Working from home is a challenge in itself. And when kids come into the equation, it becomes all the more complicated. With the recent coronavirus pandemic affecting everyone across the globe, parents are working from home – managing mounting pressure, children’s schedules, and personal health at great cost.
In this blog, we will look at how parenting kids can become a tab bit easy if work from home has been your daily routine of late:
1. Maintain a Schedule
Children thrive in familiarity and a sense of routine. After all, they’re used to a school schedule. So why not create a home routine for them that mirrors their daily life when you’re out for work? For example, jot down their mealtimes, sleep time, outdoor playtime, study and crafts time, among other things and stick to the schedule – whether or not the nanny is around. Plus, you can also set up a flexible schedule for yourself which factors in important elements such as when you’ll do the chores, how many hours a day you will work, when and how you will spend time with the kids, and so on and so forth.
2. Make the Kid’s Room “Child-Friendly”
As a concerned parent, no one wants to hand the iPad to the child for hours on end to keep them entertained. But if you have a mountain worth of work, you end up with no choice. So what if we told you that you could entertain your child in the most natural (and healthiest) way possible? We’re talking about renting Furlenco’s themed Kid Room packages such as the “Lil’ Dancer Kids Room” (shown in the image above). This dance-themed package comes with an Activity Bed, an Activity Tent, and Cushioned Play Blocks. Your child can use the bed to stack props, the tent to convert it into a green room, and play blocks to make a castle! This set is ideal for kids aged 6-9 years. So while your child plays happily indoors, you can finish your work in peace!
3. For Playdates, Go Virtual
Unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures. If your child is unable to go on a playdate or even engage in outdoor activities with their friends, opt for a virtual playdate on Google Hangouts or Zoom. You can send an invite to the children’s parents and ask anyone parent to read a story to the kids or monitor them as they colour together. The idea is to keep the children busy so that you get some much-needed uninterrupted work time!
4. Nap Time is Work Time!
Make sure to capitalize on your child’s nap time and get as much work done as you can. Whether it’s one hour or four, ensure that you keep your work calls and meetings at this time or risk hearing “Mommmmyyy” from behind during those all-important all-hands work calls! Browse this wooden Bao crib (as shown above) from Furlenco which comes with play blocks so that when your child plays and tires himself/herself, they’ll fall asleep effortlessly. It is best suited for kids between the ages of 12-30 months.
Create a DND Signal
It helps to make your child understand when you’re busy and are not to be disturbed. It could be done by way of hand gestures, by placing a red ribbon on your door, or by wearing a funny hat so that your child knows that you’re busy. Think of fun ways to communicate with the kids and you’ll be surprised to see how well they respond.
What are some of the best tricks that have worked for you in the past? We’d love to hear some productive (and funny) stories!
