RTO and No Childcare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work in a different level of government that is still allowing a lot of teleworking. Personally, I have absolutely been paying for FT child care this whole time with the exception of the first months of the pandemic.

It's become impossible to reach most employees by phone. There was never a requirement to have calls forwarded so people are just not answering their office phones or leaving an alternate number. It's ridiculous.

I am fine with having telework but the problem is the total lack of accountability or consequences.

You think this is because of childcare that you can't reach people? Why? There are a number of reasons people don't pick up their phones from a unknown number, particularly certain agencies/offices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I remember hustling pick up and drop off logistics with DH during our kids early years. Both of us had inflexible jobs. Very stressful and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

We are supposed to evolve. Just because I did it 15 years ago doesn’t mean today’s generation should have to as well. Why are Americans so infatuated with punishment?

Once again, no one is. It’s the whining and the hysterics of it all.

If we could wave our magic wand, we’d keep at least regular telework, if not full telework. But it’s not happening and a lot of people here are saying it’s impossible to figure out childcare. That their lives are being turned upside down. It’s perspective that is missing.

My kids were in full time daycare, and then before and after care, and yeah it’s expensive. And there are wait lists. BTDT. The hours with a commute are tough too, so I found a daycare that was closer to my office so we could manage the daycare’s hours. I have a long commute and getting my toddler out of bed at 6:30am was hard.

We staggered our tours of duty, we used a lot of leave, we hired high schooler to shuttle one kid to her sport when we weren’t home in time to get her there. We had zero telework then.

I don’t begrudge anyone who doesn’t have to do that. But reality is this is what’s happening now.

Some of us don’t even know where our office will be so it’s hard to pick a daycare that aligns with commute. Not to mention people normally get on daycare waitlists while they’re still pregnant.

I'm confused. Have you been working from home full-time with a daycare aged child? Because that's not allowed. Everyone I know that teleworks but has an infant or toddler has someone caring for them during the day.

You trolls have been warned.

Nope, not a troll - anyone that is stressed out about having to find DAYCARE right now is in the wrong and they know it. I absolutely understand the people stressing about before and after care. It's impossible to find elementary-aged before and after care, the waitlists are long, but someone who has a child under the age of 5 who is looking for DAYCARE should have had their child in daycare this whole time. WTF?

The daycare post was in reference to commute time and the new work location: "a daycare that aligns with commute" when you don't know where you'll be reporting. Read.

I’m the PP who mentioned daycare and not knowing office location. My kids are school aged and I have a WAH spouse so we’ll be fine if we stagger hours, it will just be less time with my family despite the fact I chose this as a telework-friendly job 12 years ago but I digress.

I was simply replying to the person above me who mentioned how they found daycare and figured everything out. And I was pointing out reasons it may not be so easy to find daycare quickly.

I wasn’t implying that anyone is working without daycare. But you have no idea if someone’s daycare doesn’t stay open late enough to accommodate a long commute (I’ve had friends tell me about childcare hours being shortened). Some people on here have been swearing the market will adapt and they’ll stay open later again, so we’ll see.

Or perhaps the daycare they’re using would no longer be convenient if their office location is now changing compared to where they went into an office pre-COVID.

There are so many variables, and childcare plus dual spouse career choices is usually a logic puzzle to begin with. So no, I’m not saying anyone is working without daycare. Just that we aren’t simply going back to pre-COVID life and that childcare isn’t always easy to coordinate with short notice.

There was not enough child care before covid, let alone after. The market cannot adapt as they don't have enough workers.

Are you kidding me ?? There is more than enought childcare in the DMV. You just haven't tried.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I remember hustling pick up and drop off logistics with DH during our kids early years. Both of us had inflexible jobs. Very stressful and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

We are supposed to evolve. Just because I did it 15 years ago doesn’t mean today’s generation should have to as well. Why are Americans so infatuated with punishment?

