Working from home is one thing but working at home when you are also trying to teach and entertain your children is a whole new ball game. It is a situation that we didn’t choose but has been thrust on us with little choice and even less time to plan and prepare for. Covid 19 has called on us to do the unthinkable and therefore I have put together some tips for working from home with children.
Juggling work & home schooling!
How you approach and manage home schooling along with working will depend on how old your children are and who else is at home. If both parents are at home then a tag-team approach can work. My husband is a teacher and mostly working from home, between us we are managing to both work and keep the kids sane.
When he has had on online conference call I make sure the children are kept quiet and out the way and he has done the same for me. If you have children of differing ages get them involved with supporting and helping each other. Our teenagers have sat and done some school work with our ten year old. Get children to play a game or read to their younger siblings while you get on with some work.
With all age groups I think we need to lower our expectations. No-one should be expecting to fully educate their children and still do all the work they would in a typical day in the office. Keep open communication and let them know if a deadline is unreasonable or not going to be met. We all need to be flexible at the minute.
How to work from home with a baby?
If you are trying to work with little ones who are usually at nursery it will be hard as they are very demanding and not able to entertain themselves.
Try working when they nap this may mean pulling some unsociable hours but will be a way to get your work done.
Many babies are often happy in a wrap or carrier, this can free up some time where your hands are free still to work.
If feeding you could be able to answer emails or make calls at the same time. It is all about multitasking at this stage.
Tips for working from home and home educating pre-schoolers
The advantage parents of pre-schoolers and KS1 children is that this age group often go to bed quite early. This means that parents can get in a couple of hours work in the early evening.
Creating a routine is key, children thrive on structure and order so work in chunks of time. The mornings are often when young children are most productive, so set aside some time for some activities in the morning. Then after lunch pop on a film and mum and dad can work on their laptops.
How to work from home and home school KS2 children
By the age of 8 /9 children should be able to be a little more independent and if they aren’t then now is the time to start!
We have found setting up the dining table where we can work together helps our ten year old. She is able to get on with her school work relatively independently but we are sitting together so that she is not isolated and can ask us questions.
Involve grandparents or aunties and uncles by using Facetime and asking them to read a story or talk to your child so that you can work. Everyone will appreciate this interaction as many grandparents are struggling with isolation too.
Plan the days lessons the day before. I have been spending an hour in the evening printing off any worksheets or planning what I want my daughter to do. Rather than wasting time trying to think things up, we have a routine each day. We are spending the morning doing academic work that the school has set. This gives parents time to work. There are so many resources available online and Twinkl and Tes are my go-to sites for worksheets but be careful not to just rely on worksheets as that gets boring!
We are working to routine that involves doing Maths and English in the morning and then more creative things and free play in the afternoons which is when parents can get more work done.
Use technology to keep your KS2 children busy, there are so many apps available that gives parents the opportunity get on with their work.
Tips for working from home and home educating teenagers
This age group brings with it unique challenges and stress point, they are likely to be the ones looking to get out and will be wanting to communicate with friends and this is really important for their relationships and their mental health.
Some schools are setting lots of work and others less which also makes things difficult. Teenagers are likely to be the ones not wanting to complete work too. Research informs us that teenagers are programmed to sleep later into the morning. Therefore let them get up later but still have some expectations – my son is getting up about 10.30. This gives me a few hours in the morning to work before he is up.
Have a conversation with teenagers and agree what they will achieve each day and then check in later that they have done it. They will need motivating but you don’t want to get caught in an argument with them about work as we are all trying to keep everything harmonious in the home.
Get your teenagers helping each other too, one could help another with school work if it is hard.
Now is a good time for teenagers to learn to be more independent too, give them responsibility for cooking a family meal each week. Let them choose what to cook and leave them to prepare it. They might even enjoy this!
Find some in the evenings to chat to your teenagers about what they have achieved that day. They are more likely to produce if they know their efforts are being seen.
Summary
Working from home with children is not easy and we need to remember this. We are in a highly unusual time and we are doing our best. Please be kind to yourself and try not to worry to much. Young children won’t remember this time. Cut your older children some slack and make some memories with them about how you managed this as a family. Your child won’t fall behind massively as all children are in the same position.
