Most of the “how to work from home” blog posts I read last week missed one important element – how do you do it when your kids are stuck home with you as well?!
I posted this question on LinkedIn last week hoping that other parents facing this new reality for the new couple/few weeks would have some ideas (proven or otherwise). And boy did you guys deliver!
With more than 300 comments and counting, I highly recommend working parents check out the thread directly. Some of my favorite highlights and suggestions:
- Start your day together with 30-45 minutes of uninterrupted time – no phones or distractions. Fill their tank with “parent time”, especially for the younger kids.
- Don’t schedule back-to-back meetings. Give yourself at least 10-15 minutes to emerge from your office or work space, connect with your kids and family. Connections like this through the day have been beneficial for all parties.
- Involve them in your work! Teach them business skills, how to write an email, build a spreadsheet, let them shadow you as you work from home.
- Set a schedule a routine, for both of you. Routines are key for kids at school (my teacher wife swears by them).
- Hire high schoolers to come nanny for you, at least part of the day. They’re out of school too!
- Don’t forget recess! Get outside, plan some activities, make sure movement is a key and ongoing part of their day.
- Get teaching templates online: There are some great resources being published in real-time by TeachMama, Scholastic and others.
- Take advantage of online learning tools. Dreambox Learning, typically sold directly to school districts, is now available for parents on a free 90-day trial.
And really, these are just the tip of the iceberg. Working parents, please check out the full thread here and add your ideas as well.