Once again, no one is. It’s the whining and the hysterics of it all.

If we could wave our magic wand, we’d keep at least regular telework, if not full telework. But it’s not happening and a lot of people here are saying it’s impossible to figure out childcare. That their lives are being turned upside down. It’s perspective that is missing.

My kids were in full time daycare, and then before and after care, and yeah it’s expensive. And there are wait lists. BTDT. The hours with a commute are tough too, so I found a daycare that was closer to my office so we could manage the daycare’s hours. I have a long commute and getting my toddler out of bed at 6:30am was hard.

We staggered our tours of duty, we used a lot of leave, we hired high schooler to shuttle one kid to her sport when we weren’t home in time to get her there. We had zero telework then.

I don’t begrudge anyone who doesn’t have to do that. But reality is this is what’s happening now.

Some of us don’t even know where our office will be so it’s hard to pick a daycare that aligns with commute. Not to mention people normally get on daycare waitlists while they’re still pregnant.

I'm confused. Have you been working from home full-time with a daycare aged child? Because that's not allowed. Everyone I know that teleworks but has an infant or toddler has someone caring for them during the day.

You trolls have been warned.

Nope, not a troll - anyone that is stressed out about having to find DAYCARE right now is in the wrong and they know it. I absolutely understand the people stressing about before and after care. It's impossible to find elementary-aged before and after care, the waitlists are long, but someone who has a child under the age of 5 who is looking for DAYCARE should have had their child in daycare this whole time. WTF?

The daycare post was in reference to commute time and the new work location: "a daycare that aligns with commute" when you don't know where you'll be reporting. Read.

I’m the PP who mentioned daycare and not knowing office location. My kids are school aged and I have a WAH spouse so we’ll be fine if we stagger hours, it will just be less time with my family despite the fact I chose this as a telework-friendly job 12 years ago but I digress.

I was simply replying to the person above me who mentioned how they found daycare and figured everything out. And I was pointing out reasons it may not be so easy to find daycare quickly.

I wasn’t implying that anyone is working without daycare. But you have no idea if someone’s daycare doesn’t stay open late enough to accommodate a long commute (I’ve had friends tell me about childcare hours being shortened). Some people on here have been swearing the market will adapt and they’ll stay open later again, so we’ll see.

Or perhaps the daycare they’re using would no longer be convenient if their office location is now changing compared to where they went into an office pre-COVID.

There are so many variables, and childcare plus dual spouse career choices is usually a logic puzzle to begin with. So no, I’m not saying anyone is working without daycare. Just that we aren’t simply going back to pre-COVID life and that childcare isn’t always easy to coordinate with short notice.

There was not enough child care before covid, let alone after. The market cannot adapt as they don't have enough workers.

Are you kidding me ?? There is more than enought childcare in the DMV. You just haven't tried.

What’s your email? I’ll pay you to find me some.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I remember hustling pick up and drop off logistics with DH during our kids early years. Both of us had inflexible jobs. Very stressful and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

We are supposed to evolve. Just because I did it 15 years ago doesn’t mean today’s generation should have to as well. Why are Americans so infatuated with punishment?

Once again, no one is. It’s the whining and the hysterics of it all.

If we could wave our magic wand, we’d keep at least regular telework, if not full telework. But it’s not happening and a lot of people here are saying it’s impossible to figure out childcare. That their lives are being turned upside down. It’s perspective that is missing.

My kids were in full time daycare, and then before and after care, and yeah it’s expensive. And there are wait lists. BTDT. The hours with a commute are tough too, so I found a daycare that was closer to my office so we could manage the daycare’s hours. I have a long commute and getting my toddler out of bed at 6:30am was hard.

We staggered our tours of duty, we used a lot of leave, we hired high schooler to shuttle one kid to her sport when we weren’t home in time to get her there. We had zero telework then.

I don’t begrudge anyone who doesn’t have to do that. But reality is this is what’s happening now.

