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Ten tips for parents who work from home with children


Many people find working from home appealing. You can enjoy more freedom, spend more time in your home, and you can also see more of your family members.


But the flip side has some less-than-dreamy realities, particularly for parents having to balance work and childcare. These include the difficulty of focusing; having to juggle work with looking after children, and in some instances, homeschooling them; blurry lines between work and personal time, as well as kids lobbying for your undivided attention when you need to GSD.


On the most unappealing WFH (work at home) days, you may feel as if you're not getting any tasks completed and that you've done a poor job as a parent. Juggling work and looking after kids can be done, but it does require a recalibration of working expectations and work styles.


These are the top tips to assist parents working remotely.


Here are 10 tips for parents who work from home with their children
1. Focus on the positives.
Although some parents are happy to work from their home, others were forced to adapt to the new situation.


While the situation is not without its problems, it can be a good option for many people.


It won't always be simple however, focusing on the positives (and reminding yourself of what you're not doing at work) will help tremendously during stressful days.


2. Adjust your schedule.
Adults thrive when they follow a routine.


WFH is a way to keep our focus and avoid distractions.


A routine for your morning will assist you to plan your day and make it more predictable. You should get up before it's time to wake up and get ready for the day ahead. Next, go to your home office. Whatever it looks like, get in an office mindset.


Set your schedule according to make the most of your time.


Flexibility is a must and develop an effective routine for you and your children. But remember, you can always alter it to accommodate the needs of your children on a daily basis.


This tip is part of our collection on remote tips for work.


3. Be upfront with your colleagues.
While there are a variety of ways parents can maintain their productivity when working at home, disruptions will still happen. Your kids will run to your office, throw a tantrum during a Zoom call, or require you to help with an emergency in the house.


Don't think that everything is flawless. Instead, you should approach work as you would in the workplace and insist on your independence.


Talk to your team about what it will be like to work from home. Think about what you could do to make it more convenient and productive. It is possible that you will need to alter your schedule or show more patience.


4. Focus on your work environment.
Although you don't have to adhere to it all the time, a specific area of your home should be designated for your workspace.


This allows you to limit distractions and focus on work without having it seep into personal life.


Start your day by bringing your cup of coffee to your chosen workspace and put on your daytime clothes.


Ideally, this would be a separate room which you could convert into a home office. But if this isn't possible then try finding an area that is not part of your house to transform into your workspace. It is important to agree with family members the rules regarding the time and method they are able to reach you.


Parents can also get their kids to help out creating office signs at home that include green to signify "yes, you're allowed in" and red to mean "don't ever think about it."


5. Work in short bursts.
Babies and toddlers are more troubled than other parents because you cannot leave your children unattended.


It may be easier to take care of children for short periods of time when you're responsible.


If you're fortunate enough to be able to focus on work while your partner helps with childcare at home, design your timetable so that you are able to come out of your office and help every so often instead of locking yourself in for the entire day.


6. Nurture creative activities.
Your child will not be content to read a book in silence all day, even when you're working. If you are responsible to care for your child, make sure you encourage their the child's imagination and play.


Moving between various kinds of toys and activities can lead to deeper and more meaningful play, while giving you a bit more time to focus. You can encourage independent play by inviting your children to design their own games.


If your kids will let them to access the internet while you are on important calls or need to concentrate, Scholastic Learn at HOME has educational resources that can assist you in teaching your children music, spelling and more.


7. Plan your meetings carefully.
Nearly every parent working from home has dealt with unfortunate situations.


While some interruptions are inevitable and it's the only way to laugh together, prepare for them by giving your children a nonverbal "do not disturb" signal while you're conference calls.


However, this isn't always going to work with free-roaming toddlers, in which case it can be better to schedule calls during their normal sleep times. Sometimes all you have to do is turn off your phone, then reschedule it when you're on childcare duty.

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8. Get technology on your side.
Cloud computing has enabled remote work to boom. Employees don't have to log in or exchange documents on-site. They have access to all the information they need online.

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Microsoft Teams, Trello and other project-management software makes it easy to work remotely.


There is lots of fun using the video conference background on Zoom or create a technology stack to make it simpler. Choosing the right applications can make a big difference.

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9. Be aware of when to switch off.
Mastering the work-life balance has never been more difficult. While many praise the virtues of working from home, you can also end up feeling like you're always at work. It is crucial to be aware of when you should close your computer.

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As a parent, you will need to be flexible in planning your daily schedule. It is still possible to say that you are done for the day. This requires discipline, expectations setting, and cooperation with the team. However, you must set clear boundaries in order to prevent stress.

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10. Take care of yourselfAsk for help.
If you're a parent who has to balance work and childcare and childcare, you deserve an award and all the support you can get.

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This might mean getting support from a family member or hiring someone to assist with childcare, or asking your boss for flexible hours or more lenience for WFH.

 

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It's impossible to do everything effortlessly and efficiently every day. Take advantage of opportunities that will simplify your life at work. However, be gentle and patient with yourself when things don’t go as expected. It's fine to let things go when it is difficult. But, don't forget to take care of yourself. You can find yourself in a stressful circumstance.

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