“Wait, We Have THREE Of Them?”: Behind The Scenes Of Parents Working From Home

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IN MANY COUNTRIES around the world people are being asked, advised and forced to work from home, and for some parents that means juggling a working day at home with a day at home with the kids.

WWN speaks exclusively to a number of working-from-home Irish parents who share their stories:

“Anna, I’m telling you now, hand on heart, I thought we only had two of these annoying fuckers. How long have we had this new one. What? He’s 7! Jesus, and we called him ‘Logan’, what are we, American?” – Declan Tierney, IT manager and father-of-three-maybe-more, working from home alongside his wife Anna, an event coordinator.

Every parent we spoke too shared their joy at being able to spend more time with their famously patient children who take direction and instruction without any further questions.

“I’ve never been more productive, handcuffing the little guy to the high chair and letting him watch Zootopia on repeat is the best decision I’ve ever made” – Valerie Andrews, Logistics Manager and mother-of-one. “The husband’s a different story, he chewed through his restraints within two hours”.

Keyboards may be covered in Play-Doh, spreadsheets are crayon canvases, video conference calls all play out like a repeat of the famous BBC interrupted interview and office gossip is at an all time low but for many the chance to be with their children is a welcome one.

“The youngest is after dobbing me in to HR for ‘inappropriate comments in the workplace’. That little shit of a rat is going places” – Niamh Loughlin, sales support and mother-of-two.

“No, it’s going fine. Honestly, just like working in the office to be – Daisy! Get off your sister or I’ll brain you. So yeah it’s – Jack! Finger’s out of your nose. What are you expecting to find up there. Christ sake. Yeah, it’s stress free enough – what do you mean Ella’s in the oven Jack? Hang on, I’ll have to go. Daisy! Jack! Ella! Whatever your name is, put down the knife” – Alan Mangan, Account Strategist, father-of-three.

However, not all parents see their current circumstances in such a positive light.

“Our youngest is 20 and he was due to move out this week. We’d finally be free of the fecking ‘kids’. I’m heartbroken. ‘I don’t think it’s the best time to move out’, says him.”

“Then he adds ‘I’m not sure I should start my new job at the Chinese-Iranian Business Chamber in Italy’ he says, completely overreacting. We were so fucking close to being rid of him,” distraught working parents Noleen and Andrew Lurtins.

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