Remote work with a 3yo is a special kind of chaos

Dec 231 min read

So I've been WFH for about 8 months now and my wife just went back to work part-time. I'm supposed to be "watching" our 3-year-old while taking client calls. Yesterday I had a Zoom meeting with our biggest client and my son decided to scream about his apple being cut wrong for a solid 3 minutes. I had my camera off but everyone could hear it. The client's reaction was priceless but also... I'm questioning everything. Anyone else managing to actually get work done while solo parenting during the day? Tips desperately needed before I lose my mind.

11 comments90 views

Comments(11)

GGreg W.RegularDec 23

Wait what happened in the Zoom? The suspense is killing me lol. Please tell me he did something spectacular on camera.

MMike R.New DadDec 23

Had this same chaos and honestly it wrecked my relationship with the kid because I was stressed the whole time. We switched to having my MIL come 2 days a week and it literally changed everything. Might be worth exploring childcare even part-time if budget allows.

RRyan M.RegularDec 23

The 3yo + client calls combo is genuinely one of the hardest things about WFH with little kids. You can't exactly pause them during presentations. How are you managing call timing now?

DDan T.RegularDec 24

This is genuinely unsustainable and I think everyone knows it. WFH with a 3yo is not childcare, it's like doing 2 jobs at 60% capacity each. Can you push back on either the WFH schedule or shift your wife's hours so one of you is actually fully present for the kid?

FFred V.RegularDec 24

The 3yo doesn't care about your Zoom call and honestly neither does anyone on it. I've had the same scenario - kid started wailing, executive director on the call, I just muted and handled it. Nobody cared. Focus on not losing your mind, not on looking perfect.

PPaul T.RegularDec 25

This is why I always warn people that "working from home with young kids" is actually two full-time jobs happening simultaneously. You're not gonna be great at either one all the time.

TTony L.RegularDec 23

I did this for about 6 months and honestly my manager figured it out pretty quick that my hours were just... different. Lots of early mornings, some afternoon calls bumped to evening. Had to be way more intentional about dedicated work blocks once my wife was back part-time too.

HHarvey L.RegularDec 25

lol 8 months of this sounds exhausting. My wife tried the same thing for like 6 weeks and we realized real quick it wasn't working. Does your company have any flexibility on like specific hours you need to be available vs flexible time?

JJared C.RegularDec 23

The "client calls" part is what gets me - you can't actually focus on anything important with a 3yo in the house without backup. That's just reality, not a personal failing. What did you end up having to do during the Zoom with your boss?

RReggie K.New DadDec 25

8 months in and you're still surviving - honestly that's the win. I lasted 3 months before we got him into part-time preschool just so I could actually work. No shame in realizing this doesn't work long-term.

WWyatt C.RegularDec 25

The "supposed to be watching" thing is the fake-out right? Like yeah technically you're in the room but you're also trying to have a professional conversation. That's not actually supervision, that's just hoping nothing breaks.