9 Tips For Working From Home With Kids
As a mom who has worked from home for over 5 years, I know how amazing and difficult it can be.
On the one hand it is a HUGE blessing that not everyone has the ability to do. And for those that have done it, they also know that it is really, really hard some days.
Today I’m sharing some of the best tips I have for working from home with kids – but, please note, these are not foolproof.
Not all of them work all the time for all moms or even for all kids.
They are things I’ve tried that I wanted to share because I know the push and the pull, and the hard and the joy, the sometimes tears and also the extreme fun and freedom that can come with working from home with kids.
So, if you know a mom that works from home, share this episode of The Sweet Brand Show with her! And if you ARE a work from home mom – this 3-part podcast series is for you!
(Click the play button above to listen, or keep scrolling to read)
One thing that’s really going to help you as you work from home is PLANNING ahead. And one of the things I can offer to help you on the business side of planning, is the All-Content Planner Template in my shop. No matter if you work alone or with a team, this planner will give you a spot to put all of your upcoming content into a schedule.
From your blogs, social media posts, emails and even your video and podcast schedule, you can PLAN it all in one spot so you know what’s coming down the pipe. It comes with an editable template and a video tutorial. Grab it by clicking here!
Working from home as a mom, with littles at your feet can be TOUGH. Some stages might feel easier than others in some ways, and harder in other ways, but no matter what way you slice it, it’s work.
The tips I want to share are going to hopefully be broad enough that you can apply it to your own life, and also specific enough that you can apply it to your own life.
I don’t know if that makes any sense at all, but I know from experience that you can consume all the tips and advice in the world – but every work from home situation is different and every mom and child are different, so not everything is going to work for everyone.
It depends on what stage of life your children are in, their interests and your interests, what’s feasible for you, and how much hands-on attention they need throughout the day.
Knowing that, my goal for this work from home mom series, is that you can at least get something from it to apply to your own life and situation.
No. 1: Having a dedicated work area
Having a dedicated space to work so that you don’t get tired of the rest of your house is something I’ve found that WORKS so well. I do have a home office which doubles as a guest room when we need it. However, you don’t HAVE to have that. I know people who have a desk in a spot in their living room or they use their dining room table or the bar in their kitchen.
No matter if it’s a room, or your kitchen island, or a cute little nook somewhere in your home, the point is that you have a dedicated AREA to work.
This is important for you personally, not only so that you have a spot for all of your work things, but also because it’s kind of a trick on your brain – that when you’re in your work area, you get to WERK.
You don’t do house chores. You don’t watch tv, you don’t get distracted, because it’s work time.
And the more you make a habit of being in that space and working there, the more it will help you be able to actually get work done from home.
Another reason this is important, especially with kids, is that it shows your kids that, hey, this is mommy’s work space.
This is where she goes to work and make money so that we can do important things like pay the bills, but also do fun things like get ice cream out or go on vacations – or whatever reason it is that you work for your family, because I know everyone’s reasons are different.
In my experience doing this in front of your kids also creates boundaries in their minds (and in yours) that your work space is necessary and it’s an important part of your and your kids’ daily life and routine.
I would say it’s moreso a mindset shift than anything else, especially if you don’t already practice this, because if you’re at home, you could obviously work wherever you want to or need to in your house.
However, even just having a space that you work in sometimes during the week, even if it’s not all day every day, will make a huge difference.
CORE TIP: Set up a space, no matter how big or small, within your home that is known as your work area.
No. 2: Working in your workspace with kids
This goes along with tip #1 in that, depending on where your work space is, to give your kids something to do within that space while you work.
Since I have a dedicated room in my house, I’ll bring my son in there with me and give him things to do: legos, toys, or age-appropriate activities like practice writing letters or numbers.
We have a little kids table I bring in there too, and I set it right next to my desk and he acts like that’s his desk and like he’s working too.
Wherever your workspace is in your home, whether it’s an area in your living room or dining room or wherever, you can do something similar and set up an area for your kids to play or do activities that allows you to still be there and watch them and take care of them, but you’re not having to be totally hands-on, so that you can actually get work done while they play.
CORE TIP: Bring them into your work space and let them do their own thing, while you do your work thing.
No. 3: Working in different spaces in your home with kids
Having a dedicated work space and bringing your kids into that is great – when it works.
Because let me tell you, it sounds all sweet and nice, and it is when it works, but some days are just not the days for that.
You’re not into it, your kids aren’t into it, and sometimes you might need to switch things up.
For these days, think about the different spaces in your home you might be able to work that the kids might find fun.
For instance, I have a front porch with a gate, so I love going out there with my son to work while he plays with outdoor toys or reads books or draws with chalk on the concrete.
