What It Means
A work-from-homeRemote workDoing your job from somewhere other than your employer's workplace, most often from home, for some or all of the workweek. See more parent is a mother or father whose paid job is done partly or fully from home while they raise children. It covers remote employees, hybrid workers and self-employed parents. Working at home puts a parent nearby, but a young child still needs an adult's attention during the workday, so a parent working at home with a young child may still need child care for part of the day.
Try It: Find the Uncovered Hours in Your Workday
An example workday. Change the hours to match yours and see how much of your child's need for an adult isn't covered by school, care or another adult.
Every work hour has care covered.
These hours need a plan: shift work earlier or later, trade with another adult, or add care.
How Parents Say It
- "I'm home, but I'm working, so ask Dad."
- "Camera off, the baby just woke up."
- "I block my calendar from three to four for school pickup."
The Breakdown
How common it is. The BLS American Time Use Survey for 2025 found that on days they worked, 35% of employed people did some or all of their work at home. Employed women (38%) were more likely to work at home than employed men (31%).
What a child needs during your workday, by stage. The first two columns are Buhata's examples; the age note is from HealthyChildren.org.
| Stage | During work hours | Plan for |
|---|---|---|
| Baby and toddlerToddlerA child from 1 to 3 years old, the stage CDC's parenting guidance places between infancy and the preschool years. See more | Near-constant hands-on care | Child care or another adult for most work hours |
| Preschool | Frequent attention and supervision | Care for the hours you need to focus or be on calls |
| Grade school | School covers much of the day | After-school hours and school holidays |
| About 1010,000 stepsA popular daily step goal that began as the name of a 1960s Japanese pedometer; later studies find health benefits begin well below it. See more or 11 and up | HealthyChildren.org says most children aren't mature enough to manage alone regularly until about this age | Clear rules for interruptions, a check-in plan |
When to adjust. If the uncovered hours keep growing or work is slipping, talk with your manager about schedule options and look at part-time or after-school care before it becomes a crisis.
Good to Know
The BLS time use figures are averages across many workers; the survey is released each summer, so check for a newer year before quoting it. If your employer has a remote work policy, read what it says about caregiving during work hours.
FAQ
How many people work from home?
The BLS American Time Use Survey for 2025 found 35% of employed people did some or all of their work at home on days they worked, including 38% of employed women and 31% of employed men.
Can you work from home without child care?
It depends on the child's age and your job. Babies and young children need an adult's attention for much of the day. HealthyChildren.org notes most children aren't mature enough to manage alone regularly until about 10 or 11.
How do work-from-home parents manage school holidays?
Put school holidays on the family calendar months ahead and line up camp, relatives or a swap with another parent. A day off school is a full workday of coverage to plan.
Do It in Buhata
Calendar and Focus
Put your work blocks and school hours on the Calendar in a Household Space in Buhata, and run each protected work block on the Focus timer.
Open BuhataRelated Terms and Categories
- Remote work
Doing your job from somewhere other than your employer's workplace, most often from home, for some or all of the workweek.
- Working parent
A parent who holds a paid job, full time or part time, while raising children.
- Work-life balance
How your time and energy divide between paid work and the rest of your life, such as family, rest, health and interests.
- Daycare cost
What families pay a child care center or home daycare, which Care.com's 2026 Cost of Care Report puts at $332 a week on average.
- After-school program
Supervised care and activities for school-age children in the hours after the school day ends, often with homework help, enrichment, sports or clubs.
- Latchkey kid
A school-age child who comes home to an empty house and spends time there without an adult, usually while parents work.
Sources
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "American Time Use Survey, 2025 Results" (June 25, 2026); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "American Time Use Survey" news release, 2025 results; HealthyChildren.org (AAP), "Is Your Child Ready to Stay Home Alone?"
- www.bls.gov/news.release/atus.nr0.htm
- www.bls.gov/news.release/atus.htm
- www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/is-your-child-ready-to-stay-home-alone.aspx
Last updated .