+1 and beyond those specific examples I don't think people have had a chance to fully setup a successful work from home "environment" which might include: dedicated room/office, better connectivity (internet/webcam/headphones), and proper routines/habits.
I imagine most people have moved past the "throw a desk in an unused area of the house and work mainly off a laptop" phase of WFH and in to the "have additional monitors, a quality chair, and access to basic office supplies" phase... there's definitely more phases that need to happen and to use the current/limited/reaction based setups as an example of what full-time WFH is is shortsighted, IMHO.
Also, there's a company/team culture shift that needs to happen too, which to the parent's point, is hard to just magically do while also balancing all these additional "challenges".
How much is your restaurant and eating out budget? Or are you saying that your entire family gets 100% of it's dietary needs from your $500/month grocery budget? If so, that's impressive and you should share you shopping lists somewhere... I know I'd be interested in seeing that :)
I had a look on the whole foods website and found a store in NYC. you can buy 1lb mince, spaghetti, tinned tomatoes, carrot onion garlic, for less than $12. that's a meal for 4. you can get rolled oats for about $.75 a portion with real milk and a half a banana, and as a lunch you can get bread, pastrami, cheese for <$15, for about 8 sandwiches. that's $6/person/day from whole foods in NYC not buying in family quantities.
I would to as well. I can easily have a smaller grocery budget when my kids are in school and I eat at work. But if we are eating at home time is not always there to cook. The poor usually don't have time to cook. I have more time to cook now and eat at home which has lowered my grocery budget quite a bit. My cost of food dropped the wealthier I became.
I imagine most people have moved past the "throw a desk in an unused area of the house and work mainly off a laptop" phase of WFH and in to the "have additional monitors, a quality chair, and access to basic office supplies" phase... there's definitely more phases that need to happen and to use the current/limited/reaction based setups as an example of what full-time WFH is is shortsighted, IMHO.
Also, there's a company/team culture shift that needs to happen too, which to the parent's point, is hard to just magically do while also balancing all these additional "challenges".