It’s still our home, so we don’t have to go anywhere, but it’s a different environment and there are fun things for him to do. Also, it’s so nice to be outside and see the sun and get fresh air while you work and your kids play. It just changes your mood, especially on those long summer days.
Another thing we’ve done is set up forts in the house using tables or chairs or pillows – and that was a new space for him, but still our home, that gave him something fun to do while I worked.
Another area that’s worked at times is our garage. It depends on the season and weather, but simply just hanging out in the garage with some snacks and toys is enough.
Another one is getting outside in your backyard as much as possible, too! Even if your yard is really small (mine is), it’s still a different space for your kids to play and learn, and a different space for you to work.
You could bring a chair or a blanket or towel outside to sit on while you work and watch them. Bring snacks and toys for them, you could put up a makeshift tent or let them play in the water.
CORE TIP: No matter the space, it’s all about how you set it up for yourself and your kids. Changing the scenery in whatever way you can inside or outside, even in the smallest of ways, can help your kids be inspired to play and help you be inspired to get work done!
No. 4: Working elsewhere with kids
I love to take my son to a coffee shop, get us some drinks, and sit with him and work. Now, like I’ve already said, take this tip and any others as you will. It might or might not work for you.
Taking your kids somewhere to work might sound like the craziest thing that can’t be done, but it really does work sometimes!
If you’re in the baby or toddler stage, it will depend on your specific child and if they are able to sit and do something for a bit while you work, or if they’re going to need a space where they can roam, yet are somewhat contained.
I get that sitting at a coffee shop with a toddler might not be conducive if they’re going to be up running around, so this tip may work better if your child is maybe 4-5 or older and knows how to sit still for a bit without you having to get up and grab them from across the room.
If that won’t work for you, another great place is the library. Pack everyone up and head to your local library – it’s a new environment, it’s fun because there are books and sometimes even toys and play areas for kids. You’ll be able to keep an eye on them in a contained area, and pull out your computer and work while they are entertained.
No matter where you decide to go, the key is to bring things they can do on a table or small area: small toys, small activities like practice writing or drawing, a small game, or even a small lego set they can put together.
I will pack a little backpack for my son full of things for him to do that I know will occupy him for at least 30 minutes. I’ll even pack snacks depending on where we’re going and sometimes I even include a new toy or activity he’s never seen before to help capture his attention.
There have been times that I’ve tried this and it just hasn’t worked out. He wasn’t interested in the stuff I brought for him to do, and he wanted to be wild and crazy and do something else. I’ve had to redirect course, and that’s just the way it goes sometimes.
This tip isn’t for everyone, but I’ve tried it and it does work, so I couldn’t not mention it in case you wanted to try it out too!
CORE TIP: Try working elsewhere with your kids for a short amount of time, and be sure to come prepared by bringing snacks and activities to occupy them. Also, be prepared for it to just not work some days – and that’s okay, too! At least you gave it a shot.
No. 5: Attending virtual meetings with kids
The biggest thing I’ll say for this is to have a plan. Make snacks and drinks ahead of time. Have a pile of things to occupy them ahead of time. Turn on some educational tv right before your meeting starts.
I’ll put everything on his kid table so that he can access what he needs without having to ask: snacks, water, coloring or school-type work, a lego set or train set, a pile of toys, and whatever things that are safe, NOT messy, and easy for him to do by himself. I’ll also do my best to make sure he’s gone to the bathroom beforehand as well.
Besides this, I’ll also have a tablet set up and ready to go with a show or movie, so that if and when he gets bored of the other things I’ve set out for him, and starts to interrupt the meeting, I can just hit play and he’s good to go for the rest of the meeting.
To be honest, if I know the meeting is coming up, I plan his screen time for that time of the day and have him do other things that aren’t tv before and after the meeting.
I really try to do a mix of it all if I can, but some days just don’t work out that way. My son has been known to play office for a short period of time, or be occupied by whatever toys and things I can pile up for him to do, and then finish off with a show on the tablet.
Other days, it’s just not happening, and I need to get into my meeting, so I start his show or movie right away.
The main thing is to have their immediate needs met and available to them (like snacks and water), and purposefully put things out for them to do (like toys and activities). I also like to have a conversation with them, especially if they’re old enough to understand, to let them know what is going to happen and how they can help mommy out while I have my meeting by being quite and playing well.
This is not a perfect system, but meetings do need to happen for work, and if you’re at home with kids by yourself, you gotta do what you gotta do. Kids are going to do what they want, and I just try to plan ahead as well as I can for that day – and that’s what we have to do, is plan ahead and adapt to whatever situation comes our way.
CORE TIP: Plan ahead for meetings with kids, and have their immediate needs met by setting out snacks and activities for them to do so that you can still watch them but they’re occupied while you have your meeting.
