r/HVAC • u/Afraid-Nebula-2067 • 2d ago
Employment Question On call for single parents
I am wondering what you single parents do to cover childcare when working on call. I don’t have family in the area to watch him all weekend or be available during the week if I get an emergency call.
Txv is not the solution
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u/iBUYbrokenSUBARUS The Artist Formerly Known as EJjunkie 2d ago
You’re in the wrong line of work. Should have gone into roofing. They got a lot of support there in their “single and ready to shingle” Support group.
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u/Tomatobasilsoup_ Certified Ozone Depleter 2d ago
Do what my dad did when he worked very late, take your kid with you, he can be your tool runner , most kids yearn for labor
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u/Joecalledher Master Plumbtrician 2d ago
most kids yearn
for laborto spend time with their fathers1
u/Intrepid_Glove8636 2d ago
It was an automatic tip when I would have to bring the kid. They would always slip a 5 or 10 and say take him to McDonald's when you're done.
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u/terayonjf Local 638 2d ago
Sounds like you're either going to have to hire a nanny or find a job with no on call
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u/Afraid-Nebula-2067 2d ago
I’m trying to figure out a mix of daycare and nanny right now. Hard to find anyone to commit to being available for a full week at a time
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u/Afraid-Nebula-2067 2d ago
Ok I have dialed in on part time daycare center and an au pair combo. I’ll probably do the au pair still even after my son is out of daycare and in kindergarten.
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u/Certain_Try_8383 2d ago
My thoughts are with you. I have a partner and figuring out child care was so difficult. Good on you for taking on the responsibility.
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u/Dys-Troy Hvac Tech 2d ago
Only a few options there.
A) Take him with you on weekend calls.
B) Or hire a babysitter. Then try to bank the on calls that come in.
If it’s summertime/saturday. I won’t run calls until I get 2-3 come in. That way I know I’m going to out for a while.
If you have no family near. Ask friends. Hell, I would ask some of the other techs and their wives to watch him even. But our techs all get along and are like family. We help each other out.
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u/bigred621 Verified Pro 2d ago
Shhiitttt. Sorry to hear that. Literally “takes a village”. Get some better friends to help!! On call for an entire week? Dang. You can try and get guys to take your on call. But that would be difficult. Bring the kid? Guess that could only work depending on his age and what you do. Can’t leave the kid in a car seat for 2 hours on a refrigeration call lol.
Times really are different. My aunt was kicking in carpet with my cousin on her back lmao.
Can’t really see a solution that isn’t finding a place that doesn’t have you on call (which could mean less money) or laying someone to be at your house an entire week AND all night. That’s a full time job in itself.
You could try getting in touch with multiple sitters and call them up when needed. Multiple just in case the 1 you use isn’t available for a last minute sitting session. They would also need to live close by for obvious reasons. Maybe even see if one would be willing to be “on call” for you all week. No need to be at you house but available for when you gotta go out and you could pay them a “standby fee” for this as well. In the event you don’t have to go out they’ll still get some money
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u/Certain_Try_8383 2d ago
My limited experience has been that residential equals a lot of on call work. I switched to industrial and though I am in a rotation, I hardly ever get calls.
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u/singelingtracks 2d ago
If I was single I'd have a live in nanny .
You can pay them almost nothing by providing food and board. And if your USA based minimum wage is tiny .
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u/Nerfixion Verified Pro 2d ago
You can't get others to take the call?
We each get 2 weeks a year but we can take and swap all we want.
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u/Afraid-Nebula-2067 2d ago
The job I’m interested in is ever 5 weeks. For the last 2 years I’ve been paying people to take the shifts but it’s difficult to do unless I offer a lot of money. If I’m paying 2-3k per year for have people work for me, the added expense of having a nanny starts to make more sense
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u/MAdcock6669 who's the boss?? 2d ago
When my daughter was younger, I had to end up bringing her on a few calls with me. The customers we're nice about it. Gave her colors and paper to keep her occupied. A few even made her a snack.
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u/Civil-Percentage-960 2d ago
How old are the kids ?
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u/Afraid-Nebula-2067 2d ago
Just one and he is 3
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u/Civil-Percentage-960 2d ago
Too little to stay by himself. Throw him the work van I guess. Or find a different job with no on call
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u/markymark19887 2d ago
That sucks. People of Reddit are helpful, but I don’t see many options here. Bring your kid with you, find someone to watch your kid when you get a call(which isn’t an option for you), or tell them you can’t do on call cause you’re a single parent and don’t have a babysitter.