Since embracing a hybrid approach to work, we have come to understand that our colleagues with young children at home are facing unfamiliar and unique challenges. Managing the expectations of your job while raising your children is a delicate task that takes some practice to get used to.
We decided to dig a little deeper and ask some questions to the parents of DotModus. Here are some of the answers:
Do you think your kids have a greater appreciation/understanding for "going to work" now that they can see you doing it?
Caelon: They have a better understanding of why we need to work, but struggle with the "But you are here, why can't you play with us?" scenario.
Gavin: I think so, they check now and again and ask questions about what I'm doing.
Charmaine: My older one yes, but only because I take her out as often as I can when I am around. She thinks I am a millionaire.
What special moment have you shared with your child that you may not have experienced if you were working from the office?
Paul: Well it's not a single moment, it's more a collection of times where I could go hold him and use that as stress relief!
Jenny: Her saying Hi or Bye to my team in a call, and people getting to meet the most important person in my life.
Thea: Saw my baby become a toddler. It's a blessing just seeing the little things during the day.
What lesson have you learnt while WFH as a parent?
Caelon: Having both parents working, and the kids at home is an absolute nightmare! Having to care for and feed them while still trying to get all your work done is almost impossible. On the other hand, getting to spend more time with the little ones has been great!
Thea: Establish boundaries and have a dedicated workspace! It helps set that boundary when you need to knuckle down. You also feel like you "start" work properly when you have your own space.
Gavin: You can have boundaries with your kids but you can "do life" with them more.
Charmaine: There are a lot of things that my babies do during the day that would usually only be seen by other people, not me. Now I get to experience it all first-hand.
Jenny: That we used to waste so much time commuting. It was time that was actually being stolen from our families.
Paul: It’s impossible without a nanny and if I don't lock him out of the office, I won't get any work done, not because of him but because of me!
What advice or tips do you have for future parents working from home?
Caelon: Open comms from day 1, realise that you are not going to be able to do everything when you plan to do it, so keep your colleagues in the loop.
Thea: Understand that your days become longer. It's difficult to give work and kids 100% of your attention when the two worlds blend together. Don't feel guilty telling your kids that you need to focus. I love working from home and my kids all go to school. I work hard in the mornings so when they get home in the afternoon I can help with homework and give them more of my attention.
Gavin: Get a routine that works for your family and stick to it.
Charmaine: You need to balance the two as much as you can, it's easy to neglect your kids or work in the process.
Jenny: Have a separate space to work.
Paul: Get a nanny and appreciate the extra time that you have with your child.
If parenting was a coding language, what would it be?
Caelon: Imagine a coding language where there is no "How To", where there are docs but they are not guaranteed to actually function as prescribed. Malbolge. Malbolge is the toughest programming language as it took at least two years to write the first Malbolge program. It is a difficult one as it uses an obscure notation, and it is a self-modifying language that results in erratic behaviour.
Gavin: Machine code - who really knows what's going on here?
Jenny: Hahaha! I don’t know exactly, but one where no one actually tells you about the tricky parts - where it takes a dozen lines to do something simple, all they tell you about is how flexible or great the language is.
Paul: COBOL
Final thoughts
We are so grateful for all the working parents who took time out of their busy schedules to speak with us. If you’d like to find out more about what it’s like working for DotModus or view any vacancies, reach out to us here.
