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How would you know if your infant hates daycare?
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In college I was often one of 2-3 nannies each family had. I worked for families where both parents were high up doctors and traveled a lot. It worked well bc if I had an exam or they had something going on we rotated shifts.
I’d also recommend a chef and housecleaner to maximize time with the kids. And a vacation property where you can fully unplug. 🙂 (I often went to the vacation house with them lol)
Moms. Set your priorities. When you are old and retired, are you going to be happier about how much you worked or raising your kids?
I’m in a VP role at a well known tech company but have set v clear boundaries.I don’t compromise on my kids. When I was in the office I left at 5 every day, wouldn’t look at anything work related while they were awake. Now I am still largely working from home. I pick my kids up from school everyday during the school year.
My colleagues all know, and I hope the moms on my team do the same.
If I didn’t have work life balance I’d be gone. Raising my kids is my first and most important job, period.
RSM2 work ethic doesn’t equal hours, and I didn’t give you my full day. I put in 1-2 hours every AM before my kids are up every day. I put in more time after my kids are in bed - usually late PM APAC meetings each week.
That’s all my choice - intentionally - so I can be present with and for my kids.
If anything I’d argue I became much more efficient once my kids were born. I really focus on where I spend my time and I know where my focus is most needed. My work ethic and contribution have never been a question.
Mentor
Do both of you work that much? I mean this not in a mean way, but how much time is there left to see your children? Are they older?
We both have client facing roles so oftentimes have early meetings, dinners, travel.
Our son goes to a daycare that opens at 6:30am to 6:30pm. I drop him off between 7:30-8am and my husband picks him up around closing - only way for both of us to get in 10+ hours of work a day
You don’t know how good you have it with daycare hours until they’re gone!
My mom worked a lot when I was a kid. My grandmother helped out during the week. I stayed at her house and came home on Friday nights until I was older. I later went to work with her on Saturdays so I loved being in her office. I loved her business trips while the beautiful hotel rooms. I love my mother’s ambition and compete with her drive. I wouldn’t want it any other way. My dad owned a yellow cab in NYC so he was busy too. I hope this gives some perspective from the eyes of a kid in the situation now adult. 🤗
Daycare only for me. Single mom here.
Which service line are you in? How do you make it work with the demand?
My boss is a VP and her husband is an attorney. They both travel a lot for work and work long hours and have a live in nanny with them. That seems to be the best option for them and the kids get used to having one person looking after them. She’s an older lady so sort of like an extra grandparent.
Honestly I think you revamp. Try being more present at home you’ll never regret that. I just recently set a boundary on my hours
I’ve had the same nanny since my son was 6 months old. Now I have a daughter. Before they were in school, she worked 4 days/week- 10hours/day. My husband has off one day a week.
The kids are both in grade school now she goes pick up and drop off and makes them snacks.
She is part of the family now and we love it. Don’t know what we would w/out her.
I drop off my daughter at daycare around 8am and I don't pick her up sometimes till 7pm. Last year I enrolled her in school and atm she's in a Summer Learning Academy. It's from 8:30-4pm and my daycare provider drop/picks her up and I pick her up at daycare.
Daycare is in a house and they have always watched her for these hours even before being an R.E OM. Previous postion was OC for a Tax Office & during the season I wouldn't pick her up until 9:30pm.
It's tough all way around and I try to make up as much time as I can when I am off. Nothing can shake the mom guilt but you know all the hard work is to have a stable lifestyle.
Daycare as babies or before + after school
Now nanny that they are in grade school. Camp / school during day 8 am - 12 / 3 pm. Nanny became a nanny / household assistant and does everything. She is AMAZING. She comes in 12 or 3 pm most days and tidies up, does laundry, puts dishes away, packs lunch before after getting the kids home. Nanny prepares their dinner 2-5x a week. She puts them to bed 1-2 nights a week when we go on date nights. When we are with our kids, we invest. We always make time for reading eg before date or after. Sometimes we take off the week with kids and have them instead stay with nanny for a night or weekend. She works ~35 hours a week. Camp is typically ~15 hours a week.
From infants to Kindergarten my kids were in an amazing day care ~10 hours a day and then picked up by sitters or grandma who would feed them dinner. I would come home and just get to enjoy them w out fighting over eating etc. Weekends are focused on family.
Now they are older and they barely remember who took care of them on those days.
Mentor
I flex and also use two daycares because one has a nut allergy. Infant nut free center is open 7am-5p. Home daycare for older kiddo is 7:30-5.
7:15 I drop baby at the daycare center, then drop her sister at the home daycare up the street at 7:30. Her home daycare walks the kids to and from their preschool, and does tons of fun outings with them.
In office days… Train to work 7:45-8:15.
Work 8:30am-3:30pm.
Train home 3:45-4:15 (next train gets in after 5, so no dice). Pick up baby at 4:25, big sister 4:35, home by 4:45.
Dinner, play and bedtime. Then I log BACK onto work from 8-9pm or so, just to finish up anything I missed.
The 3 days I work from home, I drop the kids about the same time and then can workout before work. I work 8:45-4:45 and pick them back up right before closing.
It isn’t ideal, but it works. I couldn’t afford help to pick them up since we already pay a fortune. The alternative is me working later and a less than trustworthy grandparent doing pickup and dinner.
Mentor
7am-4Pm au pair for us. Kids get up at 7 and go to bed at 7, so we get 3 hours with them after work.
Mentor
Daycare + au pair.
I second au pair program!
When newborns - age two they were with the nanny. Then from age 2-PK in a program a few hours each day and then with nanny.
Now they are in K, 3rd, 7th so it’s school all day and then nanny after for helping with homework and stuff
OP, you're not the only one who works long hours regardless if it's everyday or once in awhile. Check with your company to see if they offer 12+ hour daycare service, after hours daycare, access to nanny/ au pair for reimbursement or discount, etc. If not offer by your company, check in with local pregnancy care centers. They usually offer discounts to members and are always ready to share insight.
When my daughter was little, we had an on-site day care with long hours, 7am to 6pm. Cleaning and cooking was outsourced so I could spend time with her. Now that she’s in school, we have an all around helper that takes care of my daughter after school and does cleaning / cooking / whatever during school hours.
I work from home and my toddler is in daycare, it's hard sometimes to separate the 2 especially with deadlines but push to set thide boundaries. Kids first, everything else after.
Mentor
Well most daycares are open 12 hours a day