COVID-19 Thread

[PeaveyFury]

I don’t see why there is some expectation they should get to watch their kids while working.

 

Maybe because it's tone deaf and heartless?

 

Many have allowed, many have not.

 

Again, if your employer has not, find a new employer when all of this is done. You find out a lot about a company (and people, too) based on how they act in a time like this. Work someplace where they put you and your family ahead of their personal profits.

[PeaveyFury]

I don’t see why there is some expectation they should get to watch their kids while working.

 

Maybe because it's tone deaf and heartless?

 

Many have allowed, many have not.

 

Again, if your employer has not, find a new employer when all of this is done. You find out a lot about a company (and people, too) based on how they act in a time like this. Work someplace where they put you and your family ahead of their personal profits.

[MrTPlush]

I don’t see why there is some expectation they should get to watch their kids while working.

 

Maybe because it's tone deaf and heartless?

 

Many have allowed, many have not.

 

Again, if your employer has not, find a new employer when all of this is done. You find out a lot about a company (and people, too) based on how they act in a time like this. Work someplace where they put you and your family ahead of their personal profits.

 

As I said I think most places have at least bent rules to allow people to “watch” their fairly independent kids. I think the problem is they don’t want people watching their 0-2 year old that requires constant attention so they don’t insert barbies head into an electrical outlet.

 

I don’t think there should be an expectation and entitlement to watch your kids while working at home.

 

I have never mentioned my employer, so I don’t know why you keep bringing it up. I don’t think most employers are freely just letting people care for their kids and stop working constantly all day. If so they must have one relaxed job to do. Parents also wouldn’t be lining up at my local daycares seeing if they can take on additional kids. I imagine it is similar many other places.

[MrTPlush]

I don’t see why there is some expectation they should get to watch their kids while working.

 

Maybe because it's tone deaf and heartless?

 

Many have allowed, many have not.

 

Again, if your employer has not, find a new employer when all of this is done. You find out a lot about a company (and people, too) based on how they act in a time like this. Work someplace where they put you and your family ahead of their personal profits.

 

As I said I think most places have at least bent rules to allow people to “watch” their fairly independent kids. I think the problem is they don’t want people watching their 0-2 year old that requires constant attention so they don’t insert barbies head into an electrical outlet.

 

I don’t think there should be an expectation and entitlement to watch your kids while working at home.

 

I have never mentioned my employer, so I don’t know why you keep bringing it up. I don’t think most employers are freely just letting people care for their kids and stop working constantly all day. If so they must have one relaxed job to do. Parents also wouldn’t be lining up at my local daycares seeing if they can take on additional kids. I imagine it is similar many other places.

[PeaveyFury]

I think the problem is they don’t want people watching their 0-2 year old that requires constant attention so they don’t insert barbies head into an electrical outlet.

 

Outlet covers are a wonderful thing.

 

I have never mentioned my employer, so I don’t know why you keep bringing it up..

 

I meant the collective you, and the point remains the same.

 

The good news is that MMSD has, as expected, already begun walking this back when they were called out on it. It was a poorly thought out, heartless, absurd policy. Truly disappointing that it took a revelation to the media for that to be realized by the district. For a district that struggles with a lot of things, including staff retention, I'd think a lot of those teachers will have that in mind when their contract renewals come up next time.

[PeaveyFury]

I think the problem is they don’t want people watching their 0-2 year old that requires constant attention so they don’t insert barbies head into an electrical outlet.

 

Outlet covers are a wonderful thing.

 

I have never mentioned my employer, so I don’t know why you keep bringing it up..

 

I meant the collective you, and the point remains the same.

 

The good news is that MMSD has, as expected, already begun walking this back when they were called out on it. It was a poorly thought out, heartless, absurd policy. Truly disappointing that it took a revelation to the media for that to be realized by the district. For a district that struggles with a lot of things, including staff retention, I'd think a lot of those teachers will have that in mind when their contract renewals come up next time.

[NeedMoreFans]

I don't know anyone who is working from home that has had to find childcare for their kids while working from home. The only kids that I know of that are still going to daycare are friends of ours whose dad is a nurse manager and their mom's company only went to work from home once the safer-at-home order kicked in. Daycares have prioritized the limited spaces they can have to people who cannot work from home.

 

With the transition to online learning, there is no reason why I cannot work from home with my kids in the house. They will be spending some time doing their own homework and I have a few other things planned for them. I am also not required to do live classes, just be available for office hours throughout the day which won't be complicated by the presence of my children.

[NeedMoreFans]

I don't know anyone who is working from home that has had to find childcare for their kids while working from home. The only kids that I know of that are still going to daycare are friends of ours whose dad is a nurse manager and their mom's company only went to work from home once the safer-at-home order kicked in. Daycares have prioritized the limited spaces they can have to people who cannot work from home.

 

With the transition to online learning, there is no reason why I cannot work from home with my kids in the house. They will be spending some time doing their own homework and I have a few other things planned for them. I am also not required to do live classes, just be available for office hours throughout the day which won't be complicated by the presence of my children.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Just do it without telling anyone like millions of people did before COVID19. As far as the legitimacy of asking people to secure childcare, it's insane. There are people who've had their daycare closed. In a regular circumstance, yes, I agree it's a normal expectation. Right now is anything but normal.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Just do it without telling anyone like millions of people did before COVID19. As far as the legitimacy of asking people to secure childcare, it's insane. There are people who've had their daycare closed. In a regular circumstance, yes, I agree it's a normal expectation. Right now is anything but normal.

