What to Do With Kids While Working from Home

"What to Do With Kids While Working from Home" Rainbow Lifeguard Hut
May 5, 2017
68 / 100

~ by Dayton Uttinger ~.

Modern technology has enabled businesses to offer working from home more and more, so you’ve likely had the opportunity to decide if working from home is an option for you. On the other hand, you might have realized that a graduate degree is necessary in order to progress in your field, and that remains true for both social science and STEM fields. And whether you’re working online or simply completing your thesis, your home is often the best place to get work done, provided you have a good Wi-Fi connection. There’s simply fewer distractions and more comfort wearing your pajamas in your favorite arm chair.

However, this entire situation can be ruined when your kids are unexpectedly home for the day. Maybe they’re not even your kids. Whether because of a snow day, sudden teacher in-service, or a sick babysitter, you somehow end up with the kids when you’re supposed to be working from home. This is the opposite of an office environment because kids are distracting in multiple ways. They constantly demand your mental and physical energy, especially when they are younger. You might think it’s impossible to multitask to this degree. After all, completing professional tasks can be difficult when you’ve got a toddler tugging on your leg or a third grader complaining that there’s nothing to eat.

So, how are you going to manage this day? Easy: take the day off. Not an option? Try these less easy, but certainly doable, tips.

Prioritize

What absolutely must get done that day? Make a list of things that are non-negotiable. Then, list out those tasks that you can do mostly on autopilot. These will enable you to multitask to the best of your ability. Is this an ideal situation? Of course not, but listing it out will help you be more conscious of what exactly needs to get done. And you’ll be able to best utilize every moment, whether they’re napping or asking that you “listen” to their squabbles.

Teach Them Independence

If at all possible, engage them in some sort of solitary activity. Or, if they have siblings they can play with, encourage that as well. However, if they have a history of fighting or one of them always ends up in tears, it might be better to keep them separate. There are some ways that you can stop their bickering, but that’s more of a long-term goal. You just need to survive this day.

Alright, but next issue: what can they do that will keep them sufficiently busy without causing a path of destruction?

Any pets? This is a perfect place to start. If there are, then you have an automatic source of entertainment/occupation. Dogs need to be walked, fish need to fed, even cats get social after some catnip. But, of course, be cautious. Canine communication isn’t always obvious to kids, fish feeding can be more complicated than even you realize, and cats’ claws can be more dangerous than perceived. Either the child or the pet might be too fragile for sustained interaction. Use your best judgement to determine what pet activities can go unsupervised.

If there are no pets, some limited TV or computer time is okay, but we know that extended screen time isn’t good for them either. You should go through the obvious options: books, puzzles, board games, tag with their friends or siblings, arts and crafts, etc. However, you should try to tailor the activities to children specifically based on their own interests. If they are particularly active, don’t attempt to sit them down with a long chapter book. It’ll only agitate them, increasing the time you spend watching them and away from work. Similarly, if the child is creative and loves a certain TV character, give them some art supplies to draw their own version of an episode, or ask them to depict what their favorite moment was. There are lots of things that kids can do to keep busy; you just have to be as creative as they are.

If all else fails, and the kids are young enough, encourage some nap time. Use their silence to your advantage, and make sure to be extra productive during this time.

Let People Know

By no means should you use this as an excuse, but it is still a good idea to let your coworkers or group partners know that you might not be available to respond at a moment’s notice. If you have a larger business that you’re working with, you don’t want to send out a company-wide email alerting everyone of your situation. Instead, include a notice on your Google Calendar that you’re out of the office and working from home. Especially if your calendar has been integrated into a company database, interested coworkers can check your schedule if they’re curious, and it won’t flood everybody’s inbox.

On the other hand, if you’re working on a considerably smaller scale, it’s probably easier to directly communicate with pertinent parties specifically. Also, you’re freer to be a little more frank with those individuals, since you probably have a more “family feel.”  You can say things like, “Hey, Frank, I’ve got my sister’s kids for the day. I’ll still be working, and you can count on getting X, Y and Z done, but just a heads up.”

Kids are way more distracting than any of your coworkers or fellow students (I hope). But, fortunately, you have a level of control over them. Whether they’re your own children or somebody else’s, getting work done while they’re around is difficult, but can be done as long as you prepare a game plan and tailor activities to those children. Keep them busy, sit down in your home office or armchair, and get to work.


Meet the Author: Dayton Uttinger

Dayton did not agree to the clock that everyone else seems to operate around; she writes by night and barely functions in sunlight. She dreams of changing the world from the comfort of her couch.

Categories

More Posts:

Nyago Michael Emmanuel

We invite many people who can invest in our Akiba Ya umoja community benefit savings and investment group of Uganda to enable us expand our operations in Uganda

Tricks for Boosting Productivity at Your Business

Running a successful business requires efficiency and productivity from employees and management. This can be a challenge for many businesses due distractions in the workplace and high workloads that are placed on employees. Fortunately, there are several tricks you...

