Entertain 18 Mo Girl While Working Full Time from Home.

Wow! I could not do what you're doing. You have quite the load. I do have a suggestion, though. I found that if i take time to play with my son for about ten or fifteen minutes here and there, he usually is ok to be on his own. One thing my husband does when he's working at home is take manditory brakes to spend with me and the baby. I hope that helps. Good luck!

Hi J.,

My friend and I were just talking about this today! We both feel that our boys became more independent, able to play on their own for 30+ minutes numerous times a day around 20 months. At least until that time, could you cut back your hours some, and plan on spending the most active time of your daughter's day playing with her and cleaning house, as she will probably enjoy copying your cleaning if you make it into a game, then work during nap, get some inexpensive in home help from a 6-8th grader (you can ask the school principal for recommendations if you don't know of anyone) for the afternoon for another hour or two, and maybe work another hour or so in the evening with your husband watching the kids? It's not ideal - I don't know that I could get in an entire 40 hours/week with my one son, let along juggling three. I admire your efforts. You could also look for outside part time daycare/preschool for your daughter. She will get more independent in another month or two, but I don't know that it will be enough for you to get the hours you need in.

Good luck!

This sounds stressfull, but let me be honest. You can't work from home and take care of an 18 month old, that is a myth. You either need a nanny or to put her in day care because a toddler does need to be carefully watched. Working from home is great, you save money on commuting and time as well, but you can't do both jobs at once. If you could hire someone to come in and watch your daughter and clean the house! And have you done a budget? Figure out what you will actually bring home(net after taxes, child care, all the other expenses related to working). If you love your work and it energizes you than that is another matter.

Since you're working at home can you choose to do your work in the evening instead of when your daughter only has you and needs interaction?

A schedule is important.

If you were doing that same job inside a different set of walls you wouldn't be worrying about cleaning.

Do your cleaning during the day while you're mothering your daughter. When you're husband gets home take an hour to have dinner and then let him do the night-time parenting: bath,
bed, stories, some house chores since there's a need for you to work, etc... and you GO TO WORK in the other room.

No need to feel like a horrible Mom...just mold things around your family, you can always get another job but not children. Oh, and have a family goal for your job, something that they can only do because of your income and make a chart on the wall for them...then at the end of the month do it...this should help them support you doing your job, too.

J.,

I am impressed! You have created a daughter that wants to connect with people more than TV.

I wonder if she would enjoy pretending to be a "hard worker" like her mommie. Is there a way for her to play at what you do for your job.
If it is on a computer, could you create a toy computer for your daughter.

I realize the challenge you are facing with balancing work and home care. When I was first starting my company it was a real challenge for me also. The best thing that I did is create a schedule that blocked out time. This was general not specific. ie: 7-10am work on computer for company, 10-noon make phone calls, noon-1pm Lunch, 1-3pm clean house.
I would schedule certain evenings for activities ie Monday night Family night, Tuesday Spiritual growth, Wednesday night personal time, Thursday physical health, etc.

Best Wishes for finding balance and joy in your life.
With my whole heart, C.

Maybe if there is another mom in the neighborhood you ladies could 'switch' days. She could take your kiddo for a couple mornings a week and then you could do the same for her... good way not to have to spend $$ on babysitters.

Maybe you have the wrong movies! It's probably a good thing she doesn't watch movies, but some of our favorites for when I just have to have a minute of quiet are the Little People and LeapFrog. I love the LeapFrog videos (try the Letter Factory) because I don't feel guilty about letting them watch it. My boys learned all their letters that way.
Another thing my boys have enjoyed is sitting in their high chair with Play-doh or some paper and washable markers. The confinement of the high chair adds to their attention span and lets you take your eyes away without getting wall murals and Play-doh in the carpet.

I work from home as well and have for years. One option is to do a swap with someone who has a child her age. At least then you can get some dedicated time. I also tend to work late into the night, so I can get things done without interruption. I don't know the nature of your business, but I do everything that can be done outside of normal hours in the evening. 18 months is challenging because she can't comprehend giving you time. It will get easier as she gets older. Just be sure to take breaks to give her some focused time each hour.

Is there any young person (10-13 years)in your neighborhood who might act as a mother's helper or babysitter-in-training? You could pay very little ($3/hour or so) and at least a couple hours a day have someone to entertain your 18month old? Its not a perfect solution, but it helps.

I too work from home and battle the balance. My job is flexible and I am able to get up early (sometimes 4am) and work til they wake up...and do work from their bedtime til I go to bed. I usually get in 3-5 hours a day this way.

Hi,
I work from home too, and what I have to do is have a schedule to make things happen. My twins have to play on their own. I make sure that they have toys, etc to play with. The major thing is I get up really early and start working before they wake up. I work 4 hours in the morning and then I work in the afternoon. Once the kids wake up the mornings are reserved for playing with the kids and cleaning. Then in the afternoon I teach music lessons and my kids play outside, or upstairs, or take a late nap. Then the evenings are reserved for my kids and husband. Just make out a schedule and try to stick with it, allow wiggle room and it should all work out :)

Newsflash! You are NOT Superwoman. You can do it all, but you can't do it all well. So, either be happy with that, or let something go. I've always said you can be a good mom or a good housewife, but not both. I chose good mom. With the same token, I like to work part-time in order to keep my sanity and have a little extra money. I did trades with other moms. Or I worked during naptime. Or I worked when my husband came home. What is your job? Is it possible your daughter could "help" you? Honestly, it won't really be helping. But if she feels like she's helping she'll be happy and occuppied. Let her pretend like she's helping. As far as house chores go --- enlist the help of your husband and 2 boys. Give everyone specific duties. Write it down. Even if the work isn't up to your standards --- be ok with it. Have a specific time of day or time of the week that you work. Have a specific time of day or time of the week that you don't work and you play with your child. Have "stations" (art, music, toys, etc.)in your home. Generally speaking, a child's attention span is no more than 15 minutes. Once the 15 minutes are up at one station --- move her on to the next and so on. It is a daily battle for all of us, isn't it!

