Tips for Working from Home with Kids

We are venturing away from the normal range of topics into an area I am a little familiar with, working from home with kids. I won’t say I am an expert in the field because, well, I don’t think there is one. Everyone’s kids and situations are so different. I have, however, been working from home while homeschooling for the past 7 1/2 years. I think that qualifies me to at least give a few tips.

So many people reading this have been thrown into this situation. Although, it isn’t a situation you would have chosen I hope these few tips help you make the most of it.

Tips for working from home with kids

• Set a Schedule – I know some of you hate schedules and I get it, but I promise it will make things go much smoother.  Make sure to think about all the things you need in a successful day and build those things into the schedule. Below is a sample schedule I use. My schedule changes daily depending on meeting or time-sensitive things so remember that your schedule may look different from one day to another.
  • I have a list of things the kids can do if they are done with independent work like puzzles, reading, practice guitar, practice dance, etc.
  • I don’t have times listed on the schedule because each day can be different. In general, our breaks are around 10 minutes, lunch is around an hour (many times I work through lunch). Typically I plan 2 hours for school work time that I help the kids with it could be more or less depending on how much help they need.
  • Part of my older kids’ independent work is to help their younger brother with a lesson.

• Be Patient – Things, in general, are pretty out of sorts right now. This is a new experience for both you and your kids. Remember whatever stresses you have your kids are picking up on those and feeding off of them. Take time to hear their concerns and let them know yours too.

• Schedule Breaks – planned breaks for you and the kids will help with productivity. Grab a snack, scroll through social media, and take a minute to decompress. Make sure to plan a specific amount of time for your break or social media can pull you in and before you know it you have spent much more time than intended on your break.

• Set Goals – In general, I am a big believer in goals. Goals give me something to measure success with. This situation is no different, set goals for both yourself and your child. How many tasks do you want to get through today? Is there something you want to have completed today? Put them down and measure how your day is going.

• Be Flexible – This, in my opinion, is the most important. It is also what I have struggled with a lot. Remember up above when I said each child and situation is different? Yeah, this is where that comes into play. Find a system that works for your house. Be willing to make adjustments when something isn’t working. If a child is struggling with something take that break time before it is scheduled. There are a ton of resources available, use them. I will post some I find on my  Facebook page.  Don’t feel defeated when someone else’s schedule or plan looks and works differently than yours.

• Enjoy your family – Take a day off to enjoy your family. This is a very stressful time and everyone will be missing socialization. Take a day to just play together. Have a picnic in your backyard, throw the frisbee, do a chalk drawing, and just enjoy each other.

• Give yourself a pat on the back and maybe some wine – This isn’t easy, it is not for the faint of heart, but you are tackling it and you are doing a great job.

Extra Tips for Working from Home with Kids

• Put on music – Pandora is my friend.
• Use scents – I don’t know why, but I am much more productive if I have my Scentsy on.
• Teach your kids conflict resolution –  I really try not to get in the middle of my kids’ arguments and fights. I tell them to work it out, it gives them the opportunity to learn valuable lessons on natural consequences, communication, and compromise. Obviously, I get involved if I need to.
• Give yourself grace – I say often that I fail at something daily. You will not have a perfect house, healthy meals, a complete todo list, and happy children every day. Do what you can and give yourself grace on the rest. It will be okay!

I sincerely hope you found these tips helpful. I am planning a Facebook live to do any questions and answers you have about working from home with kids. Feel free to leave me any questions in the comments or any tips you may have that I forgot. You can also follow me on Facebook as I will try to share resources I find that could be helpful.