I’ve been feeling like I’m in job limbo lately. Because I
work from home I have long periods where I don’t hear from
anyone and just communicate via email while working on projects. Fortunately, I am very much a self-starter so
I can maintain work loads even without hearing from people, and I talk with
vendors quite a bit on the projects I’m managing (so, you know, I don’t become
one of those nutters from lack of communication with the outside world). However, there is still a point where I will simply
run out of work if no new projects come my way. Recently there has been a longer-than-usual silence on my managers’ end,
by phone or email. To the point where I
start to wonder… do I still have a job?
So yesterday at 5:30pm I received an email asking if I could
come into work today. I don’t know if
any other SAH/WAH parents experience this… it seems to be the dual phenomenon
of “out of sight, out of mind” seesawed with a “you have kids?”
forgetfulness. Luckily, Chance usually
has a standing visit with his grandma on Thursdays but I’m never sure if my
coworkers remember that or they just expect me to drop everything and come
running. (Of course, it’s not like the Pavlovian
paycheck isn’t beckoning.) I’m lucky to have both sets of grandparents nearby,
but I still can’t impose on them willy nilly, and I can’t imagine how other WAH
parents without family near have to deal with the last minute summons. And the usual catch 22 is that by the time I
find, secure, and then pay for daycare all the money I’ve earned is gone. I’ve asked in the past for a three day notice
and other times I’ve just told them I couldn’t come in (and to be fair not
everyone I work with does this – my original manager is great). The thing I don’t get is that a lot of my
coworkers are parents, too, and some of them are pretty mellow about the
life/work balance thing… so does a 5:30 in the evening request for the next day
sound reasonable or even doable for most at home parents? I’d love to hear other SAH/WAH parents’ experiences
with their work situation. –
wg
I only wish I was a SAH/WAH mom. I’ve actually spent the past 6 1/2 months looking for work, but prior to that I was a WAO (work at the office) worker with occassional times of WAH (sick kid, school closed, etc.). With that said, if the agreement you have is to be a WAH employee with the occassional trip to the office, then short notice like that would be, IMHO, not acceptable. I guess it’s all a matter of what sort of arrangements you’ve agreed upon with your manager.
They ended up canceling our Thursday meeting (after I had changed plans) and I had to take Chance in with me to the office Friday morning. I was only supposed to pick up a few items and get out of there. We ended up being there for two hours with Chance running around the whole time.
Oh well, every office needs some learning experiences.
Maybe that’s the trick. If you don’t get enough notice for these things, just take Chance along. I’m sure that’ll make the point clear to them. If not, they’re more self absorbed than they should be.
I work 2 overnight shifts/week at a group home, and avoid day care that way. People think I’m a SAH, but I work 30 hours/week.
The hubby has a 8-5 type job, he goes in an hour later the 2 mornings that I work.
This has worked beautifully for us for 2 years now, ever since my son was 6 weeks old.
Occasionally, one has to call in sick if the other is acually sick to care for the tot.
Sleeping away from home 2 nights per week is a drawback, but gives my husband valuable coping skills, and they really have fun together when I’m not home.
I’ve heard of that with other parents, working the night shifts and switching off. I pretty much do most of my work at night for the same reasons. It’s just easier to get things done. And sometimes it’s more efficient time-wise to take a short nap in the afternoon when Chance is taking his nap to make up for the sleep I lose at night. (sometimes)
Keen also goes into work an hour earlier than most people (roughly 7-4) and that has helped, too! It’s amazing what an extra hour can do.