A common misconception is that working from home is an incredible opportunity. Though this may be the case for many individuals, it can be a completely different circumstance for parents that are working from home. To say it kindly, children can be a handful, leaving very little time for work. So, if you’ve been juggling work, your child, and the endless chores around the house, take a minute and slow down. Grab a cup of coffee, refuel, and keep reading. The team at Yellow Brick Road Early Childhood Development is going to be going over a few tips that can help make working at home with a child just the slightest bit easier.
Make the Most of Your Time
When you’re working from home with kids, the day seems to fly by. With as much attention as they require it can be difficult to have any time to really focus on work, which is why it’s crucial that you make the most of the time you have. Depending on the ages of your children and their schedules, you need to figure out what time you can completely dedicate to work. This may mean getting work done before they wake up or when taking a nap, but you absolutely need to capitalize on the time you have available.
Give Them a Schedule
If you are still having a tough time getting work done even when you are scheduling your work time, consider making a schedule to give to your kids. There are plenty of things that they can do around the house to help you get things done or simply to keep them busy. From cleaning their rooms to caring for the lawn, chores are a fantastic way to keep children busy for a portion of the day. Aside from that, it teaches them responsibility and time-management. If you want to add some additional tasks to the schedule, consider educational components like reading or writing. Practicing these skills will not only help them when they go to school, but it will also ensure they are devoting a portion of their day to something beneficial.
Sit Them Down
Depending on the age of your children, sitting them down and talking about how you need time to work could be one of the best ways to get across just how important it is for them to let you work. Whether that means setting particular hours where they need to entertain themselves or creating a work space that they need to keep out of, setting boundaries is definitely an option worth taking advantage of if your children are old enough to understand.
Work the Graveyard Shift
Though it’s not an ideal scenario, choosing to work the graveyard shift is one of the options that you can take advantage of if you’re not getting a ton of work done during the day. While it is a constant option, it doesn’t mean that you have to strictly be working the graveyard shift. It may be a great option to take advantage of in the case that you fall behind or have a deadline that needs to be met. Knowing that is an option that you can take advantage of can often be enough to at least keep you going on the tough days. If that’s not enough of a solution for you, the next point is one that you should definitely take into consideration.
Schedule Daycare Days
Child care can be expensive, and when you’re working at home it may be difficult to justify dropping your child off to daycare at all. With that being said, there are times where you will gain so much more than you lose by dropping your kiddos off at daycare. Even one or two days of your children attending daycare can make a world of difference on your stress levels and ability to work through your to-do list.
Yellow Brick Road Early Childhood Development Center is dedicated to providing children with the education and care that they need. If you are in need of a childcare facility that you trust to care for your children, look no further. Contact our office today and we would be more than happy to schedule a tour of our facility or answer any questions you may have.
