Head of a Codfish: A podcast about modern working families

Head of a Codfish: A podcast about modern working families


Episode 14: Hayley

October 30, 2017

In this episode, I get interviewed! Hayley is a mother of 3 who worked part-time (until recently) in Digital Marketing. We talk about the various different ways my family has been structured, what works best for who and being a family with 2 part-time workers. I was interviewed by Meaghan friend of the podcast from Episode 10.

The Lowdown

- Family of 5
- 1 working parent (full time)
- 1 parent "between jobs"
- 3 children
- 2 at school
- 1 at home/childcare

  

4:14 Sleep
5:00 Causing my own lack of sleep
6:32 Who are the people in your family and how are they occupied
6:56 Lots of running around and juggling
7:46 After school activities
8:00 Putting limits on activities
8:40 Doesn't work for school team sports
9:30 Late activities and meal rush job
11:30 Parenting superpowers
11:38 Looking after children's needs
12:20 Husbands superpowers
12:24 Gets stuff done quicker
13:30 Good combination of roles
14:00 Being fun at the end of the day
14:20 Working and having more energy at the end of the day for kids and domestic stuff
16:02 Being busier and more productive
16:50 How is childcare managed
17:20 Logistics of kids and cars and carparks
18:20 Finishing early for school pick up
20:24 Would you do things differently if you could?
22:10 The advantages of having no family close by
22:40 Forced us into different territory (which is a good thing!)
23:22 Jealous of others that have more immediate support
23:54 Develops different and better skills
24:40 What works well
24:58 Splitting stuff up between parents well
25:20 Splitting up the finishing at school time
25:50 Downsides
26:20 Less balanced now than we used to be
26:58 2 parents working part-time
27:40 Handing over the medical appointments
28:54 Different combinations
29:06 Home based business/full time out of the home/1 day working from home
30: 10 Both be hands-on with those days
30:20What versions worked best?
30:26 Works best for who?
31:16 2 part-timers
31:30 Recently made redundant
32:14 Getting 3 in school
32:56 Employment is hard and I don't feel like I have the options
33:50 A bit all over the place with want I want to do next
34:22 If looking at part-time am I limiting myself too much?
34:38 Both parents working 4 days a good middle ground
35:22 OSHC and kids that would rather spend time with me
36:32 Not sure if 5 days childcare and OSHC would be a good thing for the family at this time
37:08 2-year-old still gets very tired
38:00 Would be meltdown city
38:38 Starting to get rid of the daytime sleep
39:50 The twilight zone between different sleep patterns
40:50 Family responsibilities well supported - some good some not so good
44:16 Working with people who aren't in the young children stage of life
46:10 Previous workplace could make a lot of improvements
46:48 Work was questioned not because of work outcomes but purely less hours
48:10 Flexitime and core work hours
48:58 Sharing the mental load - creates a gap for things to fall into