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>>> wasted on commuting and how much more productive we have all become without it. Woah there. As a father to young children I have become massively less pro

>>> wasted on commuting and how much more productive we have all become without it. Woah there. As a father to young children I have become massively less productive and realise both the uncaptured value of parent provided childcare in the GDP stats plus the role that education plays in releasing workers for the rest of the economy. Teachers unions - the time to push for raises is now!

Hedepig 6y ago
I have an 8 month old, my productivity has definitely increased working from home, granted there is the odd moment I am taken away from my work, on the whole though it is a net gain. Not to mention the lack of commuting having a positive effect on my wallet Perhaps with toddlers things will be more difficult, but my spouse and I have an agreement to treat my work space as an office and only disturb when absolutely necessary. I do miss the office environment though
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- lifeisstillgood 6y ago
  Oh you have a live-in nanny and housekeeper already. But don't worry, after a couple more "start-ups" the live-in Nanny will hit scalability issues, and will need you to concentrate on the Ops side as well, andI warn you that easy solutions like hiring a young underpaid intern may result in industrial action !
  - Hedepig 6y ago
    I mustn't have explained my situation clearly I'm a junior/mid Web dev who has an 8 month old, my wife is on maternity leave, when she goes back to work he will go to nursery.
    - lifeisstillgood 6y ago
      I dont think I signalled my (gentle) sarcasm clearly. I wish you and your wife all the best.
      - Hedepig 6y ago
        Blast! No I almost had it, but decided against my intuition. Thank you.
- curlypaul924 6y ago
  My productivity increased when my son was that age. This was before COVID-19; I was working from home a lot for other reasons. With two kids I have to schedule my time a lot more carefully to reach the same level of productivity. Even typing this comment I have to compromise on getting the exact wording I want lest I get interrupted before I finish typing.
minot 6y ago
We won’t even buy them office supplies. Teachers sometimes buy everything from Kleenex to stationery for use by students in the classroom out of pocket. I don’t think how demanding raises will work unless we somehow convince the public to pay (much) higher property taxes.
- moron4hire 6y ago
  The problem is not how much tax we collect. It's how the money is spent.
  - minot 6y ago
    > The problem is not how much tax we collect. It's how the money is spent. Thank you. I clearly didn't know enough about the problem space. For others like me: > MAY 11, 2020 —The amount spent per pupil for public elementary and secondary education (pre-K through 12th grade) for all 50 states and the District of Columbia increased by 3.4% to $12,612 per pupil during the 2018 fiscal year, compared to $12,201 per pupil in 2017, according to new tables released today by the U.S. Census Bureau. > The increase in spending was due in part to an overall increase in revenue. In 2018, public elementary and secondary schools received $720.9 billion from all revenue sources, up 3.8% from $694.3 billion in 2017. > New York ($24,040), the District of Columbia ($22,759), Connecticut ($20,635), New Jersey ($20,021) and Vermont ($19,340) spent the most per pupil in FY 2018. > Public school systems in Alaska (15.8%), Mississippi (13.8%), South Dakota (13.6%), New Mexico (13.4%) and Arizona (13.2%) received the highest percentage of their revenue from the federal government while public school systems in Massachusetts (3.9%), New Jersey (4.0%), Connecticut (4.2%), New York (4.3%) and Minnesota (5.1%) received the lowest. > https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2020/school-system-finances.html https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2020/school-s... I've always been skeptical of New York (City?) policy requiring advanced degrees and certification for public school teachers as well as how involved New York Police Department is with the whole business. How much of the USD 24,040 figure of New York goes to New York Police Department? and then there are the football stadiums: how is this legal? > Eagle Stadium is a football stadium in Allen, Texas. It is owned and operated by the Allen Independent School District and is home of the Allen High School Eagles. > Construction cost $ 60 million https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle_Stadium_(Allen,_Texas) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle_Stadium_(Allen,_Texas) How does this money break down? Would it be better to have a permanent school from home instead? I know I for one would not miss middle school. But yeah, the goal has to be clear: what do we want to achieve? If it is simply a place to park children, we can do that for a lot cheaper. If we actually want to educate, we need to spend better.
jeremyw 6y ago
Echo the (young) kids & productivity penalty. I gave up all long-concentration work for short-cycle wins that fit in-between the kid's nervous energy / social interruptions. I have tremendous sympathy for parents that didn't have that flexibility.
keyle 6y ago
Programming & kids do not go together. Deep thinking and juggling complex structures in mind with past and future states... "Hey dad, check out my new dress and ring I stole from mum!" <gone> ... 15 mins later. Where was I... Ah yes, deep thinking and juggling complex structures in mind with past and future states... "Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad! She took my toys" <gone> I literally end up jotting pseudocode as fast as possible and then translate it for the simplest things. So I work when they sleep. You'd think these constant interruptions would make you super efficient with focus and time, but it's the opposite. Concentration is much harder to obtain and retain because of the constant potential for interruption looming.
- aspaceman 6y ago
  Or the suspense of, “wait it’s quiet... too quiet, oh no what’s wrong”
  - lifeisstillgood 6y ago
    Yes ! Years ago I took a remote job and started in the spare room upstairs. Hear them shout - wish they would be quiet. Hear them cry - wish I could comfort them. Hear them laugh - wish I could join them. Not hear them at all - OMG they died suddenly! Yeah I rented an office for the next two years.
- majkinetor 6y ago
  I suggest best noise/human cancelation headphones. It makes tremendous difference.
  - burlesona 6y ago
    Unfortunately noise canceling headphones to nothing about a child tugging on your shirt. When children are little, they truly need attention. If there’s no one else around to provide it, then there’s really no way to deep work, because you will have to help them with something at least a few times per hour. There are some kinds of work that aren’t too disrupted by this, but programming isn’t one of those.
k__ 6y ago
I always had the feeling (as a child and later as adult) that (pre-)schools were mostly for the benefit of the parents and not the children. The more I think about it, even with the danger of (religious) indoctrination, I'd say props to all the home schooling parents.
- jbaber 6y ago
  Contrasting my kids' experience with an au pair and daycare, I think the daycare model of a few adults watching a gaggle of kids playing with each other is more "natural" than one kid alone in a nuclear household mostly interacting with adults and arranged "playdates" with other kids.

