Episode 19: Abi
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In Episode 19, we talk to Abi who has 2 primary school aged children and works 4 days a week. We talk about being open to different possibilities with childcare and sharing the load of school pick up and drop offs.
The Lowdown
– Family of 4
– 1 parent working 4 days
– 1 parent working full-time
– 2 school-aged children
3:26 How much sleep
3:34 Enough!
3:50 Who is in your family
4:18 Parenting superpowers
4:22 The organiser
4:50 Minister for social engagements
5:10 The online calendar
6:18 Child pick up appointment in work calendar
6:36 Calendar blocked out so meetings can’t be scheduled
7:00 Husbands parenting superpowers
7:06 Fun, handy, practical
7:30 Challenges children more
8:30 Children and safety/risk
9:30 Feeling comfortable to say no
10:24 Children making you brave
10:56 Don’t want them to see your fear
12:00 Flying
14:00 This is a bloomin small plane
15:08 How is childcare managed
15:30 School holidays
16:00 Have you been able to choose your path?
16:16 Fairly in control
16:26 Childcare availability brought things forward
16:50 Working 1 day a week initially
17:20 More flexibility once you are part of the childcare system
17:54 Been able to get the amount of care we needed
18:10 1 day a week was a bit weird
19:00 Building up days of work
21:04 What works well
21:12 Sharing pick ups and drop offs
21:28 Kids getting older and being more independent
22:32 Downsides?
22:38 Tight time budget at work
22:50 Not much wiggle room
23:56 Dump them at the school gate
25:12 Watching the clock and doing the minimum hours
26:30 Staying late then doing the after-hours activity pick up
28:08 Any other combinations?
28:44 Kindy hours
29:04 Shared pick up with a friend, each picking up both kids on one day while the other worked.
29:48 Later a paid arrange with same friend for a full day
30:10 Made the difference between doing kindy and doing childcare that year
31:10 Friend more flexible with hours than chilcare
31:40 Had arrangements for sick days
32:22 What worked best?
32:30 Childcare is so straightforward
34:54 Next step?
35:24 High School with no OSHC
35:42 Back to 2 different schools and no longer walking together
37:54 Are you families paid work environments supportive?
38:06 Flexibility
40:00 Value and support employees so they stick around
40:30 Funny or disasterous moments?
41:02 Travel/sleep/clock fail
44:42 Is family what you thought it would look like?
45:14 Parents on the same page with parenting
46:06 Any advice?
46:12 Be flexible, ask for help
46:30 Be aware of your workplace culture around flexible work
46:48 Be open to ideas
47:00 Don’t be afraid to make changes
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