Is it possible to work while watching my 18-month-old?

[deborah_r]

I have an opportunity to go back to work, making my own hours, working in what I believe will be either an empty office (just me) or maybe one other person, who I know quite well and who is not easily annoyed. They suggested I just bring Kai with me. I'm trying to wrap my brain around this. I could schedule it so the bulk of it wqould be his nap, if it was quiet enough for him to sleep. I have yet to see the workspace. It's a company that is spinning off from my old company.

I really could use the money, and it seems like too good of an opportunity to pass up. But I have a suspicion that it will not work to have Kai there...

[s_gosney]

Sorry, but my vote is no. I haven't been able to do anything while Kylee is awake these days. If he would nap, then maybe have a snack and watch a video or something like that, would that be enough time? I'm thinking of my child who only takes 45 min naps, so if takes "real" naps it might work.
Maybe others will have better ideas...

[stillplayswithbarbies]

I worked from home until Logan was about 4 months old. That was easy. Nursed her at the keyboard, tucked her into the sling, and that was about it.

I sometimes work from home now and it really isn't so good. Even if I park her in front of the television all day, I still don't get much done at work.

That would be a great setup for an infant, but what would a toddler do all day that wouldn't need you to supervise and/or participate?

...Karen
DS Jake Feb 91, DD Logan Mar 03
http://members.aol.com/khowe14494/superpower.gif http://members.aol.com/khowe14494/borntobebreastfed2.gif

[August Mom]

I suppose it depends on the toddler, but I couldn't get anything done while by 18-month old DS was awake. He was always getting into something. Plus, it was really hard to concentrate on anything but what he was doing. I suppose you could try it for a few days if your company would let you and see what happens.

[JElaineB]

I suppose if you could truly get him to sleep there it might work for a couple of hours a day. But if he will be awake then I would say no. The only way I can get any work done when I am alone with DS is to park him in front of the TV for a while (which I have done when necessary!). If you just have an office even with toys, etc. he would get restless pretty quickly I would think. It just is hard to get any work done with a toddler around. I am so glad with my new part-time job I get to go to the office to work rather than do a lot of work at home with DS around (like I have been doing for part-time teaching).

Jennifer
mom to Jacob 9/27/02

[jbowman]

FWIW--I work from home a lot--and it worked well until Ellie was about 6-7 months old (during those months I'd grade/write/research while nursing, LOL!). Now I know I will get nothing of substance done until aftter she goes to bed at night!

Good luck with your decision!

[C99]

I don't think so. I work from home and make my own hours when I am on a project...usually. I had a really finicky client most recently and they insisted that I be available to them at times outside of when I would normally work (during naptime/ at night). My husband also works from home, so we were able to switch off childcare, but even during the times I "parked him in front of the TV" to borrow a phrase from Karen, he would see me on the phone or distracted and become demanding of my intention -- I just loved when that happened while I was on a conference call!

[slknight]

Sorry, my answer is no too. I work from home, and had so many well-meaning people tell me how great that is (because I wouldn't have to put DS in daycare). Well guess what? I had to anyway (although he's not now because DH is a SAHD). I'm on the phone quite a bit, and when I'm not, I'm trying to program. It was just too hard to do once DS got mobile.

You could get a little work done while Kai is napping, but I really think it's too hard to concentrate while DS is running around.

[lizajane]

a friend used to bring her 5 month old to work and let her hang out in the pack n play or bouncey chair. there were 3-4 of us in the office. i don't know how she got a thing done ever. i hardly got a thing done! if the mom left the room (knowing we were there with her child, of course!) i would pick up the baby when she cried or i would change her, etc. (i was pregnant at the time and couldn't resist her little face!) my job was easy and so it didn't matter that i was distracted by the baby in the room. but if i actually had important things to accomplish, i would have found it very difficult. and it wasn't even my kid!

i tried to work a few hours with schuyler with me in the office when he was an infant. (8 weeks old) it was a disaster. i hated it. he never napped, he spit up all over everywhere, he cried in the full office which made feel guilty for disturbing people.

i guess i am making a short story long here... but personally, i would NEVER take schuyler to a job with me. my old company said basically the same thing as yours- i could bring him with me, make my own hours, make up my own job, really. but it was too much.