Hedepig 6y ago

I have an 8 month old, my productivity has definitely increased working from home, granted there is the odd moment I am taken away from my work, on the whole though it is a net gain. Not to mention the lack of commuting having a positive effect on my wallet Perhaps with toddlers things will be more difficult, but my spouse and I have an agreement to treat my work space as an office and only disturb when absolutely necessary. I do miss the office environment though

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
lifeisstillgood 6y ago
Oh you have a live-in nanny and housekeeper already. But don't worry, after a couple more "start-ups" the live-in Nanny will hit scalability issues, and will need you to concentrate on the Ops side as well, andI warn you that easy solutions like hiring a young underpaid intern may result in industrial action !
- Hedepig 6y ago
  I mustn't have explained my situation clearly I'm a junior/mid Web dev who has an 8 month old, my wife is on maternity leave, when she goes back to work he will go to nursery.
  - lifeisstillgood 6y ago
    I dont think I signalled my (gentle) sarcasm clearly. I wish you and your wife all the best.
    - Hedepig 6y ago
      Blast! No I almost had it, but decided against my intuition. Thank you.
curlypaul924 6y ago
My productivity increased when my son was that age. This was before COVID-19; I was working from home a lot for other reasons. With two kids I have to schedule my time a lot more carefully to reach the same level of productivity. Even typing this comment I have to compromise on getting the exact wording I want lest I get interrupted before I finish typing.

minot 6y ago

We won’t even buy them office supplies. Teachers sometimes buy everything from Kleenex to stationery for use by students in the classroom out of pocket. I don’t think how demanding raises will work unless we somehow convince the public to pay (much) higher property taxes.

