3 Top-Secret Ways I Manage to Work When My Kids Are Home

TweetShare via email

I was a business owner long before I had kids, so I was accustomed to working whenever suited me. Of course, that changed. When my daughter was born three years ago, I learned pretty quickly that in order to continue to run my business and stay sane, I needed some kind of childcare. After trying nannies, grandparents and other ad-hoc help, we opted for part-time daycare for the kids. It has worked out wonderfully for us.

The problem is, especially this time of year, the kids are constantly sick so they end up missing daycare more than they are there. This is extremely frustrating for the mom who works from home and has to do some serious juggling to make it through a workday with three kids underfoot.

But I have a few tried and true methods for keeping them happy and entertained while giving myself some focused work time during the day. Here are some of my secrets.

I put my kids to work.

Nothing makes my kids happier than when they get to “work” with me. They each have their own toy computers, but of course, they prefer to use Mommy’s real one. Luckily, I have two old but working computers that I can let them work on while I work. Keeping them entertained for a solid 20 minutes is as simple as opening a Word document, changing the background color to something bright, enlarging the font size and letting them go nuts with the keyboard.

When they tire of the computer, I have them grab a pen and paper and “make a list” of things we need to do; grab a bag and pretend they are going to the store to get stuff for Mommy; or take a stack of “important” papers to read for me.

I play with my kids.

When you have a lengthy to-do list and a million things on your mind, it’s hard to close the laptop, sit on the floor and play a game. But this is exactly what I do when I have a lot of work I need to get done. Giving my kids an hour of my undivided attention gives them a break from individual play, lets us spend some quality time together, and reminds them that they’re loved. It also (almost) guarantees me some dedicated work time after our playtime is over and they’re ready to do their own thing for a while.

I keep a reserve of toys.

Both of my older children were born in January, so with Christmas and their birthdays right on top of each other, the winter means way too many toys. After the holiday and birthday excitement has died down, I take a few toys and put them away until later. They have so much stuff, they never even notice and the toys get much more mileage when they are spaced out.

The best reserve toys for us are books, puzzles, coloring supplies, stickers and DVDs because they always engage the kids immediately, they don’t require batteries, and they don’t need my undivided attention to enjoy them.

Of course, you can still expect to find me harried and exhausted at the end of the day. And staying sane requires a lot of flexibility, but these secrets allow me to keep my kids happy and be somewhat productive…a major win for me!

What are your secrets for working when your kids are home with you?

Image credit: creactions

Alyssa is the owner of avertua, LLC, author of VA Secrets Revealed, founder of the Virtual Assistant Hub, blogger at the Small Business Idea Generator, mom of three, and a whole bunch of other stuff!

Print PDF

TweetShare via email

Related posts:

1. Four Ways to Manage Holiday Stress When You Work from Home
2. 5 Ways to Get Taken Seriously When You Work at Home
3. Five Easy Ways to Make Time for Yourself When You Work from Home
4. You Can Work At Home With Toddlers
5. Avoiding Feelings of Isolation As a Work At Home Mom