What Part-Time Schedule do you think would work best for us this summer?

[bisous]

All my kids will mostly be home with me. DH will be working from home but his job is not as flexible as mine (and he's the primary earner and works 2 times as many hours!) My kids are ACTIVE and our house is small. It is going to be rough! It will last eleven weeks. DH does have some vacation that he struggles to take for "political" reasons but we might be able to be a little strategic about if we are careful! His work is project based.

The trick will be, getting my work done and keeping the little kids occupied. They both have very high strung, active personalities. They are very challenging. My schedule is manageable with zoom school from 8:00 to 12:00 daily and that is when I currently work (plus some afternoons). I don't think that I will be able to keep them as busy this summer and I'm really nervous about it. I might be able to get my mom to watch the littles one day a week. I can work 20 hours in whatever configuration. DH works from 9 to 6. His industry starts late and ends late. He's usually the first one logged in and the last one logged off.

So here's a couple of options I'm considering...

Work in the morning.

Pros: I'm a morning person. Then it is DONE and we have the rest of the day to do what we like... Cons: DH is NOT a morning person. DH isn't great about getting kids going in the morning. Likely scenario is that kids are just lazy all morning. Also, my bosses are busy in the morning and I do best when I can confer with them, which is hard in the morning since they're walking the jobs.

Work in the Afternoon

Pros: We could probably fit in "quiet time" (which we already do) and "show time" (after 4:30) to give me a little bit of a stretch of time to work every day when the kids would be occupied. Bosses would be more available. Cons: I'm TIRED in the afternoons. DH would not be able to help out. That's HIS busiest time of the day too. That would leave mornings as the time when I could do outings with the kids and places we might like to go might be hard to do in the mornings. (Beaches and Parks would be ok but might be trickier to do zoos and gardens that are in LA).

Also, I need to pick some summer school type classes for DS1 and DS2. The math class DS1 would take can either be from 8:30 to 11:45 or 1:00 to 4:15. I haven't figured out for DS2 yet. I'm thinking it would make sense for all of us to "work" at the same time. Or maybe not?

Would love your thoughts!

[SnuggleBuggles]

Can you send the younger ones to day camp? There are bound to be some affordable options around. That's the sort of solution most people will employ. We have a good number of half day camps in my city. Even if you just do 2-3 weeks of camp then it will make life that much easier.
Of your options, work in the morning. does it really matter if 4 of their 16 hours in a day aren't crazy productive during summer vacation? Not really. If the older ones have to take summer classes then have them do it in the AM and let the little ones play in the yard or simply watch TV. Get all your questions to the bosses the day before, as much as possible.
Your older boys are old enough to be in charge too. Can they use the bus or walk and go on outings with the younger kids? Even just to the park or pool?

[Liziz]

I don't have a specific opinion, but a few thoughts....

~I'm assuming with COVID precautions you're not ready to send kids to a day camp, right? If you are comfortable with that, that definitely seems like the best solution, but I realize that's likely out for this summer!
~Your older kids sometimes babysit for you, right? They're definitely old enough to watch/occupy the younger two. I'd consider "hiring" them for the summer to babysit during your working time. (By hiring I mean actually paying them, but then also having solid expectations about what they do during that time -- i.e. - actually engage with younger siblings, ensure you're not disturbed, etc., not just the generic older sibling "make sure no one dies" type of babysitting)
~Can you do a little of both? I know a set, predictable schedule will be best -- but that doesn't necessarily mean all mornings or all afternoons. You could consistently work a few mornings each week and a few afternoons each week, if that gives more flexibility.

[jgenie]

Mornings would be easiest here. They can be in charge of getting their own breakfast. You can leave an item or two for them to do - matching socks, gathering laundry, washing veggies, picking up sticks in the yard. Anything that would keep them distracted for a bit. I think you should let them do whatever they want within reason for those 4 hours so you could knock it out. Maybe plan outings for Tuesday/ Thursday mornings and work those afternoons but plan for mornings at home MWF.

[Kestrel]

Can you do tag team parenting? We did that (back when I was working, still unemployed). I work early mornings - 4am start times, generally. That's life for a pro baker! DH would do what he could during the day, and then be able to focus for afternoons, as I would get home at noon or 1pm. He's a night owl so would do some work after kid and I were in bed. Don't forget weekends! If one parent can get a solid 5 or 6 hours on a weekend day while the other parents/does outings, that's a big help to loosen up your workweek.

However, my mother still jokes that is why DS doesn't have a sibling - we were seldom in bed at the same time for years!

[petesgirl]

I would have to do mornings for myself-- I'm just much more productive then. By afternoon I just want to veg out.

[niccig]

Will your DH be back for in-person work? DH’s work is predicting everyone back by July 4. They’re going to stagger the start. DH first said he’ll go in earlier as he’s older and has had availability to the vaccine before others. DS is older and doesn’t need us to supervise. DH is hearing similar start dates for other entertainment companies.

I vote for letting the kid have some vege time and then have the older siblings supervise


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[DualvansMommy]

I echo others to check in options for inexpensive local day camps, if your towns is offering and you’re comfortable.

Those camps is my sanity. They go every morning for 6 weeks from 8:45 to 1:30 and that’s when I do my work in those hours, and earlier too. Last summer, I was really surprised my town still went ahead with the day camp, and many parents decided to send their kids cuz we were just coming out of 3 months long lockdown, and in desperation mode by end of June. I was quite nervous but very impressed how they handled covid precautions and they shortened the days to avoid lunch; from 9-12pm. Even having 3 hours for my work was a great help.

Barring that, I second to do your work in the morning block time; and let your kids veg out/tv/outside backyard. Have your oldest two take them to a nearby park etc. go for bike rides with them leading them.


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[klwa]

Would it work to do a split schedule? So, work 7-10 (and let the kids be a bit lazy in the morning) then work again for an hour in the afternoon when the others in the office are more available? On busy days, that afternoon hour might need to shift.

[KpbS]

Would it work to do a split schedule? So, work 7-10 (and let the kids be a bit lazy in the morning) then work again for an hour in the afternoon when the others in the office are more available? On busy days, that afternoon hour might need to shift.

IMO this is the best solution (minus day camp for the younger 2) given the factors of energy and availability of colleagues. Also it would help your older ones be in charge for fewer hours. I’d still take your mom up on her offer, maybe if you have a busiest day with deadlines (Fri? Mon?)

You could fit your other hour in during rest time and have DS1 and DS2 do their classwork in the afternoon.