moron4hire 6y ago
The problem is not how much tax we collect. It's how the money is spent.
- minot 6y ago
  > The problem is not how much tax we collect. It's how the money is spent. Thank you. I clearly didn't know enough about the problem space. For others like me: > MAY 11, 2020 —The amount spent per pupil for public elementary and secondary education (pre-K through 12th grade) for all 50 states and the District of Columbia increased by 3.4% to $12,612 per pupil during the 2018 fiscal year, compared to $12,201 per pupil in 2017, according to new tables released today by the U.S. Census Bureau. > The increase in spending was due in part to an overall increase in revenue. In 2018, public elementary and secondary schools received $720.9 billion from all revenue sources, up 3.8% from $694.3 billion in 2017. > New York ($24,040), the District of Columbia ($22,759), Connecticut ($20,635), New Jersey ($20,021) and Vermont ($19,340) spent the most per pupil in FY 2018. > Public school systems in Alaska (15.8%), Mississippi (13.8%), South Dakota (13.6%), New Mexico (13.4%) and Arizona (13.2%) received the highest percentage of their revenue from the federal government while public school systems in Massachusetts (3.9%), New Jersey (4.0%), Connecticut (4.2%), New York (4.3%) and Minnesota (5.1%) received the lowest. > https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2020/school-system-finances.html https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2020/school-s... I've always been skeptical of New York (City?) policy requiring advanced degrees and certification for public school teachers as well as how involved New York Police Department is with the whole business. How much of the USD 24,040 figure of New York goes to New York Police Department? and then there are the football stadiums: how is this legal? > Eagle Stadium is a football stadium in Allen, Texas. It is owned and operated by the Allen Independent School District and is home of the Allen High School Eagles. > Construction cost $ 60 million https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle_Stadium_(Allen,_Texas) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle_Stadium_(Allen,_Texas) How does this money break down? Would it be better to have a permanent school from home instead? I know I for one would not miss middle school. But yeah, the goal has to be clear: what do we want to achieve? If it is simply a place to park children, we can do that for a lot cheaper. If we actually want to educate, we need to spend better.

jeremyw 6y ago

Echo the (young) kids & productivity penalty. I gave up all long-concentration work for short-cycle wins that fit in-between the kid's nervous energy / social interruptions. I have tremendous sympathy for parents that didn't have that flexibility.

keyle 6y ago

Programming & kids do not go together. Deep thinking and juggling complex structures in mind with past and future states... "Hey dad, check out my new dress and ring I stole from mum!" <gone> ... 15 mins later. Where was I... Ah yes, deep thinking and juggling complex structures in mind with past and future states... "Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad! She took my toys" <gone> I literally end up jotting pseudocode as fast as possible and then translate it for the simplest things. So I work when they sleep. You'd think these constant interruptions would make you super efficient with focus and time, but it's the opposite. Concentration is much harder to obtain and retain because of the constant potential for interruption looming.

aspaceman 6y ago
Or the suspense of, “wait it’s quiet... too quiet, oh no what’s wrong”
- lifeisstillgood 6y ago
  Yes ! Years ago I took a remote job and started in the spare room upstairs. Hear them shout - wish they would be quiet. Hear them cry - wish I could comfort them. Hear them laugh - wish I could join them. Not hear them at all - OMG they died suddenly! Yeah I rented an office for the next two years.
majkinetor 6y ago
I suggest best noise/human cancelation headphones. It makes tremendous difference.
- burlesona 6y ago
  Unfortunately noise canceling headphones to nothing about a child tugging on your shirt. When children are little, they truly need attention. If there’s no one else around to provide it, then there’s really no way to deep work, because you will have to help them with something at least a few times per hour. There are some kinds of work that aren’t too disrupted by this, but programming isn’t one of those.

k__ 6y ago

I always had the feeling (as a child and later as adult) that (pre-)schools were mostly for the benefit of the parents and not the children. The more I think about it, even with the danger of (religious) indoctrination, I'd say props to all the home schooling parents.

jbaber 6y ago
Contrasting my kids' experience with an au pair and daycare, I think the daycare model of a few adults watching a gaggle of kids playing with each other is more "natural" than one kid alone in a nuclear household mostly interacting with adults and arranged "playdates" with other kids.