No. 6: Learning to pivot (I’m still learning)
I really do like to sit down, put my head down, and get my work done in one stretch of time. I don’t like working for 30 minutes here and an hour there – I can do it, but my brain has a hard time with it. However, when kids are home with you all day, a long stretch of work hours just isn’t an option.
You have to take breaks to take care of your kids and play with them and give them attention – because really, isn’t that why we’re work from home moms? Isn’t that the whole point?
I’ve had to learn how to pivot and be okay with the stop and start cycle of working then breaking then working again.
Then you factor in unscheduled things like getting sick or getting hurt or your kid wakes up in the middle of the night – there’s always something new and different coming your way.
And it’s not a bad thing, it’s helped me grow and learn to be a better mom and better wife and better person in general and it’s something I want to do, I get to do, and I want to get better at.
And I’m still learning, because each new stage is a whole new thing and nothing is really ever that constant.
Things are ALWAYS changing with kids and with life, so not only learning to pivot, but learning to be OKAY with pivoting is probably the best tip I can give for this whole series.
So if you don’t come back and listen to (or read) any more episodes: that’s it. Learn to be GOOD with pivoting.
(But seriously please do come back and listen to the rest of this series because I’m pretty excited about these episodes and I want to share what I’ve learned if it will help anyone!)
CORE TIP: Expect things to change constantly, and be okay with constantly pivoting.
No. 7: Working during odd times
I love this tip because I do like to get up early, but I also think it’s so annoying sometimes, especially when you’ve had a night where your kids have been up and you haven’t gotten any sleep.
However, over the years, I’ve gotten into a pretty good habit of getting up early and working before my son gets up and also occasionally staying up a little later and working after he goes to bed.
I also of course work any time he takes a nap, which actually isn’t that often any more, but when he was younger you better believe I took advantage of those nap times to get some work done.
In my experience it’s better for me to work early in the morning because I’m able to go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time (as long as no one has woken me up in the night).
If I can go to bed at 9pm and wake up at 5am, then that’s way better than going to bed at midnight and then trying to wake up at 5am. At that point I’m getting like, 5 hours of sleep, and then factor in being woken up in the night, because that will happen, it’s just not sustainable. I’ve done it that way, but I always end up being cranky and not a good mom the next day.
So, trying to stick with a solid bed time and a solid wakeup time, before my kids get up, has worked the best for me – and this is probably the tip that’s stayed the most constant over the last 5 years, too.
I can’t control if I get up in the night and lose sleep, but I can control when I go to bed and when I wake up (for the most part).
I’m not a scientist and I don’t study the brain, but I do know keeping a consistent schedule, no matter what time you go to bed and wake up, helps your body and your brain to actually get to sleep when you want to, and then actually wake up when you want to.
Your brain will start to recognize the pattern.
This will offer you better, more consistent sleep – which we all know we need as moms!
Our bodies naturally want to go to bed and wake up at the same time. So if we can help ourselves do that and stick with it, we’ll overall be more rested and be able to be better moms and be more productive in our work, too.
And lastly I will say, my hot take and maybe not a very popular one is that if you’re going to be a mom that works from home with your kids, this is probably one of those things that you’re going to have to do even if you aren’t fond of waking up early or going to bed at a certain time.
For me, the drive is that I want to be able to be present and be available to do things with my kids during the day, so if I have to wake up a little early or plan my day a little more meticulously or whatever needs done, I’m going to do that.
I’ve done a lot of things a lot of ways and I’ve definitely had days where all my son does is watch tv and run around crazy and I end up feeling like a terrible mom about it later.
If that’s you now or if it’s been you before, I get it.
So this tip and all of the others are just some of the ways I’ve been able to make the experience better for myself, and more importantly, for my son.
Because here’s the thing: It’s also not a bad thing for your kids to watch tv all day once in a while.
Yup I said it.
I mean, I watched tv all the time as a kid and I think I turned out just fine!
It’s also a really great thing for your kids to see you working and to know and understand what that looks like and why you’re doing it.
As my son has gotten older it’s been a really great conversation to have with him about life and how we have to work for things, and then modeling all of the skills that are necessary for that in front of him.
Kids are SMART.
They are WAY more aware than they get credit for.
They are taking in way more than we think, and they understand a lot more than we would think – and from such a young age, too!
I am having those supposedly “hard” conversations and talking about what we’re doing and why we’re doing it more than I think I ever thought I would before becoming a mom.
CORE TIP: Working at odd times, getting up early and working during naps might be hard, but necessary as a work from home mom. No matter what you decide to do, pick a rhythm that works and try to stick with it the best you can, for your brain and for your family.