Some of us don’t even know where our office will be so it’s hard to pick a daycare that aligns with commute. Not to mention people normally get on daycare waitlists while they’re still pregnant.

I'm confused. Have you been working from home full-time with a daycare aged child? Because that's not allowed. Everyone I know that teleworks but has an infant or toddler has someone caring for them during the day.

You trolls have been warned.

Nope, not a troll - anyone that is stressed out about having to find DAYCARE right now is in the wrong and they know it. I absolutely understand the people stressing about before and after care. It's impossible to find elementary-aged before and after care, the waitlists are long, but someone who has a child under the age of 5 who is looking for DAYCARE should have had their child in daycare this whole time. WTF?

The daycare post was in reference to commute time and the new work location: "a daycare that aligns with commute" when you don't know where you'll be reporting. Read.

I’m the PP who mentioned daycare and not knowing office location. My kids are school aged and I have a WAH spouse so we’ll be fine if we stagger hours, it will just be less time with my family despite the fact I chose this as a telework-friendly job 12 years ago but I digress.

I was simply replying to the person above me who mentioned how they found daycare and figured everything out. And I was pointing out reasons it may not be so easy to find daycare quickly.

I wasn’t implying that anyone is working without daycare. But you have no idea if someone’s daycare doesn’t stay open late enough to accommodate a long commute (I’ve had friends tell me about childcare hours being shortened). Some people on here have been swearing the market will adapt and they’ll stay open later again, so we’ll see.

Or perhaps the daycare they’re using would no longer be convenient if their office location is now changing compared to where they went into an office pre-COVID.

There are so many variables, and childcare plus dual spouse career choices is usually a logic puzzle to begin with. So no, I’m not saying anyone is working without daycare. Just that we aren’t simply going back to pre-COVID life and that childcare isn’t always easy to coordinate with short notice.

There was not enough child care before covid, let alone after. The market cannot adapt as they don't have enough workers.

Are you kidding me ?? There is more than enought childcare in the DMV. You just haven't tried.

At our school you have to sign up for before/after care by January for the following year. It absolutely fills up and a lot of families that need it can't access it. Part time nannies aren't that easy to come by. That being said I don't have a ton of sympathy for people that just decided not to pay for childcare because they were "working from home".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in a different level of government that is still allowing a lot of teleworking. Personally, I have absolutely been paying for FT child care this whole time with the exception of the first months of the pandemic.

It's become impossible to reach most employees by phone. There was never a requirement to have calls forwarded so people are just not answering their office phones or leaving an alternate number. It's ridiculous.

I am fine with having telework but the problem is the total lack of accountability or consequences.

You think this is because of childcare that you can't reach people? Why? There are a number of reasons people don't pick up their phones from a unknown number, particularly certain agencies/offices.

I've been in my job for many years before the pandemic. You used to be able to pick up the phone and reach people and if you didn't they'd call you back. We serve the public it's not appropriate to ignore calls from unknown numbers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in a different level of government that is still allowing a lot of teleworking. Personally, I have absolutely been paying for FT child care this whole time with the exception of the first months of the pandemic.

It's become impossible to reach most employees by phone. There was never a requirement to have calls forwarded so people are just not answering their office phones or leaving an alternate number. It's ridiculous.

I am fine with having telework but the problem is the total lack of accountability or consequences.

You think this is because of childcare that you can't reach people? Why? There are a number of reasons people don't pick up their phones from a unknown number, particularly certain agencies/offices.

I've been in my job for many years before the pandemic. You used to be able to pick up the phone and reach people and if you didn't they'd call you back. We serve the public it's not appropriate to ignore calls from unknown numbers.

This is in part a shift in how people communicate. People under, say, 40 abhor the phone. They will 100% get back to you in an instant message or in my case, Teams direct calls. The cell phone is a different beast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in a different level of government that is still allowing a lot of teleworking. Personally, I have absolutely been paying for FT child care this whole time with the exception of the first months of the pandemic.

