Before getting into specifics when it comes to working from home with toddlers, there are some helpful tips and tricks that can be used when you are working from home with children of any age.
Split Shifts
If you and your partner are both working from home, divide your childcare duties and workday so that your fay is split up. That way, you both will have an equal share of kids and work. For example, one of you have work for a solid block of three hours in the morning, while the other watches the kids. You can then both take an hour break, and then switch it around. It may not be a full day’s worth of work, but it’s better than not getting through any work or having to work for three hours with interruptions and only ending up working a third of the time.
Take Advantage of Sleep
Consider using your kids’ bedtime, nap time, or the early hours of the morning to get some work done. It may not be your first choice, but at least you’ll have some guaranteed hours of work during your child’s shuteye in peace and quiet.
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Embrace Your Screen Time
Disregard screen time limits, at least for the time being. A movie marathon can keep the youngsters occupied, giving you some uninterrupted and quiet time to get through some of your work. There are also plenty of educational programs that you can get the kids to binge on, doesn’t necessarily mean they have to just watch funny movies and silly cartoons.
Talk About Your Situation
Before you start any conversation, whether it be with colleagues or clients, let them know your situation. This is a step that’s crucial and important in order to maintain professional relationships. This way, you’ll be staying ahead by warning them in case potential problems arise.
Plan for Interruptions
Whether you like it or not, or do your best to avoid it, working from home with your toddlers you’ll always end up being interrupter sooner or later. While you may need to set boundaries, toddlers may not always understand that you’re working and you can’t deal with them in that instant. Take the interruptions as an opportunity to take a short break.
Bribes May Be Acceptable At Times
Sometimes interruptions are not acceptable, so in that case, praise and reward your toddlers for their good behavior. With luck, you’ll start seeing more of their good behavior as you continue working from home. When there’s no time for rewards because you have to finalize a deadline now or head into a meeting or call, it’s acceptable to brine your toddlers. Let them have an hour or two of screen time while you deal with the work that needs to be done right now.
Working From Home With Toddlers – How toworking from home with toddlers
As a parent that works from home, the years of the twos and threes are even more challenging in comparison to the baby years. Working from home with toddlers is possible, but it requires for you to be more flexible, creative, and patient.
Explain That You’re Busy Working
Toddlers may not quite understand that you have a job, let alone that you’re working from home. However, that doesn’t mean that they don’t understand what’s presently going on. You don’t have to explain in detail to your little ones, but let them know that you have to do your job and do things for your boss right now. Explain to them that the sooner you finish, the sooner you can play with them.
Have Boundaries Established
Explain to your toddler that when you have your door closed, they need to knock on the door first before they can come in. Get your toddler involved and have a stop sign created to place on your door for the times when you can’t be interrupted. Make sure they understand that when the sign is up you can’t be disturbed, and that you’ll get back to them as soon as you’re done, but they’ll have to wait till then. Of course, reward them for not bothering you when you have the sign up.
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Set Up A Schedule
Youngsters thrive with order, structure, and routine in their lives- this can be hard to provide when you’re trying to get work done. But, by setting up a schedule the night before, it’ll make your life a bit easier for the following day. If your toddler has a current routine, it’s best to stick to it- for example, if they wake up at 7 AM, eat at 7:30 AM, then have screen time until 8 AM, stick with that schedule. When making the schedule for the day, consider breaking up your day into smaller blocks of time- like 30 minutes, then take a 15 minute break with your toddler together.
Virtual Visits
Relatives like grandparents can be an invaluable resource when you need the help. Ask for grandparents to arrange video calls with the kids- have them draw pictures together, have them read stories to each other, or whatever other activity.
Take Your Work Outside
If there’s good weather outside, take your work and your toddler outside with you. That way your toddler can keep themselves busy and entertained while you’re working- making it a win-win situation. It’s extremely helpful to have a swing and slide in your garden for this reason. Or, if you don’t have a garden, you can take your toddler to a playground where there’s not many people around. This isn’t very optimal if you have to work on your laptop, but if your partner is with you and watching your child, it can work quite well.
Even when following all the above tips, they may work on some days better than on others. Some days it may feel like absolutely nothing works. When you begin to feel this way, working becomes practically impossible. So focus on trying to relax and remain calm, put down your laptop and cell phone and spend time with your youngsters to give them 100% undivided attention. You can then continue with your work once you can, because there’s no point in continuing to work with a toddler crying next to you. At the end of the day, work is work and nothing is more important that your child.
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