No. 8: Scheduling playtime with your kids during the work day
There may be times where you have to grind it out and work all day during normal business hours. I get that, and I have had to do that.
There may be other days where you have a bit more flexibility because you’re not on as tight of deadlines and you don’t have any meetings.
No matter what the day brings, I’m sure you know that your kids do want to play with you and they do want to spend time with you, so making the time to take breaks throughout the work day to just PLAY with them or take them on an adventure to the park or to get a fun treat or go on a walk – whatever that looks like for you – is important.
It might sound funny to “schedule in time with your kids”, but if you don’t, you might not get to it. I think this is true of any parent, no matter if you work outside the home or if you stay home with your kids.
It’s possible to be around them 24/7, yet not spend any quality time with them. I’ve definitely done this before, and still do.
So for me, adding time to my schedule and blocking off my work calendar on a regular basis to actually just look my son in the eyes and play with him or read books or do whatever he wants together, has been so crucial and life-giving for us.
On the days I do this, I can tell his little cup is full – and so is mine! And what’s really interesting is that I’ve noticed that when I do need to get back to work, we’re both happier and he’s able to play more independently while I get work done after I’ve spent some time with him.
Just like every other tip, this is not perfect nor is it always feasible depending on your workload and the week at hand, but I’ve seen the benefits of it, so hopefully you can try it out and it can work for you, too.
CORE TIP: Don’t underestimate the power of change of scenery, change of activity, and including your kids + planning breaks for you to play and fill their little cup during the work day!
No. 9: Remember the life skills & what you’re prepping them for
Even though it can be extremely tough in the day to day and in the “now”, you are teaching your kids valuable lessons by working in general, and through working in front of them at home.
Think about the life skills you’re teaching them, like that you have to work to make money to pay for things; you have to be quiet when someone is talking on the phone or in a meeting; you have to learn to play with your siblings or play by yourself sometimes and not always look to someone else to occupy you.
You’re teaching them about finances, working hard, making schedules, and also having fun while you do it.
I heard someone say on a podcast once when talking about kids that, “you are raising ADULTS, not children.”
The first time I heard that I was like, wow, yeah, okay that definitely puts it into perspective!
My kids will one day grow up and be adults, just like I grew up and became an adult.
They won’t be kids forever.
Knowing that, what am I doing in the daily grind to help prepare them for that, no matter if they’re 1 or 7 or 17.
CORE TIP: Remember the life skills you’re teaching them while you’re doing it in front of them, what you’re prepping them for, and that you’re raising future adults.
Why this series is 3 parts
Man that was a lot! I think I could talk for quite a while about this topic, I mean when I was making the outline for this episode I was like having to cut it down so that I could actually get through it in a reasonable amount of time. That’s actually why I decided to make it into a 3-part series, because there’s just SO MUCH that I could talk about on the topic of working from home with kids.
Okay before I wrap up, I did want to mention one more thing, and this is just my hot take…
Hot Take Alert: “Finding help” as a tip
When it comes to tips on working from home, I’ve heard it a million times that “getting help” is the number one tip people have.
I think that’s great, and I do get help myself even, but I don’t really count it as a tip for “working from home with kids”.
I’m going to guess that if you’re searching for ideas on how to work from home with kids, and you’re listening to this podcast, you do NOT have help (for whatever reason) and you’re trying to figure out how to get work done WHILE taking care of your sweet little humans at the same time.
If you had help, then you probably wouldn’t be worried about working from home with kids because you would technically have someone watching them while you worked.
So that’s my soapbox about the “getting help” tip.
It’s useful if you can and want to get help, but it’s not really a tip for working from home WITH kids.
Now, I personally have had a sitter since my son was a baby, and she comes to my house to watch my son while I work.
At times I’ve had her come 3 or 4 days a week, other times it’s been just one day a week, and some weeks not at all, so I’ve done it every which way.
However, I didn’t want to start off the episode with this as a tip because I know it’s not always feasible – and even if it is within your budget and you could do it, it might not be what you want to do.
Of course, I highly recommend it, it’s great for your kids to be taken care of by someone you trust while you work – so that you can get work done and they can have a great time playing and learning from someone else.
But, I wanted to give a lot of tips that have worked for me that do NOT involve having help while you work with your kids, just because I know not everyone can hire help or wants to hire help.
Coming up on The Sweet Brand Show (my podcast)
We’re going to talk about brainstorming and planning ahead as a work from home mom, as well as scheduling, and my ideas for ALL of that. I’m sharing tools and systems that I’ve used, and other people that I look to for ideas because they can come up with way better things than I’d ever think of. So, that is what’s coming up on this work from home mom series – subscribe and stick around so you don’t miss an episode!