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5 Tips on Working from Home with Kids

Ah, working parenthood. The world of temper tantrums, conference calls, blowout diapers, deadlines, lack of sleep – oh and cute little angels who are the loves of your life, of course. Being a parent can be challenging; I don’t think anyone who has had children would deny it, but it’s also one of the most beautiful things in the world and I would not trade it for a minute. Although parenting, in general, is very challenging l, throw working from home with kids into the mix and it can be a recipe for disaster if you do not know what you are doing. Luckily for you, I have my tips and tricks when it comes to working from home with kids. Let’s dive in:

This mom looks way too happy for being interrupted on a phone call. 😉

Utilize Babysitters

Even if it’s just to sleep (cough, cough – I mean, work) – utilize a babysitter! In fact, the word is out that using a babysitter regularly definitely makes you a better parent. Funny business aside, it really is true. As a parent, you have to be “on” constantly and it can be very frustrating at times. When you are trying to balance the needs of your children and your office hours, things have the potential to get heated up and ugly relatively fast. Save yourself the trouble and hire someone to keep the kids busy and happy while you sneak away to respond to emails and maybe make a business call or two.  If you are considering hiring someone more professional, like a nanny, be sure to set aside time to teach them your family’s routines and get your kids used to their new “minder.”

Cook What You Can

Not a good cook? Were you blessed with the kid who will only eat mac and cheese and chicken nuggets? NO BIGGIE! All parents know how difficult it can be to manage taking care of the kids, a spouse (does this count as an extra kid?), yourself, AND cooking gourmet nutritious meals all at the same time. When it comes to cooking, just do your best and remember that sometimes it is okay to just go with the easy mac and hot dogs! As long as your kids are healthy and happy, you are rocking it. As an added bonus, your kids will love you for the lazy “junk food” nights. When it comes to mealtime during work hours, I am all about whatever is fast and easy – and hopefully, it has some nutritional value. An easy way that I’ve found to make my life easier as a working mom is by meal prepping. This allows me to spend less time cooking on the day of, when I am working and more time in front of my computer getting things done. And if on the weekend you actually have hours to make a pie… well, good for you!

Have An Office With A Door I’ve seen it time and time again – parents who think they can sneak away, but they do not have closed doors. A closed door is essential because you can lock it and you won’t have any of your kids barging in during an important call. The Simple Dollar makes a great point. They say, “You definitely don’t want to completely isolate yourself from the children if no one else is around to tend to them, but the kitchen table won’t serve as the optimal workspace, either. Search for a well-lit area in your home, preferably a spare room with a door, that will enable you to organize your files, stay on task, and minimize interruptions.”

5 tips for working at home with kids MomCave

Jen
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