I'm out on leave and so having her be the back up if I'm working from home is making them a be nervous.

    But isn't her being your back up to your advantage?  She'll have however many weeks that your out to learn and get up to speed! 

    "Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
    ~Benjamin Franklin

    Lilypie Third Birthday tickers
    DS dx with celiac disease 5/28/10

  • My husband and I both work from home-and we have a nanny.  I tried a couple different times to work from home with the baby (I was actually off but needed to catch up on some work) and basically got NOTHING accomplished.  You can't count on naps or anything because nothing is guaranteed.  Also, when they are napping you need time to do things like take a shower and eat!  I highly suggest that you have some type of childcare.  Even with my husband here, if he has to make a call, or I do, or I have something that HAS to go out....it is just a crazy balancing act-in the end my DS is on the losing end if someone is not available for him. So, we just make sure our childcare is always available.

    On the up-side I LOVE not having to get him up and ready for daycare, and being able to see him throughout the day.  Good luck.

  • No, you probably will not be able to have DC home with you for the entire day, but there are a lot of things you can do to maximize your time with DC.  For instance, my DS's morning nap is always his longest.  What I usually do is get up at 5:00 on those morning.  Work until he wakes up at 7:00, then play with him for 1 - 2 hours (the time I would be getting ready/pumping), then I put him down for his morning nap at 9:00.  He normally sleeps until 11:00, and then I use my "lunch hour" to feed him, and bring him into daycare.  That way you have 1 - 2 less bottles for daycare (more for a freezer stash) and you get to spend moer time with DC.  Even if you don't have actual playtime with DC from 9:00 - 11:00, it feels so much better to bring him in for only half a day vs. an 8 hour day at daycare.  I then may also pick him up early at 4:00 and finish some of my work when I put him down for his late afternoon nap. Hope this helps! 
  • I work from home once a week and other days as needed but my girls are at daycare.  There is no way you will be able to get work done and take care of yoru child and do both well.  You can't count on nap time to get things done as kids are not on a schedule and could nap 1 hour one day and 4 hours the next.  Most companies  (including mine and DH's) have policies that if you are working from home, someone else needs to be taking care of your child either in the house or they need to be at daycare/sitters.  They set this up for a reason.  I really do not feel that you can do both and get anything done or get anything done well.  I find working from home is great though, I take my girls to daycare at the normal time but am back home and ready to work sooner since I don't have the drive, I don't need to get dressed up, I can do laundry during the day and I always schedule any home repairs or things like that on that day since I'm already home.  I can get dinner ready over my lunch or before I leave to get the girls.  I am less distracted and get more done in less time.  I love it.
    Jenni Mom to DD#1 - 6-16-06 DD#2 - 3-13-08 
  • There is no way I could work from home and take care of Billy.  Have you thought about hiring someone to come watch the baby at least a few hours a day while you are home.  Is this work that can be done at night after shes gone to bed?
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  • I've worked from home for nearly 3 years.  When we had just 1, she was in a DC facility.  When I returned to work after #2, we went with a nanny.

     I would say it's pretty much not possible to be effective or productive if you do not have reliable childcare while you are working.  Since your employer is already leary, I would HIGHLY recommend you secure childcare.

    As other posters said, there are major benefits - not commuting, not worrying about getting dressed, being able to get little things done during lunch, etc.

     

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