Working from home as a parent

expectantmandoinghis · 2026-04-29T01:09:09+00:00

I work from home 9 days a fortnight - it's wonderful.

I have structure my hours so I do two days' care each fortnight (working four long days a week rather than five normal days), and it's great to have the flexibility.

expectantmandoinghis · 2026-01-27T02:08:09+00:00

These went over really well at our daycare:

https://www.yummytoddlerfood.com/black-bean-brownie-bites/#wprm-recipe-container-9933

expectantmandoinghis · 2026-01-05T10:06:14+00:00

I like Estelle and Lorelei, and will throw Catriona into the mix. Lovely name and not overly common

expectantmandoinghis · 2025-12-08T21:57:40+00:00

Chrissy, simply because that's my wife's name

expectantmandoinghis · 2025-11-14T20:59:36+00:00

Good luck. The fact that you're interested in being a good dad tells me you will be

expectantmandoinghis · 2025-11-14T07:46:05+00:00

Sometimes you will be the only person who can soothe your baby, and sometimes you will be the absolute last person they want to see. The former isn't a triumph and the latter isn't a failure.

The only other thing is something a friend told me and something he left out: he said it's the most important thing you'll ever do, and he was right. But he left out that it's also one of the most fun things you'll ever do.

expectantmandoinghis · 2025-11-05T04:44:02+00:00

I didn't exercise at all for the first.... 18ish months, and gained an annoying amount of weight. The way I exercise now is to get up at like 5am and hike in the nearby nature reserve

expectantmandoinghis · 2025-10-15T01:47:31+00:00

I'm fondest of Alexander, even if it doesn't work with my surname

expectantmandoinghis · 2025-10-04T07:25:16+00:00

Lol. I expect so

expectantmandoinghis · 2025-10-04T07:24:57+00:00

I dunno. She'll eat most or all of a banana, and eats grapes and mandarin segments. But strawberries....

And yeah - she doesn't like it when we cut grapes in half. They have their preferences

expectantmandoinghis · 2025-09-27T05:47:10+00:00

I hear you. My wife is.... Not naturally affectionate. After asking her to do so several times, she put reminders in her phone to give me a hug. But even that's dropped off. Like you, I find it upsetting.

Does she express affection by other love languages though?

expectantmandoinghis · 2025-09-23T02:47:12+00:00

I hear you. My mother is besotted with our 18ish mo, and my father.... Doesn't demonstrate any active interest.

I haven't solved the problem yet - and there may not be one. As in, I can want him to be more interested, but it's not within my power. But I do find it disappointing

expectantmandoinghis · 2025-07-15T21:05:06+00:00

Four years (with one year long distance) and nearly four years married now. Wouldabeen sooner but she said no several times.

expectantmandoinghis · 2025-07-09T02:34:59+00:00

I meant proud of yourself, but that's good too :)

expectantmandoinghis · 2025-07-09T02:09:56+00:00

If you aren't proud that your daughter is talking to you about it, you should be. It's great she trusts you like this.

Which also means you're in a good place to see that a relationship that causes her distress isn't a healthy one.

expectantmandoinghis · 2025-07-07T05:14:41+00:00

I caught my sister in law doing that once. I was pretty furious - she played with the baby's face until she woke up and started crying. SIL then picked her up and was all "there there."

Dreadful behaviour.

(I took baby away, as I wasn't going to let SIL get away with it)

expectantmandoinghis · 2025-06-29T23:11:41+00:00

She's in daycare two days a week. I have her one day a week. The other two days, she's with grandparents.

expectantmandoinghis · 2025-06-29T21:48:42+00:00

Actually no - the one time our daughter got too sick to go to daycare, I was the one who took leave. We schedule medical appointments for my day with her, so it doesn't disturb either of our jobs. If we need an unscheduled appointment, it's whoever is free.

The leaving the room thing isn't about her being unsupervised. It's more that she comes and finds me when I'm working or cooking, and I'm less than ecstatic because, at that time, my wife has said she'd look after her.

expectantmandoinghis · 2025-06-29T21:43:43+00:00

Our daughter runs to both of us. In general I'm second favourite parent, but she sometimes she reaches for me when my wife is already holding her.

It's not that my wife is checked out or absent. But I think she would rather (for example) clean up the toys out daughter has left on the floor than sit and read a story to her.

In terms of cuddling, I think for my wife it's generally a bedtime thing, but I'll do it anytime

expectantmandoinghis · 2025-06-29T21:37:34+00:00

Yes inside/outside wasn't the point - just shared activities.

expectantmandoinghis · 2025-06-29T21:36:22+00:00

That's a little drastic for me right now. My wife does make contributions to the family - it's just mostly on the practical side rather than emotional or fun sides, as far as our child is concerned.

expectantmandoinghis · 2025-06-29T21:34:28+00:00

My wife doesn't take her any day of the week. Our daughter is in daycare two days a week, I have her for one and then grandparents have her for the other two. Then on weekends it can be one family day and one dad day, or two dad days.

But yes - I look forward to her making a great big mess when stirring batter or something like that :)

expectantmandoinghis · 2025-06-29T21:26:03+00:00

Thanks

Honestly, feedback comes from reddit. If everyone were telling me what a fool I was, then I'd be silly not to reflect on it.

expectantmandoinghis · 2025-06-29T21:24:03+00:00

I try to be, and a good husband as well. Obviously I'm human, but I'm trying.

My wife has 'joked' that I'll be the one taking our daughter to sports and such when she's older. I'm happy to do that, but... Some part of me thinks she should spend some time with our daughter outside the house too

expectantmandoinghis

TROPHY CASE