Anyone working from home?

[rainbowskin]

I started this great new job where I am able to work from home and stay with LO all day. It is great to be able to make money while in my PJ's and not have to take LO to a caregiver BUT I am finding it so hard to get any work done. LO only naps twice a day for 45 minutes and only occupies himself for short periods without wanting my attention. Also, I have no family around to help out.
Does anyone else work from home? How the heck do you get any work done? Need advice, thanks!

 

[heyyydayyy]

Stalking this thread...I'm currently in a school program that will eventually lead to a work from home job. Of course my LO will be about 1 when that happens, but I imagine it will still be a challenge!

 

[chrissbe17]

I get to work 2 days from home. I tried keeping my lo with me but the 1st day was terrible! She needs way too much of my attention. I ended up leaving her at daycare even when i work from home, i just drop her off later. We have to pay for daycare for the entire week anyway so it works

 

[star1]

To be honest, I really don't think it's possible to work and simultaneously give lo the attention they need. Can you change your working hours so it's after lo is in bed in the evening? If not, can you look or a cheap babysitter to come and look after lo in the house while you work? Maybe ask around at local colleges that do childcare courses - I'm sure they can recommend someone. Or maybe ask one of your mummy friends to do it. I'm sure you can find someone at a local baby group that could do with the extra cash x

 

[bananaz]

I've been working from home since LO was born, however my workload varies significantly - at the moment it's pretty light so I can take care of my work during naps and in the evening after LO is in bed. When I had more stuff to do I hired a "mother's helper" to come over and play with baby for a few hours a day so I could get things done. That was a good solution for us, though I did have to go through a couple helpers before I found someone LO liked and who I trusted (unfortunately she's moved away now )

 

[Irish Eyes]

I will be working from home one day per week (in the office 3). I called our local college and offered us as a placement for a student. I'm there supervising all the time, Lo has someone to play with & the student gets experience. And its free!

 

[bananaz]

I will be working from home one day per week (in the office 3). I called our local college and offered us as a placement for a student. I'm there supervising all the time, Lo has someone to play with & the student gets experience. And its free!

Do you mean the student is living with you? Or they just come over and watch LO one day a week?

 

[Larkspur]

I work about 14-16 hours a week at home. It is HARD. My parents come over one day for about six hours to watch LO so I get a few hours done that day, but he is also going through a bad nap phase and it is so hard to get anything done on the other days. I am looking at increasing my hours to about 24 a week (to make it more worthwhile to have me working) and getting home help. I've been trying to fit my hours in at night or on the weekend and it just means I never ever get a break.

 

[pinkpolkadot]

DH and I work from home and to be honest we have to take a.m p.m shifts with LO or we never get anything done! Lo also goes to mum or mils once a week so we can catch up. It was a little easier when she was really little as I could BF on a pillow while answering emails etc but once she became mobile it was much harder! Irish Eyes I think the student idea is great

 

[kmumtobe]

Hope you don't mind an older toddlers mums pov but i do work from home, I'd really try to find a way you can do it when your LO is asleep I don't think you'll find it possible at all with the upcoming stages, 5 months was prob about when my LO was the easiest, then they move and you find yourself chasing them around the house (or them chasing you, just try going to the loo in peace!) and then they need more out and about and stuff to do my lo's chomping at the bit to be out the house within an hour of being up we could never have a full day in, at 18m my little boy is good now at amusing himself around the house for periods of time but he is accountable for pulling many buttons off my keyboard and trying to play cbeebies on the computer, there's no way I can do anything with him awake without him climbing all over on me and button bashing! Fortunately he still naps for 2 hours a day and I work when he's in bed if necessary, hopefully you can find a way to make it work, it's a great opportunity to do best of both worlds!

 

[spikey doodle]

I do, and so does OH, and it's very very hard! And we also have no family near us.

Essentially, my OH is the main earner now, because my LO is like yours, she won't sit still for more than 5min in any given situation, before she starts getting very unhappy.

She requires tremendous efforts most days, to put her to sleep during the day, which doesn't help either.

I think what we have come to realise, is that something has to give: Either you let the house chores go to the wayside, or your work becomes a luxury.

I was getting very stressed out, as my work was just constantly interrupted, then by the time I finally had her alseep, it was time for cooking, cleaning, running an errand or I was just too tired to focus!

Now, we've decided that I wouldn't put so much pressure on myself and if I get to do some work, great (I'm a consultant, so I get to take as many/little jobs as I like), but if becomes too much, I scale back.

I would definitely 2nd the pp: Naptime is the ONLY time I get to do any work. If I'm lucky, I get to do house stuff while she is up, and move her around the house as I'm moving. That frees up the naptimes for work, rather than domestic stuff. But there are days when that's just not possible.

Our expectations have changed dramatically since our LO arrived, I think we were really naive before, and thought she would somehow fit into our lives...

We often wondered how on earth did other couples manage, and the answer is simple:

They either have a nanny, drop their kids off at the nursery, have family to babysit, or are a single-income household. No magic trick ;-)

 

[Irish Eyes]

I will be working from home one day per week (in the office 3). I called our local college and offered us as a placement for a student. I'm there supervising all the time, Lo has someone to play with & the student gets experience. And its free!

Do you mean the student is living with you? Or they just come over and watch LO one day a week?

They just come once a week. They're studying childcare at college, in their 3rd year they need experience in a childcare setting. They are usually months from qualifying so are similar to the staff at a nursery.

 

[daneuse27]

Following! I tutor ESL online on a part time basis and have someone watch LO as I do it. Its not something I can do with her awake because I teach over skype (wouldnt be professional if they heard her screaming in the background.) lol