Routines and Working from Home

I also work from home and can't afford a babysitter while I work. So I had to schedule in quiet time for the kids and then work. I wasn't working as much in the day cause they needed attention as much as at night. If you can do it at night that would be best for the kids. I was lucky to have a husband who would get off work early enough to work around. Supernanny has great ideas for schedules. Kids need structure and schedules and mom's need it too. Just to be able to do it all. It is hard but charts work well. Kids like them and you can get them to pitch in with the housework. Anything else I think of I will let you know.
M.

What about a "Work" basket for each of the kids. Have things in a basket or something similar that they each can play with or work on while you have to work. The only time that they get to work in their basket is when you have to work too. Keep a snack or something that they can eat too. Keep these items in the spot that you normally work at and when you go to work, so do they. The items that you have in there should be things that they can do with little to no supervision (as the key is to get you some time to work too) and switch it out every so often so that they are always "new" to the kids. I try to do this with mine when we first bring home a new baby and I am doing a lot of nursing. It helps keep them occupied so you can do something else too. Every once and a while you could also have a movie for them to watch in a "safe" room (a room that you know there isn't anything that they can't play with or you know that they aren't going to destroy). Good luck
J. (SAHM of 6)

Hi S.

I like the work basket idea. I would check out www.flylady.net for ideas on organizing your home and keeping it clean and tidy. Working at home is a challenge with young children. I tried many different things but none that I feel worked well enough to suggest. Even now, it is challenging juggling my pre-teen's schedule with mine. I guess the advise I have for you is to keep trying new things. One way might work at this stage, but as your children grow and your work deadlines change, you may find you need to tweak it and try something else. Keep asking for advise and don't feel as if you failed just because something you tried was a failure. I spent a lot of time second guessing most of my choices, wondering if they were right for my family and me, personally. Strive for a place of balance and be kind to yourself as you go through your days. Ask for help from family, neighbors and friends. Be open to what is available to you because sometimes I know I turned help away thinking I needed to be with my son all the time in order to be a SAHM.

I hope this has been helpful. If you would like ideas about creating balance in your life, email me.
In Joy
K.

Hummm, My thoughts about working from home is your still working, if you can't give the attention needed for your children (which is fine) hire someone to watch them, even if it's a younger person, since you are there incase of an emergency, I dont think your 5 year old is old enough to take care of a 20 mo old, and I also dont think you can expect either one of them to entertain them selves while you work, even if it is from home. I hope this doesnt sound harsh, it's not my intentions, but w/o much extra insight into the situation, that is just how I feel about it.
Good Luck finding something that works for you.