It's become impossible to reach most employees by phone. There was never a requirement to have calls forwarded so people are just not answering their office phones or leaving an alternate number. It's ridiculous.

I am fine with having telework but the problem is the total lack of accountability or consequences.

You think this is because of childcare that you can't reach people? Why? There are a number of reasons people don't pick up their phones from a unknown number, particularly certain agencies/offices.

I've been in my job for many years before the pandemic. You used to be able to pick up the phone and reach people and if you didn't they'd call you back. We serve the public it's not appropriate to ignore calls from unknown numbers.

This also has nothing to do with childcare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in a different level of government that is still allowing a lot of teleworking. Personally, I have absolutely been paying for FT child care this whole time with the exception of the first months of the pandemic.

It's become impossible to reach most employees by phone. There was never a requirement to have calls forwarded so people are just not answering their office phones or leaving an alternate number. It's ridiculous.

I am fine with having telework but the problem is the total lack of accountability or consequences.

You think this is because of childcare that you can't reach people? Why? There are a number of reasons people don't pick up their phones from a unknown number, particularly certain agencies/offices.

I've been in my job for many years before the pandemic. You used to be able to pick up the phone and reach people and if you didn't they'd call you back. We serve the public it's not appropriate to ignore calls from unknown numbers.

This is in part a shift in how people communicate. People under, say, 40 abhor the phone. They will 100% get back to you in an instant message or in my case, Teams direct calls. The cell phone is a different beast.

+1. It’s considered rude nowadays to randomly call people without texting them first. Weird but true.

[Anonymous]

^ You should send them a message asking if they have a min to chat. Then, they really have no excuse to not get back to you (unless their working hours are over or they’re in another meeting)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in a different level of government that is still allowing a lot of teleworking. Personally, I have absolutely been paying for FT child care this whole time with the exception of the first months of the pandemic.

It's become impossible to reach most employees by phone. There was never a requirement to have calls forwarded so people are just not answering their office phones or leaving an alternate number. It's ridiculous.

I am fine with having telework but the problem is the total lack of accountability or consequences.

You think this is because of childcare that you can't reach people? Why? There are a number of reasons people don't pick up their phones from a unknown number, particularly certain agencies/offices.

I've been in my job for many years before the pandemic. You used to be able to pick up the phone and reach people and if you didn't they'd call you back. We serve the public it's not appropriate to ignore calls from unknown numbers.

This is in part a shift in how people communicate. People under, say, 40 abhor the phone. They will 100% get back to you in an instant message or in my case, Teams direct calls. The cell phone is a different beast.

+1. It’s considered rude nowadays to randomly call people without texting them first. Weird but true.

Can you start a separate post about this topic? Thank you in advance

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in a different level of government that is still allowing a lot of teleworking. Personally, I have absolutely been paying for FT child care this whole time with the exception of the first months of the pandemic.

It's become impossible to reach most employees by phone. There was never a requirement to have calls forwarded so people are just not answering their office phones or leaving an alternate number. It's ridiculous.

I am fine with having telework but the problem is the total lack of accountability or consequences.

You think this is because of childcare that you can't reach people? Why? There are a number of reasons people don't pick up their phones from a unknown number, particularly certain agencies/offices.

I've been in my job for many years before the pandemic. You used to be able to pick up the phone and reach people and if you didn't they'd call you back. We serve the public it's not appropriate to ignore calls from unknown numbers.

This is in part a shift in how people communicate. People under, say, 40 abhor the phone. They will 100% get back to you in an instant message or in my case, Teams direct calls. The cell phone is a different beast.

+1. It’s considered rude nowadays to randomly call people without texting them first. Weird but true.

You all are just digging yourselves deeper in. It's not "rude" to call a government office that is paid to serve the public. Smh

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ You should send them a message asking if they have a min to chat. Then, they really have no excuse to not get back to you (unless their working hours are over or they’re in another meeting)

My coworker does this.

