5 Childcare Solutions For The Work At Home Parent
You may not work outside the home, but that doesn’t mean your time isn’t as important or as valuable as those who do. In fact, your life is probably not as easy as most people tend to think it is. Even if you’re a work-from-home parent, you still need viable childcare solutions, so that you can get your work done on time. In this post, we’re going to help you address those “little” issues.
Myths About Working from Home with Children
The biggest myth about working from home is that you will no longer need childcare. How many times have you tried watching a complete movie or reading a good book with kids in the background? It’s just about impossible to do, right?
The same goes for when you’re working at home. You can’t get work done if your kids are constantly bickering or needing you for something.
5 Childcare Solutions For The Work At Home Parent
#1. Plan Ahead of Time
You’re going to need a plan before you start working at home. You’re going to need somewhere for your children to go or someone to take care of them while you work. Working at home, is really no different than working at an outside office.
#2. Make Adjustments to Working Hours
If you have to work eight hours a day, do they need to be eight consecutive hours? If not, then you can work when you want to – so long as you get in those eight hours. Consider working when everyone else is asleep. Or, if your kids are home from school (regardless of the reason), work in the evening hours when everybody is starting to ready themselves for bed.
#3. Share Childcare Duties with Similar Individuals
Some work-at-home schedules are more flexible than others. Consider reaching out to individuals in similar predicaments as your own to share the childcare duties. They can take on your kids during their days off and vice versa. This will lower the cost of paying someone to watch your kids and the kids will also have someone to play with.
#4. Hire A Private Sitter
Most daycare centers have a price set for each week. If you only need childcare for three days a week, this can be costly. Instead, hire a babysitter to watch your kids in the house as you work. This gives you even more options and flexibility.
#5. Have A Separate Work Office
If possible, the room you choose should have a door. If you’re working, and your kids are older, shut the door. Make sure everyone understands that when the door is shut, you are not to be bothered. This will also give you the quiet time to get the work you need done complete.
In Conclusion
While you do have some play time in a work-at-home schedule, you still need childcare solutions for when you work. I’ve listed 5 childcare solutions for the work at home parent. What are some other childcare solutions that you can think of?
