Tips on Being a Work-At-Home Parent

Although the majority of jobs still require you to go to an office each day, there are more and more work-at-home positions popping up. Here at FMTC, we all work remotely and have always been a virtual team. I personally have worked from home for 6 years with FMTC and love it. There are always challenges, although, especially if you have children.

My precious daughter was born last March – I can’t believe it’s already been over a year! She has definitely changed my life for the better and brings me so much joy. I can’t deny that even though it’s a blessing being able to work from home and care for my daughter, it does come with challenges. I have found a rhythm now, thankfully, and want to share some tips with any other work-at-home parents out there.



1. Stick to a Routine

The most important thing to do is to make sure your little ones are on a good routine. This should be from the time they wake up to when it’s bedtime. Keeping them on a schedule means they know what to expect and you know when you’ll have time to focus. Naps are also extremely important, especially for babies. When I finally got my daughter on a good nap routine, I knew I could schedule meetings for those times and work without interruptions.

If your kids are in school, try to get as much done as you can while they’re gone. Once they’re home from school, you can have a schedule then. This can be something like snack time, homework time, then playtime. This way they will have things to do while you finish up work for the day.



2. Keep Them Occupied & Happy

A bored child = a difficult child, can I get an amen? This is why I always make sure my daughter has plenty of toys and activities to do while I’m working. She’s still quite young but she does a great job entertaining herself most of the time. I pull out different toys for her periodically and make sure she has something to do. Some parents even rotate toy boxes so kids don’t get bored of the same old toys.

For older kids, you can research fun activities, write them down on pieces of paper, and then keep them in a jar. Whenever your kids come to you saying they’re bored, they can pick one from the jar. Or you can even plan out different activities for each week. This would be helpful if you need specific supplies, like for crafts.



3. Take Breaks

This one can be tough, especially if work is super busy. But, it’s important for you and your littles to unplug and spend time together. Even if it’s just 10-15 minutes of playing with them or going outside, this is precious time to connect with your family. Plus, I’ve found I can focus better and be more productive after I’ve given my brain a break.

I know as my daughter grows, I’ll need to continue to adapt and find new ways to work and care for her at the same time. But no matter how busy work may be, I’ll always be thankful that I can be successful as a businesswoman and a mother simultaneously.

If you have any tips, feel free to share them in the comments or email me at [email protected] – I’d love to hear from you!