Can I take our toddler to my department for a week while daycare is shut for repairs?

rose_pigeon_663317 Apr 2026

Our daughter's daycare is closing for a week from the 27th for repainting and some electrical work. My partner has a release that week and can't move anything. I have no lectures, since the semester has ended, but I do have two thesis meetings, a department meeting and a pile of answer scripts. I'm thinking of taking her to my office in the department for the mornings. It's a small room with a door, a sofa and a great deal of paper. My colleagues say it's fine. I suspect they haven't met her. Has anyone taken a toddler to work for a few days? What turned out to be essential, and what did you forget?

3 comments

amber_gecko_407317 Apr 2026
brave! what happens during the department meeting though? that's the part I'd worry about. we're at 4 months and I can't do one call without her deciding it's feed time 🙂
rose_gecko_208417 Apr 2026
Did this once, years ago, with our son in the doctors' room at the hospital for an afternoon. Lessons: a floor mat, twice the snacks you think, and tape over every plug point. Also, your thesis students will be more relaxed in that meeting than they've ever been. Toddlers are a great equaliser, ha.
- rose_pigeon_663317 Apr 2026
  The plug points I hadn't thought of. The office has four at floor level. Writing this at half three with her asleep on my arm, so the floor mat is going on the list right now.
coral_drum_445218 Apr 2026
Before planning around your office, is there any chance the university has a crèche or a staff childcare room? Many campuses have one that nobody mentions until you ask the administrative office. Even an hour there during the department meeting would make the week easier. I would also ask whether the daycare can suggest one of their staff for home care that week. Ours did once, when our daughter was small and they closed for a few days.
- plum_camera_316219 Apr 2026
  The daycare staff idea worked for us too. When our boys were small and their daycare shut for Diwali week, one of the didis came home for the mornings. It cost more than the daycare did, but it kept our production week going without two boys under the counter.
- rose_pigeon_663319 Apr 2026
  Replying to @plum_camera_3162
  Asked both. The university does have a crèche, but only from age two. The daycare idea looks more promising: one of the teachers might be free for three of the five mornings. I'll take her to the department for the other two and see how far the plug-point tape gets me.