If you work at home and have small children, you know that getting work done may be somewhat difficult. You have deadlines for work, but have two toddlers arguing, or a baby that needs to be fed…so what do you do to make sure everything gets done?
Having a baby while working at home can be challenging. When I first started working from home, my youngest was 2 months old, and was no longer breastfeeding. However, she was in diapers until she was two. You really need to have dedication to both your children and work to get everything accomplished that needs to be. When you have a regular job outside of the home, more than likely you are not presented with this unique situation that you need to care for a baby and run a cash register or sit in a board meeting at the same time.
Although I never had to do it, I would recommend having someone help you out with your younger child while you work. It may seem strange to have a sitter at your house even though you are there, but you do have responsibilities with your job as well. And a sitter can come in maybe just in the mornings, or whatever your busiest time is in the day while you are working for a couple of hours.
Also, I have two kids that are about 12 months apart. Some days are better than others, but sometimes we get arguing over a favorite toy. Here are some tips I recommend in keeping older kids (or toddlers) occupied while you work at home:
- Make toys accessible to them. For example, keep a toy bin in your office that they can just grab what they want.
- Have crayons and paper accessible to them as well. My kids are a bit older and I have a pretty big box full of “crafty” things that they can use with very little supervision from me (like glue, stickers, scissors, markers, finger paints, glitter – but I don’t recommend letting younger children play with some of this stuff of course).
- Go outside – invest in a laptop so you can work outside and let your kids run off some energy!
Working at home with children may be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. It is important to stay organized, and practically be ready for anything.
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