7 tricks to work more efficiently online.

Working from home is fantastic until your cat spits on your computer and your child make the work even worse by constantly disturbing you. And across the street, your neighbor begins turning on different noisy equipment and power tools as you can only assume that he...

Women’s Fitness Tips: How to Make Time for Exercise in Your Super-Busy Schedule

We’ve all gone down the social media rabbit hole during a lazy Sunday afternoon. Among the sea of influencers, we’ve also probably seen one that seems to have everything – the dream job, the perfect home, and, above all, time to fit a workout into her super-busy...

6 Ways to be a SUPER Mom

Mothers are the strongest. They carry a child, bear the pain of birthing, bring children up, fulfill all responsibilities, play several roles, and make it look oh so easy. That’s why we have given mothers the title of super mom. Society expects mothers to be...

8 SELF-CARE TIPS TO BEAT BURNOUT

Burnout is a feeling when you feel drained and sluggish, find it difficult to perform even straightforward chores, or become so anxious that you snap at the slightest provocation. When you cross the threshold and become too exhausted to function, it can be a...

Tips for Setting Up a Zero-Waste Office

Have you heard of the zero-waste movement? Are you interested in making more environmentally friendly changes in your own office? Check out our top tips for setting up a zero-waste office! First, let’s take a look at the origins of the zero-waste movement. Who Started...

Mental Health Issues That Business Women Should Pay Attention To

Unfortunately, business is traditionally considered a male occupation because it involves risk, fierce competition, the need to make unpopular decisions and work 24/7. There is a stereotype that a woman is by nature softer, more responsible, and more prone to worries...

5 Tools to Help You Optimize Your Time Management

Whether you’re a freelancer, remote employee, or project manager, you’re bound to be juggling multiple tasks at any given time. Your typical workday can easily take a chaotic turn if you don’t manage your time properly. That’s why time management is one of the...

Work-Life Balance- Practical Advice For Busy Women

Achieving a work-life balance is perhaps the most daunting task for professionals, but the challenge gets even tougher for busy women. Your struggle never seems to end, as you try to switch roles between a professional, homemaker, and mommy. Whether you work from home...
Nyago Michael Emmanuel

Nyago Michael Emmanuel

We invite many people who can invest in our Akiba Ya umoja community benefit savings and investment group of Uganda to enable us expand our operations in Uganda

Tips for Setting Up a Zero-Waste Office

Tips for Setting Up a Zero-Waste Office

Have you heard of the zero-waste movement? Are you interested in making more environmentally friendly changes in your own office? Check out our top tips for setting up a zero-waste office! First, let’s take a look at the origins of the zero-waste movement. Who Started...

All Categories

Business Operations

Entrepreneur Interviews

Marketing, Networking, & Social Media

Self Care & Personal Development

Working Moms

Business Software and Technology

Entrepreneurship & Small Business

Organizing Tips

Sales

Career Building

Family Businesses

Inspiration

Starting Your Own Business

Work-Life Balance

Communication

Hiring Help

Management & Leadership

Time Management & Priorities

Women in Leadership

Recent Posts

Elements That Should Be Part of Your Company Retreat

Elements That Should Be Part of Your Company Retreat

A company retreat is an excellent opportunity for team-building, learning new skills, and fostering relationships between colleagues. Whether your team is large or small, a well-planned retreat can be an invaluable investment in your company's success. We will explore...

How to Make Employee Health a Priority

How to Make Employee Health a Priority

Prioritizing employee health is crucial for creating a healthy and productive work environment. By investing in the health and wellbeing of your employees, you can improve morale, reduce absenteeism, and build a positive company culture. Here are some tips on how to...

Why You Should Run Your Business on the Latest Technology

Why You Should Run Your Business on the Latest Technology

In today's fast-paced business environment, keeping up with technological advancements is essential for success. Implementing the latest technology can offer numerous benefits, such as improved productivity, enhanced data security, and reduced costs.  Improve...

What are local links and how to earn them

What are local links and how to earn them

What local links are and how they might assist local businesses develop an efficient SEO strategy are covered in this article. Local links allow visitors to learn more about a region and its businesses by connecting websites from the same area that are relevant to one another. They must be pertinent to the neighbourhood and offer valuable resources or information. Content marketing, reviews, sponsored content, social media, and directories are all ways to generate local links.

Ways for Increasing Property Management Lead Generation

Ways for Increasing Property Management Lead Generation

Property management is not a simple job, there are multiple tasks that a property manager should complete for various property investors. Marketing is one of the difficult parts, but it’s crucial. You can only attract tenants to your property and gain income after you have generated leads. Therefore, you should try your best to come up with smart and effective strategies to get your company known.