ETA: i am sorry. i was being so negative! here is a postive idea- could you hire a babysitter for those few hours and still make enough $$ for it to be worth working? it could be fun for kai to play with someone new, so it could be a fun change for you both. or could you bring a mother's helper with you that you pay only a few bucks/hour? (we use a sixth grader while i am home for $5/hour and she thought that was a lot of money.) the mother's helper could play with him while you worked, but he would still be with you.

[s_gosney]

I like the idea of a mother's helper. I'm needing to do something to ease the load around here and I'm not happy enough with my daycare to put her there more. One question though...does it actually work for you? When I come into the office to work on stuff and dh watches Kylee, she tends to want to come back here a lot. If I shut the door, she sits at the door and wails. If I leave it open, she comes in, plays for a while then wants me. Maybe this is an age thing?

[parkersmama]

I took Amy Grace to work with me for the first year of her life (I was working only about 10hrs/week) and it worked really well. Since she has started walking, though, it is practically impossible!! She escapes and gets into things, whines, wants to be held, cries because she is bored, and so on. I am usually a frazzled mess anytime I try to take her in with me. What I am currently doing is taking her to a church preschool for two mornings a week while I work at the office. It has worked out so well...she loves her new friends and the teachers and I get a lot more done. It's very affordable and has been great for us.

Working PT or making your own schedule is a fabulous way to work but I think having some sort of childcare arrangement will make you much happier.

[jd11365]

I hate to be Debbie Downer, but I just don't see it happening. What happens if Kai doesn't nap and wants to be at your feet the whole time. I haven't been on the boards as much lately because Kayla simply won't let me. Could you work from home? Even then, it's tough. I do some work from home and it's much more difficult now than when she was younger. I do a lot during naps and in the evening...but that's because it's at my own home. Phone calls can be difficult, because she demands my attention when I'm on the phone. Just some things to think about...

Jamie
Mommy to Kayla
May '03

[kristine_elen]

I do freelance writing from home and there's no way I can do it without hiring a sitter. Jack wants my attention all the time, so I can't make calls or do writing when he's around and unattended. Plus, I'd feel guilty just ignoring him. I'd rather have him in a daycare where at least he's being watched and can play with other kids. (Something I'm considering doing part time.)

[Momof3Labs]

No way, no how would it work for me. I work at home part time, and even with someone there to take care of Colin, he manages to get in my way at least a few times every day. I could not imagine trying to get anything work-related done if I had no one to watch him.

[Marisa6826]

I've got to say no, Girlie.

If Kai is even remotely like Sophie (who is VERY laid back compared to many kiddos I read about here), it will be nothing but mayhem.

As it is now, she's a handful and I'm not even trying to be responsible for PAID work (unless you consider writing rules for co-ops work ;) ). And as much as the other person claims to be laid back and not mind a toddler, they're LYING. Everybody is bothered after a while when its not their kid, KWIM?

Also - it always seems that exactly when I need Sophie to sleep, she seems to sense it and protest completely.

-m

[deborah_r]

Yeah, I kind of figured. I was just getting all confused, because I was sitting there with my former boss and her husband (I would basically be working for her husband, he is the one who I said wouldn't be annoyed - and really, truly, he can be so oblivious and there is so much stuff that doesn't bother him that bothers other people - I shared an office with him for about a year, so I have some insight on that) ... anyway I was sitting there and Kai was right there and they could see exactly how he is (not especially bad, just, well, 18 months old) and they were just like, "no problem, just bring him with you!" And they really meant it! And they have two grown daughters, so it's not like they;ve never been through it.

Anyway, I'll just see. DH is receptive to me working in the evening while he watches Kai. We tried that a while back and it was awful, but now that Kai is older I think it might work. Right now he is in the other room with Kai and I can here they are having a total blast. He just can't get Kai to fall asleep for him, but after a while, I'm sure they would work something out.

If I go with that schedule, I hope Kai keeps waking me in the night to nurse, because I will miss being the one who puts him to bed :( OK, that was a selfish statement, but true.

[jubilee]

Sadly, in my situation, it doesn't work out. I work at home doing medical billing- but I can only do it after Logan has gone to bed. He wants and needs my interaction. I don't think I'd really be happy with dividing my attention like that either. It might work for an hour- but I imagine you are talking about longer work days than that.