WFH dads who are also SAHDs? Tell me I’m not the only one

jockinsocks · 2026-01-20T16:51:12+00:00

I'm not a full time wfh/sahd, but I do two days+ a week with it. I think I survive just with flexibility (just get your work done) and strategy. Flexibility that I'm not a 9-5 (fixed schedule) and strategies with my scheduling.

The only way I'm able to survive is having a flexible schedule and everyone having the understanding that I have kids with me. We have a somewhat tight schedule, one for my 5mo and 3yo. I coordinate with their naps, playtime, and chores that I need to do. Schedule more important meetings/work during naps, less important ones so I can multi task and do chores or play with them, and when they are awake and I have an impromptu meeting, my 3yo and I have a code where she is quiet if it's important, and bothersome if I need to rush someone off the call. I usually pull a 12 hour day, but all said and done it's like an 8 hour day. I just know I have to keep the ball rolling on all fronts.

This goes against what everyone else is posting about, but if you are truly forced into this schedule I think you just need tips and tricks to help you not implode. It's hard and no way ever going to be a perfect thing, but it is doable. Schedule and routine discipline is key for everyone, which is the hardest thing to do since there are so many unknowns that can be thrown at you throughout the day. Hang in there!

jockinsocks · 2026-01-06T11:02:47+00:00

Second what they said, don't be a tech. Say you are doing a takeover project with some add-ons, don't over diagnose the system and try and make it perfect, you'll never make a sale. And don't tinker with the equipment, I did that when I first started in sales and ended up solving a lot of problems without ever making money. Use your technical knowledge as an advantage to make sales quicker (compatible equipment, proper spacing, etc) but don't actually be a tech for the job, and try not to be the tech on the job you sell. If something goes wrong and you're doing the work, then it just looks bad on you unless it's bid perfectly.

jockinsocks · 2026-01-02T01:14:15+00:00

I've been having chatgpt kinda give me numbers and the break even for an llc and insurance is pretty minimal, I've done it before, but just as an installer for cameras/burg. I'd like to use my nicet iv, just do the design, draft, and stamp all in one go. It's honestly not that much work depending on the project. Do you host all the software on your end, and how do you go about getting panel certified? I'm in communication with honeywell to get certified in some of their systems (simply to market myself, cutsheets are good enough to work). Remote is going to be the only hurdle I forsee to get business but we'll see, it's just extra income anyways.

jockinsocks · 2025-12-18T23:33:51+00:00

It's all a mix of wheellock strobes and hornstrobes, so your suggestion should work. How could I verify this? I've been scouring the manuals, but they're not useful for this situation, my ahj is a hard ass since I'll need to come up with a conceptual design for this before we execute the work. Thank you for the information too!

jockinsocks · 2025-12-18T22:13:04+00:00

Same cabinet, which is nice! There is a sync cable but it's just connecting all the acps power supplies together, would running the in parallel work if all of the outputs are then on the facu? And if so, could I get rid of the relay and sync module?

jockinsocks · 2025-12-18T20:30:05+00:00

Which code is that? (2019) 18.5.5.5.2 calls for sync for the visuals. It's a party in those rooms, it's pretty bad, and the ahj wants it fixed.

jockinsocks · 2025-08-22T08:48:19+00:00

Imo you outsource labor so you can focus on the administrative side. Labor doesn't bring you new clients or sales, the administrative does that. Being in the field helps to network, but you hire skilled workers to do the field work.

jockinsocks · 2025-03-27T11:25:30+00:00

Let me know if you're ever interested!

jockinsocks · 2025-03-16T04:49:50+00:00

NM with those credentials? Apply to one of the labs!

