Episode 19: Abi Head of a Codfish: A podcast about modern working families

In Episode 19, we talk to Abi who has 2 primary school aged children and words 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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