There has been a lot of talk about school not returning to “normal“ coming fall of 2020 because of COVID-19. I am starting to prepare now so that we do not have a repeat of what it was like last semester trying to work from home while assisting the kids with homeschool. Although it is only July it’s never too early to prepare how working from home with small children would actually look like. Teleworking from home with small children is possible let’s get into it!
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When I first started working from home in November 2018 we only had five children and I was pregnant with her sixth home school was not on our radar and I was still trying to get in the habit of making good habits with working from home and running a small business. When the coronavirus hit in 2020 and the kids started to do lessons from home my schedule that I had for work got turned upside down. There were a lot of days where there were tears shed and frustration all around. Luckily the school system was pretty lenient with how they would grade everyone for the semester because there was definitely a learning curve with going from a traditional classroom setting to e-learning.I am a believer of single tasking pound single tasking is better and having to multitask several different school schedulesand work concurrently really threw me for a loop. Have you ever heard Of the saying he who does it alldoes Little? That was where I found myself assisting the kids with their important schoolwork and trying to get all of my work done.
Did you see my last post about working from home?
This go around I want to prepare ahead of time so that we have the tools and the schedule that we need to succeed all the way around. We will have a little bit of structure but I will also let the kids be independent and take control of the things that they know they need to do. I think this serves as a good opportunity for the children to take control of their lives and do the tasks they know need to get done without me breathing down their neck’s. Now obviously for our six-year-old I will help him the most becauseThis go around Iprepare ahead of time so that we have the tools and the schedule that we need to succeed all the way around. We will have a little bit of structure but I will also let the kids be independent and take control of the things that they know they need to do. I think this serves as a good opportunity for the children to take control of their lives and do the tasks they know need to get done without me breathing down their neck’s. Now obviously for our six-year-old I will help him the most because… he’s 6 lol
Here are some tips that I learned along the way that I will be utilizing this time as well
Working from home with small children tips
- Have a plan- Last semester we literally were just winging it. Get up “whenever”. Eat breakfast where you want and a find a comfy spot in the house to do your lessons.. NO NO NO. This time we will get up at the same time everyday, brush teeth, get dressed, eat breakfast at the table together and go to your assigned spot in the house for your lesson. We will treat it exactly like a regular school day would normally go. I plan on waking up at least 2 hours before the kids so I can work out, check emails, and get some work done in silence before the day starts.
- Take small breaks- We planned out several 15 minute breaks, a lunch break and a “recess” period to help the kids not go stir crazy. During this time I will do anything that I couldn’t get done while sitting at the table helping the kids with their work as I work.
- Make it fun- I had a section ready for “classroom decor”, field trips planned out and themed days planned. Live cooking classes during lunch for my middle schooler who will be missing out on in person home ec, sensory play for 2 smaller kids and fun science projects planned so they have something to look forward to. Also lots of these projects are easy enough that the older kids can help the younger kids if need be while I work at my computer.
- Ask for help- Have you ever heard the saying “It takes a village”? If you feel comfortable enough, ask another work from home parent to come over and you can tag team help the kids while each other work. If your partner also works from home sit down ahead of time and set up a block schedule where BOTH are helping the kids with work and both are getting time to do work. There are groups already forming on Facebook that college kids that are also learning from home, individuals that have been laid off and homeschool pods are offering assistance. If you are short on cash, leaning towards towards asking another parent to help out might be a good fit for you.
- Get creative- I have set up my “office” out on the deck several times while I watched the kids sit at the computer and do school because the deck was the only place it was quiet. I also tend to stay up late to knock out some work because the kids go to bed before I do. On top of getting up earlier than the kids, staying up later can be a great time to work uninterrupted.
- Invest in tools for non school age children. My kids LOVE ABC mouse. we are going to start our 17 month old on ABC Mouse lessons for 25 mins a day once school is in full swing. A lot of parents don’t allow their small children to watch tv but ABC mouse is a great learning platform that will keep the children’s attention while teaching them a little each day. TRY 2 months for $5.
Working from home with small kids can seem like a daunting task. I do want to point out that what works for me may or may not work for you. My advice is whatever the case may be don’t get discouraged.
I hope these tips help you a little bit and if you have any tips to share please do!
xoxo
MHS