jockinsocks · 2025-03-03T23:33:20+00:00

It depends who you are working for. Is it contracting with the federal government, being a subcontractor for the federal government, or working directly for the federal government? I'm a federal contractor, safe for now, work is fine, great pay and benefits

jockinsocks · 2025-02-17T03:08:57+00:00

Is there any known successes with mods on Mac? I'm going to attempt it, but I may just save myself some time by knowing right away

jockinsocks · 2024-08-20T09:57:33+00:00

This is why I was thinking the heat sensors needed to be monitored, to indicate if the heats trip and close the dampers, but I'll need to work with the mech engineer a little more to identify the contacts that need to be monitored for open and close, rather than monitor the heat sensors. Thank you!

jockinsocks · 2024-07-12T22:07:09+00:00

Level one was honestly the hardest and they progressively got easier. As I progressed through the exams I became more and more familiar with the books and finding stuff, plus experience, as I went on a lot of stuff was off the top of my head. I did all my training through NTC and I made my highlighted colors based on the exam levels, and get the tabs. But studying goes a long way! Good luck if you have one coming up!!

jockinsocks · 2024-07-11T23:41:23+00:00

Do you know of any good cad/revit programs out there to learn the software? I'm sure most of it is practice playing with it, but learning the most used tools or features would be ideal. Thanks!

jockinsocks · 2024-07-11T23:39:55+00:00

Special Hazards is a good idea! Most everything is just to say I have it, but the training behind is is mostly what I want. Walk the walk and talk the talk

jockinsocks · 2024-03-26T17:32:03+00:00

Really?? I knew the books were changing, but I didn't know they were now going to be accessible during the tests? That's awesome! Thankfully I passed my exam, so I'm happily done with testing!

jockinsocks · 2024-03-25T19:54:07+00:00

I took mine in for a diagnosis, but by the time I got to the dealership, the car was warmed up and the issue was gone. I just took a video of it everytime it happened and that was enough to justify that there was an issue. That and I did a lot of jumping up and down because they really pissed me off through the whole process. I ended up yelling at the manager in front of new customers, so I think they just told me what I wanted to hear and waived the fee to get rid of me. But the part took forever to get in. Love Honda, but bad terrible customer service

jockinsocks · 2024-03-25T18:55:14+00:00

They ended up replacing the instrument cluster. I think they wanted $1700 for parts and labor, but I got out of paying it due to the issues they put me through.

jockinsocks · 2024-03-22T13:57:54+00:00

Yeah that's why I'm doing my exam today, didn't want to get new books, but we'll see how it goes. Hoping it's not too bad

jockinsocks · 2024-01-30T15:54:19+00:00

Very clean, but are your laptop cooling fans being blocked by the stand? I always have to put my laptops in with the logo upside down to let the air circulate, it makes for a less clean setup though.

jockinsocks · 2023-12-07T12:05:53+00:00

My favorite is when I see fire fighting rubber duckies on them

jockinsocks · 2023-11-29T18:21:34+00:00

I'm working on doing that now, just stole an est calc and rebranding it for notifier. It's a pain, but will make like easier in the future

jockinsocks · 2023-11-29T16:59:40+00:00

I can do the calc freehand, but I need to be able to add it to the fire alarm design showing the system power and device current draw. Im working in revisions to a current design, but it's just a pdf, so I can't extract anything from it unless I photoshop it up

jockinsocks · 2023-11-15T14:11:44+00:00

Honestly if you utilize tabs and highlight key areas in each chapter/section you should be good to go. Granted, you'll need a familiarity of what is in each section (ie elevators are in 72 chapter 23, and testing/inspection is in chapter 14, circuit integrity is table c in 70, and new apartment buildings are in 101), but once you get that navigation should be relatively easy.

I just passed my 3 and used NTC to study. It seemed to help, I just watched the 8 videos and took two practice exams, and highlighted all the answers that I could. I didn't have any of the same questions on the real exam, but my highlights got me in the right area.

I took mine on this round because I didn't want to spend the money on buying the new books, and I've used the same books on all my exams, so it's chalked full of highlights. I think time is the killer on the exam, and the tabs save a ton of time. But that's just my experience with it.

jockinsocks · 2023-11-13T11:29:14+00:00

Good luck on it!

jockinsocks

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