"Are you free to talk?"

20 seconds later I respond "Yes"

10 minutes later she finally calls me. So annoying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I remember hustling pick up and drop off logistics with DH during our kids early years. Both of us had inflexible jobs. Very stressful and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

We are supposed to evolve. Just because I did it 15 years ago doesn’t mean today’s generation should have to as well. Why are Americans so infatuated with punishment?

Once again, no one is. It’s the whining and the hysterics of it all.

If we could wave our magic wand, we’d keep at least regular telework, if not full telework. But it’s not happening and a lot of people here are saying it’s impossible to figure out childcare. That their lives are being turned upside down. It’s perspective that is missing.

My kids were in full time daycare, and then before and after care, and yeah it’s expensive. And there are wait lists. BTDT. The hours with a commute are tough too, so I found a daycare that was closer to my office so we could manage the daycare’s hours. I have a long commute and getting my toddler out of bed at 6:30am was hard.

We staggered our tours of duty, we used a lot of leave, we hired high schooler to shuttle one kid to her sport when we weren’t home in time to get her there. We had zero telework then.

I don’t begrudge anyone who doesn’t have to do that. But reality is this is what’s happening now.

Some of us don’t even know where our office will be so it’s hard to pick a daycare that aligns with commute. Not to mention people normally get on daycare waitlists while they’re still pregnant.

I'm confused. Have you been working from home full-time with a daycare aged child? Because that's not allowed. Everyone I know that teleworks but has an infant or toddler has someone caring for them during the day.

You trolls have been warned.

Nope, not a troll - anyone that is stressed out about having to find DAYCARE right now is in the wrong and they know it. I absolutely understand the people stressing about before and after care. It's impossible to find elementary-aged before and after care, the waitlists are long, but someone who has a child under the age of 5 who is looking for DAYCARE should have had their child in daycare this whole time. WTF?

The daycare post was in reference to commute time and the new work location: "a daycare that aligns with commute" when you don't know where you'll be reporting. Read.

I’m the PP who mentioned daycare and not knowing office location. My kids are school aged and I have a WAH spouse so we’ll be fine if we stagger hours, it will just be less time with my family despite the fact I chose this as a telework-friendly job 12 years ago but I digress.

I was simply replying to the person above me who mentioned how they found daycare and figured everything out. And I was pointing out reasons it may not be so easy to find daycare quickly.

I wasn’t implying that anyone is working without daycare. But you have no idea if someone’s daycare doesn’t stay open late enough to accommodate a long commute (I’ve had friends tell me about childcare hours being shortened). Some people on here have been swearing the market will adapt and they’ll stay open later again, so we’ll see.

Or perhaps the daycare they’re using would no longer be convenient if their office location is now changing compared to where they went into an office pre-COVID.

There are so many variables, and childcare plus dual spouse career choices is usually a logic puzzle to begin with. So no, I’m not saying anyone is working without daycare. Just that we aren’t simply going back to pre-COVID life and that childcare isn’t always easy to coordinate with short notice.

There was not enough child care before covid, let alone after. The market cannot adapt as they don't have enough workers.

They can raise rates to attract and retain employees. Obviously it would also be ideal if there was more of a push on a national level to address this issue, but no one thinks that will be a priority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in a different level of government that is still allowing a lot of teleworking. Personally, I have absolutely been paying for FT child care this whole time with the exception of the first months of the pandemic.

It's become impossible to reach most employees by phone. There was never a requirement to have calls forwarded so people are just not answering their office phones or leaving an alternate number. It's ridiculous.

I am fine with having telework but the problem is the total lack of accountability or consequences.

You think this is because of childcare that you can't reach people? Why? There are a number of reasons people don't pick up their phones from a unknown number, particularly certain agencies/offices.