Work during naps, super-early or super-late.
I haven't tried to work from home, but I know I would get caught up in mixing my priorities, snapping at baby 'cause I haven't managed my time well.

You need to block out allocated time and that you have to work and focus. See if you can hire a sitter to come during this time. It ultimately is impossible to be there present for a 18 mos old and not have interuptions or have to keep your eyes and ears on what she is doing. I would say that or find some other mom and swap days and playdates so you can get work done. As far as the other stuff around the house, just do a schedule and take 40 minutes out each day to do one or two main things a day, like the bathrooms on Monday, changing sheets on Tuesday. Allocate however much time you need of quiet time to concentrate on your work, maybe during naptimes or find someone to come over and watch your little girl during that time.

Sounds like you've figured out that you can't work(even if it's at home)and do everything required of a mom. Is there any way you can crunch the numbers to drop the job until your little one starts school? I do understand when moms of little ones HAVE to work, but I also think there is always another option so that we can be happier, better moms and wives. I don't work, and I still get a little frustrated with the stuff that gets put on the back burner, but I know it's ok because I spent that time playing a game or taking a walk or just cuddling with my kids. So, I can't imagine how hard it is to work, try to give attention to the little one and get the daily house stuff done. In my opinion, the job comes in last on the list of priorities and should be dropped.

I think you may want to consider hiring someone to come in to your home while you are working to entertain the baby. This would let you work, and you would not need to feel guilty about not being with baby.

Good luck

A.

I work part time from home (20-30 hours per week) and have for years. I started when my oldest was about 18 months and have since had two more kids. My son is the only one at home now and he is barely two. I do as much work during naptime and after bedtime as I can; It is the only uninterrupted time I get. I have figured out how to type with a kid in my lap (I am doing that right now) and pay attention and interact a little bit while I work. It's not easy. I keep my littles ones in the same room as me; a laptop was the best investment I ever made. I try to find fun toys like blocks and a wooden train to keep their attention. I only have one toy like this out at a time and I try not to overuse them. I frequently talk to my children while I am working so they don't feel ignored. I also try to take some time out every hour or so to really interact with them. This helps a lot. We have a good lunch together, take trips to the park during breaks, and do all sorts of things. It is difficult and my house is never clean, but we have found our groove. Because you are working full time, which I can never imagine, I would recommend getting a baby sitter to come in at least a few mornings a week to watch your little one in your home while you work. During the summer you can usually hire a teenager to do this, but you will have to look a little harder during the school year. Maybe you could have them come in after school. This way you are still at home with your daughter, but you can really focus on your work. If you can afford it I would also recommend hiring a house cleaner to help out with the chores.

I worked from home for three years and now stay home with my son. Although I didn't have any kids when I worked from home, I still struggled having a balance and getting everything done. What I did, is keep to a strict schedule. Get up at the same time each day and have the same routine and keep to it! You will fell like you have enough time to get things accomplished without chaos and your daughter will thrive as well. Let your daughter know when it's time for you to work and time for you to play. If you keep to a schedule, she will catch on and it will be much easier. Since you like to bike and scrapbook, do those things with her. Take 30/45 mintues out of your day to scrapbook or go for a bike ride, she'll love it! Organize an activity box that she can go to herself and find things to do. Obviously make them age appropriate and rotate the box every other week with new activites so she doesn't get bored. There are a TON of resources online that give great ideas on what to include and use. Also, planning ahead made a HUGE difference in my work day. I had every meal for a week planned out in advance, all the household chores broke up throughout the week, and I tried to get most my errands done in a couple trips. Doing this allowed for more time at home with my husband and with the household chores, I didn't fell like I HAD to get it all done in one day. I knew what day it was going to get taken care of and left it at that. Also, one last thing... have SET hours for your job. Don't let your job carry over to family time. Work 9-6 and that means, at six o'clock, you don't even think about work! (I had a hard time with that). You still have to be flexable but only make exceptions when it's completely needed...

GOOD LUCK

Make a schedule: when you work, when you clean, when you play with kids, when its 'me time'. Try to schedule everything for the week (you can schedule in 'free time' too). Then stick to it. This will allow you to really focus on work when it's work time, and to focus on your baby when it's her time, etc. You're free time will also be more free because you won't be worrying about what you 'should' be doing.
You will also be much more productive during work time if you get someone to come in and be with your daughter - call it a nanny or play supervisor or anything you want. You're still right there and will be available for emergencies, etc. But she'll have the benefit of getting used to other caregivers and not having mommy always telling her you're too busy right now. And you'll be less stressed.

I have for 2 years trying to find a job working at home but realize that only if my husband is around would I even attempt to work while the kids were home. There are too many distractions. I would try to get someone to watch your 18 month old. I know its an extra expense but you are saving money in gas and work clothing by working at home. I really don't know how you get anything done with an 18 month old at your feet. I think you would be more effective with someone watching her and at this point it sounds like it would be better for her also.

I too work from home (part time though, which is much easier I'm sure). I work when my kids nap or when they are at preschool. When my husband gets home from work I go into my "office" and finish working. I still have plenty of time to spend with my kids because I am doing the majority of my work in the evening.

If I were you personally I would put her in a "parents day out" program one or two days/week so you have some time to get work done. I don't know where you live but my church has a great PDO program and with kids that age you can pick the days you bring them (it runs Mon thru Thurs). It is Waterstone Community Church (at C-470 & Bowles).

Good Luck!!!