I had the pleasure of getting some notes (and experience first-hand) what a typical workday with a young child is like. Charity is the controller for our company and she is a work from home mom with a two-year-old daughter. Now, I personally do not have any children so experiencing a two-year-old during the workday was a challenge. Who knew that a child could try and get your attention in so many different ways? From singing at the top of their lungs to getting into things they know they can’t have, to having temper tantrums. It’s all part of the journey of working at home.  

From where I stand, having no children and only experiencing the challenge for a short time, I would have to say that parents who can work a full-time job while at home with their children are miracle workers. 

You can try to argue with me, but I’ve watched Charity attend to all of her daughter’s needs – including potty training accidents and small meltdowns due to not being able to have a Sour Patch Kid – all while on the phone with our boss talking about job dispatches and payroll. For comparison, there are days where I forget to eat lunch, let alone take care of a child while also getting my work done.  

Before I get too far ahead of myself on how amazing work at home parents are, understand that there are always hard days. Charity has those days where no matter what she does, her daughter screams while Charity is on an important phone call. Work from home parents are still humans, and if you think you can control a two-year-old let me be the first to squash that notion. It’s called the terrible twos for a reason. But enough of my praise, here are three tips that Charity laid out when it comes to working from home with a child.  

If you read my post last week you will notice that this point is similar to one that was made last week. I thought having a schedule was important for myself, but for children, it is even more important. For as long as I can remember I’ve heard moms talk about their newborns' eating and sleeping schedule. If newborn babies need a schedule, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that we all need schedules to function properly. According to Charity, “Keeping a schedule is important for both of us so that I get work done, and she knows when mom is able to play with her”. 

Coming up with this schedule needs to be based on how your child can naturally function. For example, you can’t make your child have a three hour nap time if they just naturally wake up after two hours. It will take a while to formulate a schedule, but once you come up with a schedule that works naturally it will be easier to implement.  

I understand that once you have a schedule, it can be hard to change that schedule. The thing is, by not changing a schedule that no longer works you are hindering your and your children’s ability to function effectively throughout the day. 

A prime example of this is when a child gets old enough to no longer need a nap. I get that nap time is a blessing most days but every child gets to a point where they have a shorter nap or no nap at all. When this happens, keeping nap time no longer works within the schedule you have. So revamp your schedule to reflect what you and your child now need.  

Depending on the age of your child(ren), you might find that they have a hard time understanding why mom or dad isn’t paying attention to them during the day. Charity was fortunate enough to start working from home full time when her daughter was pretty young, so her daughter has known nothing different. Even though Charity has been working from home for so long, doesn’t mean that her daughter fully understands why she isn’t getting all of mommy’s attention, which led Charity to prioritize Saturdays as days with her daughter.

You know your children better than anyone, so fill your day with what they love to do. Charity has a year membership to the children’s museum so that she can bring her daughter there when they can’t go to the park. If there is a movie that your child wants to see think about renting it and making your living room into a movie theater. Show your child(ren) that you love them, and prioritize them when you aren’t working. This makes the week easier because your child knows that come Saturday or Sunday, they will receive your attention with little to no distractions. Bonus points if you shut your phone off or put it on Do Not Disturb mode.

Sometimes screens need to be used in order to keep the peace. Like it or not, putting a movie or tv show on for your child(ren) can be what allows you to focus on an important meeting or task. Charity uses a screen to keep her daughter occupied when it comes to important things running payroll, or important phone calls. She does not use a screen all the time, but when she does it’s for a good reason. There is nothing wrong with throwing on a movie so that you can sit in on a meeting, or work on a project without having screaming children.  

If you like the idea of having toys that teach your children, then find movies or tv shows that teach your child. When I was growing up I watched Between the Lions and Reading Rainbow. Two shows that are interesting enough to keep my attention, and educational. With all the smart TVs and streaming platforms these days, it shouldn’t be hard to find an educational show that entertains your child. My only disclaimer is to only use screen time when you know nothing else will work. Try and make it your last resort when all else fails.

Working from home is already a challenge, but adding children to the mix is even harder. By setting a consistent schedule, prioritizing your child when you can, and using screen time, you can make it work.