It might finally be a full house after a really long time and the quarantine period might feel idyllic. But wait till work starts piling up and work from home becomes an actual workplace in itself.
It is in such moments you realise the stress of working from home while your kids are on leave too. No matter how lovable they look sleeping in their beds at night, morning will come and they will have re energised to jump around the house and demand your attention.
You can’t even send them out to the park with the nanny or a family member because you want to exercise caution during the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Here are seven ways to deal with kids while working from home during the quarantine:
1. Set boundaries with your kids
No matter what age they are or how much you love them, you will have to draw the line somewhere. Like restrictions on entering your work space, touching your work laptop, playing games on your phone during work hours and other things that might cause a hindrance to your work flow should be strictly prohibited.
2. Give them activities or home work to finish
Teach them to scribble or solve a sudoku puzzle. Give them revision work so they don’t forget what a classroom feels like, or just teach them something new. Make them sit down and do whatever you have asked them, and rush back to your work station for the day.
3. Let them indulge in one feel-good movie a day
Kids are easily convinced with visual pleasures. If they are toddlers then this is not for them, but kids between five to fifteen years of age could indulge in some feel-good movies or even shows to brighten up their mood while staying indoors. Some suggestions from us are: Ratatouille, Billy Elliot, The Princess Bride, Mrs. Doubtfire, and more.
4. Take breaks from work to communicate with them
It is more important than you think it is currently. Your kids are young and finding it hard to adapt to staying home all the time during the lockdown. Their entire routine has been thrown off. Communicate with them regularly to keep everyone stable and make them feel heard too.
5. Involve your partner and make them equally responsible too
You are home–great. But it doesn’t mean you are free to manage every single thing. Involve your partner as well and distribute responsibilities.
6. Make a schedule for the family
Parents should ideally wake up a little early and finish at least one task, before their kids wake up so that they have ample time during the day. Make a schedule with meal times, breaks and recreational (at-home) activities so that everyone is on track and not demanding or expecting too much.
7. Assign a space in your house as your work station
It is absolutely essential that you designate a work space in the house for yourself and your partner. You cannot concentrate on work if you don’t create that environment for yourself. Designating a particular spot helps draw the line for kids too. They can be all over the house and if you have a single spot to keep them away from, it is easier to abide by that rule.
Setting a routine during this time will not only help your kids, but your entire family. It is important to follow this new system of staying at home. Measures taken now help prevent any unwanted diseases from affecting your family during this pandemic.
