How to work from home with kids

We have all seen the memes of parents trying to work from home with kids. But it is possible to balance parenting with your work responsibilities – and reduce the risk of your little one(s) crashing your next video call.

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Find moments of quiet

Whether it’s waking up early or working after dinner, take advantage of any quiet moments you can find. This is the time to prioritise your most important tasks or those that need your full attention.

Flexible working is an important part of this. It can help you to:

• Adjust your work hours
• Change your place of work (where possible)
• Manage your work responsibilities.

This can reduce some of the pressures of having your children at home while you work.

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Structure, structure, structure

Write down your child’s daily routine and match it up with yours. It’s a great way to choose the ideal time for breaks and lunch.

Older children are more likely to keep themselves occupied, but for younger kids it’s a good idea to plan the day’s activities the night before.

Get them doing some arts and crafts, bring down a box of toys or have some dedicated screen-time – and change up the activities regularly to prevent them getting bored.

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Plan for meetings

This is the big one if you work from home with kids. How do you stop them invading meetings and phone calls?

Here are our top tips:

• Make sure their needs have been met beforehand – snack, drink, toilet break
• Give them a new activity just before your call
• For short meetings, put young children somewhere safe like their cot or bedroom and turn on the baby monitor
• Try to postpone longer calls until you have childcare available
• Communicate with colleagues via email or chat where possible.

Always let your manager and team members know if you have your children at home. It can help them adjust how they contact you during that time.

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Be realistic

When working from home with kids, it is important to manage your expectations.

You may have to work longer hours or take extra breaks – and there will probably be background noise throughout the day.

But it’s just as important to be realistic with parental guilt. Don’t feel bad that you’re working while your kids are at home. You can give them your full attention at lunch or after work.

And if they have been good all week, treat them to something fun you can do as a family on the weekend.

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You don’t have to work from home with kids forever

Many of us only juggle childcare and work during the school holidays or if your child is ill. Keep reminding yourself that it is only a temporary change.

If working from home with kids is the norm for you, check if your child is eligible for a funded childcare place.

And remember – it is normal to experience some stress when working from home with your children. But if you need help with your mental health at work, there is support available.