5 ms·

I agree they make some noise, but having them in your lap during a conference call is over the line imo. If you have kids in the house then you need an office

by randlet 10y ago

I agree they make some noise, but having them in your lap during a conference call is over the line imo. If you have kids in the house then you need an office with a door. I've worked from home for 3 years now with 2 kids aged 0-5 and they understand that when the door is closed, Dad is at work and they don't come in.

randlet 10y ago
I guess after today I should amend my original comment to specify that the door must have a lock too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5A1wg5FA-g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5A1wg5FA-g
- elcapitan 10y ago
  Haha just was going to post this in addition :D
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
QuantumGravy 10y ago
In my experience, no, kids that young do not understand that. Furthermore, if you have the door closed for the length of a conference call with a child that young, I'd expect there to be another adult (or responsible elder sibling) there in the first place, such that the burden of not bothering you was never on the child. If that can't be arranged, you reschedule the call.
- JackFr 10y ago
  If you have 2 children 0-5 with you all day, and no other responsible adult around, you are not working from home. You are getting some work done while you watch your kids.
- randlet 10y ago
  Sorry, I thought it would be obvious that there was another adult looking after the kids. It's not really possible to work from home and look after kids at the same time obviously. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on whether they understand/can follow simple instructions. It's never been a problem with my kids.
  - QuantumGravy 10y ago
    That is reassuring then. Not convinced their ability to follow simple instructions should even be a factor, though. Kids at that age lack the judgement to know when some rules should be broken.
shiven 10y ago
Wait, so what happens to the kids, or what are they doing, while your door is closed (and for how long)?
- NetStrikeForce 10y ago
  Whatever happens, the message is that it's not as important as what happens on the conference call.
  - randlet 10y ago
    I think you misunderstand. There is obviously another caregiver looking after them. I can't have a 24 hour open door policy with my kids while I'm working from home, just the same as anyone who works in an office.
    - NetStrikeForce 10y ago
      I completely understand. Still, we outsource our kids care to be able to care about a conf call. I'm not saying is the right or wrong thing to do, I'm just saying the message is clear.
    - shiven 10y ago
      Then it is perfectly reasonable to have a closed door for calls. However, even in that case, I would not mind an interruption or two during the call. Any more though, I'd start questioning the role of the caregiver.
- randlet 10y ago
  They're with their caregiver. If you're looking after kids yourself you're not working from home.
webmaven 10y ago
> having them in your lap during a conference call is over the line imo. You do understand that sometimes the alternative to the kid sitting quietly in their parent's lap is the kid screaming their head off on the other side of the home office door, right? Personally, I'll take the kid sitting in the parent's lap as being the lesser by far of two annoyances, thanks.
- randlet 10y ago
  "screaming their head off on the other side of the home office door" Whoever is looking after the child should not be allowing them to sit outside the office door and scream! If you're home alone with a kid, you shouldn't be taking conference calls (except under emergency situations e.g. sick kid + critical call).
  - webmaven 10y ago
    > If you're home alone with a kid, you shouldn't be taking conference calls Right, so only people in two-caregiver households get to work from home. Got it. Everybody up and down this thread who is assuming that there even is another caregiver needs to check their privilege. I am not a parent myself, but I have been on conference calls where a colleague tried to keep a child out of their home office for a few minutes (like, for the part of the call when it was their turn to give an update) and it blew up in their face. Just let the kid sit in your lap already, it's fine.
    - randlet 10y ago
      Sorry but I don't believe you can look after your kid all day and work from home at the same time. It's not a matter of privilege, it's a matter of practicality. If you have a full time job, you need childcare whether you work in your home or out of it. I don't think that's particularly controversial. edit: If it lends any weight to my opinion, I guess I could also point out I work from home and that that despite your assumption I've been the only parent for two children <= 5 years old for the last 9 weeks.

by randlet 10y ago

randlet 10y ago

I guess after today I should amend my original comment to specify that the door must have a lock too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5A1wg5FA-g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5A1wg5FA-g

elcapitan 10y ago
Haha just was going to post this in addition :D

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

QuantumGravy 10y ago

In my experience, no, kids that young do not understand that. Furthermore, if you have the door closed for the length of a conference call with a child that young, I'd expect there to be another adult (or responsible elder sibling) there in the first place, such that the burden of not bothering you was never on the child. If that can't be arranged, you reschedule the call.

JackFr 10y ago
If you have 2 children 0-5 with you all day, and no other responsible adult around, you are not working from home. You are getting some work done while you watch your kids.
randlet 10y ago
Sorry, I thought it would be obvious that there was another adult looking after the kids. It's not really possible to work from home and look after kids at the same time obviously. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on whether they understand/can follow simple instructions. It's never been a problem with my kids.
- QuantumGravy 10y ago
  That is reassuring then. Not convinced their ability to follow simple instructions should even be a factor, though. Kids at that age lack the judgement to know when some rules should be broken.

shiven 10y ago

Wait, so what happens to the kids, or what are they doing, while your door is closed (and for how long)?

NetStrikeForce 10y ago
Whatever happens, the message is that it's not as important as what happens on the conference call.
- randlet 10y ago
  I think you misunderstand. There is obviously another caregiver looking after them. I can't have a 24 hour open door policy with my kids while I'm working from home, just the same as anyone who works in an office.
  - NetStrikeForce 10y ago
    I completely understand. Still, we outsource our kids care to be able to care about a conf call. I'm not saying is the right or wrong thing to do, I'm just saying the message is clear.
  - shiven 10y ago
    Then it is perfectly reasonable to have a closed door for calls. However, even in that case, I would not mind an interruption or two during the call. Any more though, I'd start questioning the role of the caregiver.
randlet 10y ago
They're with their caregiver. If you're looking after kids yourself you're not working from home.

webmaven 10y ago

> having them in your lap during a conference call is over the line imo. You do understand that sometimes the alternative to the kid sitting quietly in their parent's lap is the kid screaming their head off on the other side of the home office door, right? Personally, I'll take the kid sitting in the parent's lap as being the lesser by far of two annoyances, thanks.

randlet 10y ago
"screaming their head off on the other side of the home office door" Whoever is looking after the child should not be allowing them to sit outside the office door and scream! If you're home alone with a kid, you shouldn't be taking conference calls (except under emergency situations e.g. sick kid + critical call).
- webmaven 10y ago
  > If you're home alone with a kid, you shouldn't be taking conference calls Right, so only people in two-caregiver households get to work from home. Got it. Everybody up and down this thread who is assuming that there even is another caregiver needs to check their privilege. I am not a parent myself, but I have been on conference calls where a colleague tried to keep a child out of their home office for a few minutes (like, for the part of the call when it was their turn to give an update) and it blew up in their face. Just let the kid sit in your lap already, it's fine.
  - randlet 10y ago
    Sorry but I don't believe you can look after your kid all day and work from home at the same time. It's not a matter of privilege, it's a matter of practicality. If you have a full time job, you need childcare whether you work in your home or out of it. I don't think that's particularly controversial. edit: If it lends any weight to my opinion, I guess I could also point out I work from home and that that despite your assumption I've been the only parent for two children <= 5 years old for the last 9 weeks.