Preparing for FlexWork: Childcare considerations

Central to my ability to work flexibly over the years has been childcare for my daughters. Nursery school, preschool, and grade school have provided the main structure for my work hours. Contingency planning has been important for days when I can’t leave work exactly on time or when illness and family emergencies keep me from being at work.

Based on my experience, I recommend planning ahead for potential variations in childcare, so you know where to turn when things go awry. It will give you great peace of mind!

Work contingencies

Practicing law doesn’t always fall neatly into set hours. We’ve all had the occasional phone call, hearing or meeting run long, and we’ve all had times when we had to push extra hard to meet a deadline. So, it’s only natural there will be occasions when you can’t be exactly on time to pick up your child or to take over from your childcare provider. Some of you may have a nanny or family member providing care on a flexible basis. If not, consider options such as these:

• Pay for extended childcare hours or daycare services a few times a week, even if you plan to pick up on time most days. Having built-in flexibility on certain days can help you better plan your work schedule.  
• Pay for an adult or college-aged sitter to pick up your child on set days to give yourself a little more flexibility on those days.
• Ask a friend or family member to be on call. You could request that they pick up your child and care for them at your house or theirs if they don’t hear from you by a certain hour of the day (ex: 3:00 p.m.). Pay that person on days when they pick up your child and care for them.
• Pay a teacher to provide after school care as needed.
• Pay another parent at the same school to pick up your child and take them to their house until you can get there.
• Get to know other parents you can contact on a moment’s notice to wait with your child or pick up your child while they’re picking up their own. I used this option when I got stuck in traffic a few times!

You notice that I use the word “pay” in most scenarios. Unless you’re using a close relative who truly takes pleasure in spending more time with your kids, paying for help eliminates tension in a relationship and keeps you from feeling like you owe a lot of return favors.

There also may be occasions when you need help overnight or for days at a time, such as when you travel or are in trial. My mother likes to come stay with us when that happens here, but I know not everyone has that resource. The same people above may be able to offer daytime assistance, while your spouse or a family member is available for the overnight part.

Home contingencies

Unexpected or extended illness can throw a wrench in your carefully choreographed schedule. (Like the time my youngest caught a mild case of chickenpox between vaccine doses and had to stay home for 10 days even though she felt fine!) Any number of other emergencies can crop up that prevent you from being at the office when you need to be.

Thankfully, it’s becoming much easier and more prevalent to work remotely from home and monitor work emails from your mobile phone. I personally do not like to work at home, and I don’t often monitor work email after hours, but it really eases my mind to have those options when I need them. Sometimes work issues crop up after I’ve left for the day, or sometimes I need to put in extra hours at home to meet a deadline. Sometimes, I just need to catch up on my fee bills! Regardless of the reason, it’s been extremely helpful to have remote access when I’m at home or on the go.

Having remote access will enable you to stay home with a sick child or work while you wait for a contractor to show up at your home. But remember to be realistic about what you can accomplish. Taking your child to the doctor and following up at the pharmacy can easily eat up half a day. Some illnesses require more constant care. And it’s not always easy to work while contractors are making a lot of noise or needing supervision. So, be careful not to over promise what you can deliver while you’re home.

It’s also beneficial to know in advance what your firm’s policies are for bringing kids to the office. I’ve had occasions where I brought one of my kids to lounge on the floor of my office when they weren’t quite well enough to go to school. However, I would avoid bringing my kid if she was contagious. I wouldn’t want anyone else to come down with an illness because of me.

There will also be times when the world is as it should be when you leave for work, and then change once you’re there. I cringe when a school’s phone number pops up on caller I.D. in the middle of the workday. If it’s not a discipline issue, it’s probably illness! 

Hopefully, you or your spouse will be able to drop everything and rush to the scene when you’re needed. If not, it’s good to have a backup plan. My mother-in-law, and on occasion father-in-law, has been able to help us in the past. If not them, then I can ask an aunt, uncle or close family friend that I have pre-authorized to pick up my child from the school.

If you’re not in a position to use anyone you know, you might consider making paid arrangements with a licensed nurse retiree or other such professional who could help in a pinch.

The same people may be willing to stay home with your child when they can’t go to school. I emphasize the word “may” because in my experience, if my kids are contagious, no one outside the immediate family wants to be around them!  

I’ve been known to use multiple solutions on a single day, such as when a kid wakes up sick on a day I have a hearing. I have my spouse or family member stay at the house while I’m gone, and then I work from home remotely the rest of the day.

Knowing who I can turn to in the event of an emergency helps make it possible for me to work flexibly.

How does your childcare flex?

Do you have experience with other types of flexible childcare arrangements for when you can’t be with your kids? I hope you’ll share so others can benefit!

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