[MrTPlush]

Look I am not saying people shouldn’t be able to, I think they should. I think it is far from something that should be expected though. It depends on the job obviously, teachers working at home is probably easily done with kids around. If you have to make phone calls or have meetings a toddler or younger is obviously not the most realistic.

 

Daycares definitely saw an influx of requests. One by me I know refused to take on anyone new while another one was willing to. The state of Wisconsin actually relaxed daycare rules so they could do this, so I think there was a notable need across the state for it. Of course less than 48 hours after that Evers came in with the 50 person ban that they then extended to daycares kind of ruining that plan. I believe that daycare was going to work with the school to add 50 kids and have them under separate roofs then (rule is 50 max in one building), but I don’t think they ended up doing so.

 

This situation is such unchartered territory policies for work establishments have changed almost daily. It isn’t easy for places to shift everyone to work from home in under 48 hours. Places have to learn what to do on the fly.

[Invader3K]

FWIW, my wife works in public higher education. Our two boys have been home for a couple weeks now, and it hasn't been any sort of issue.

 

Expecting people to arrange for childcare given current "Safer at Home" order, and how hard it can be to find quality affordable daycare to begin with under normal circumstances, is simply ridiculous and unrealistic.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I honestly don't think it would even be possible from an infrastructure standpoint for everyone to get childcare.

[greeg35]

Yeah, I wasn't saying teachers should be treated specially, simply that I'm a decent teacher and it's been successful for me to work at home with my kid. Admittedly, I have a simpler situation than some; but many teachers in my school have more challenging situations and are doing fine. I can't speak for all jobs; but I've had a variety and it would have been fine in any of them.

 

The more I learn about companies that successfully have at home employees, the more obvious it is that companies that try to control home work environment are either covering up other disfunction or creating it (or both). I'm proud of my school for being on the right side of that dynamic so quickly.

 

Sam Harris had a recent podcast on this topic. It's really good. Check it out.

[kalle8]

Dear Friends,

 

don't understimate this virus, Italy is on the verge of a collapse, we're on a curfew, almost everything is shut down and the national health system is melting, please stay home and stay safe. 45 days month ago we were on "nothing more than a bad flu" page, well, it is not. We're struggling.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I've been working at home with kids for 5 years. Little kids, too, one grew up that way. One is (or was) in school, the other went to daycare part time. It's fine, you just have to develop a strict schedule and force them into it. Plan some of their naps, meals, etc., around times you absolutely need to work and find what works best for you. I am sure many are struggling with it, but it has been 1-2 weeks. You can figure this out.

[MrTPlush]

It’s the older generation (I’m generalizing here) that likes to think working at home destroys productivity and if your children are home you are going to be playing with legos all day.

 

I actually think I am more productive at home. Comfortable clothes, no driving, saves me money, easier for my boss to contact me, etc. Wish I could do it more, but thus, some boomer is in charge of that rule.

 

How is everyone’s school doing online learning? I guess my local district is having kids in elementary only hand in one math worksheet and do some minor reading. They also have other tasks they can do, but aren’t handed in. Including breaks/gym time they finish their work by lunch time. I get it is short notice, but seems pretty light.

[wallus]

I teach online part time for a side gig. After all of this went down, I really thought we would get an influx of students since we know how to handle this. We even got asked how many more students we would take on if necessary. So far I have not gotten any more.

[sveumrules]

Dear Friends,

 

don't understimate this virus, Italy is on the verge of a collapse, we're on a curfew, almost everything is shut down and the national health system is melting, please stay home and stay safe. 45 days month ago we were on "nothing more than a bad flu" page, well, it is not. We're struggling.

 

Thanks for the update kalle8, hope you & your loved ones are as safe & healthy as possible given everything that is going on right now.

[adambr2]

I don’t see why there is some expectation they should get to watch their kids while working.

 

Maybe because it's tone deaf and heartless?

 

Many have allowed, many have not.

 

Again, if your employer has not, find a new employer when all of this is done. You find out a lot about a company (and people, too) based on how they act in a time like this. Work someplace where they put you and your family ahead of their personal profits.

 

Many employers simply cannot allow children in the workplace due to safety hazards.

 

Mine would be one. Children would never be allowed in except under very controlled conditions and it would be very dangerous for them if they were.

[homer]

I think he's talking about working from home and an employer telling you to get childcare. Not bringing kids to work.

[homer]

Asking how companies handled this should be question #1 for every job interviewee going forward.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Asking how companies handled this should be question #1 for every job interviewee going forward.

 

An excellent point. I was embarrassed by the course of action my company took very early on. They wised up sooner than most, the Monday after school was closed, but people were really in a state of denial really late on this.

[adambr2]

I think he's talking about working from home and an employer telling you to get childcare. Not bringing kids to work.

 

Oh ok. Yeah as far as I'm concerned, if your employer is allowing you to work from home, it's none of their business what I'm doing with my kids as long as I'm productive and meeting job requirements.

[Invader3K]

Dear Friends,

 

don't understimate this virus, Italy is on the verge of a collapse, we're on a curfew, almost everything is shut down and the national health system is melting, please stay home and stay safe. 45 days month ago we were on "nothing more than a bad flu" page, well, it is not. We're struggling.

 

Thanks for the firsthand comment. Hope you and your family are doing OK, kalle.