I've been in my job for many years before the pandemic. You used to be able to pick up the phone and reach people and if you didn't they'd call you back. We serve the public it's not appropriate to ignore calls from unknown numbers.

This is in part a shift in how people communicate. People under, say, 40 abhor the phone. They will 100% get back to you in an instant message or in my case, Teams direct calls. The cell phone is a different beast.

+1. It’s considered rude nowadays to randomly call people without texting them first. Weird but true.

You all are just digging yourselves deeper in. It's not "rude" to call a government office that is paid to serve the public. Smh

still nothing to do with childcare. Start a different thread about how you can't reach someone in the federal government.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I remember hustling pick up and drop off logistics with DH during our kids early years. Both of us had inflexible jobs. Very stressful and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

We are supposed to evolve. Just because I did it 15 years ago doesn’t mean today’s generation should have to as well. Why are Americans so infatuated with punishment?

Once again, no one is. It’s the whining and the hysterics of it all.

If we could wave our magic wand, we’d keep at least regular telework, if not full telework. But it’s not happening and a lot of people here are saying it’s impossible to figure out childcare. That their lives are being turned upside down. It’s perspective that is missing.

My kids were in full time daycare, and then before and after care, and yeah it’s expensive. And there are wait lists. BTDT. The hours with a commute are tough too, so I found a daycare that was closer to my office so we could manage the daycare’s hours. I have a long commute and getting my toddler out of bed at 6:30am was hard.

We staggered our tours of duty, we used a lot of leave, we hired high schooler to shuttle one kid to her sport when we weren’t home in time to get her there. We had zero telework then.

I don’t begrudge anyone who doesn’t have to do that. But reality is this is what’s happening now.

Some of us don’t even know where our office will be so it’s hard to pick a daycare that aligns with commute. Not to mention people normally get on daycare waitlists while they’re still pregnant.

I'm confused. Have you been working from home full-time with a daycare aged child? Because that's not allowed. Everyone I know that teleworks but has an infant or toddler has someone caring for them during the day.

You trolls have been warned.

Nope, not a troll - anyone that is stressed out about having to find DAYCARE right now is in the wrong and they know it. I absolutely understand the people stressing about before and after care. It's impossible to find elementary-aged before and after care, the waitlists are long, but someone who has a child under the age of 5 who is looking for DAYCARE should have had their child in daycare this whole time. WTF?

The daycare post was in reference to commute time and the new work location: "a daycare that aligns with commute" when you don't know where you'll be reporting. Read.

I’m the PP who mentioned daycare and not knowing office location. My kids are school aged and I have a WAH spouse so we’ll be fine if we stagger hours, it will just be less time with my family despite the fact I chose this as a telework-friendly job 12 years ago but I digress.

I was simply replying to the person above me who mentioned how they found daycare and figured everything out. And I was pointing out reasons it may not be so easy to find daycare quickly.

I wasn’t implying that anyone is working without daycare. But you have no idea if someone’s daycare doesn’t stay open late enough to accommodate a long commute (I’ve had friends tell me about childcare hours being shortened). Some people on here have been swearing the market will adapt and they’ll stay open later again, so we’ll see.

Or perhaps the daycare they’re using would no longer be convenient if their office location is now changing compared to where they went into an office pre-COVID.

There are so many variables, and childcare plus dual spouse career choices is usually a logic puzzle to begin with. So no, I’m not saying anyone is working without daycare. Just that we aren’t simply going back to pre-COVID life and that childcare isn’t always easy to coordinate with short notice.

There was not enough child care before covid, let alone after. The market cannot adapt as they don't have enough workers.

They can raise rates to attract and retain employees. Obviously it would also be ideal if there was more of a push on a national level to address this issue, but no one thinks that will be a priority.

In our school it is the school itself that limits enrollment for the provider because of the spaces the school allows the provider to use. The provider has to compete with the enrichment programs that only run until 4:30pm