We are in such unprecedented times right now. Since COVID-19 hit, the last few months have certainly been tough. Quite apart from the worry of the virus, we as a society are dealing with the financial strain it has brought as well as the social impact to our lives. Not being able to see our families and friends after recently making the move to the Gold Coast has been hard and we look forward to further easing of restrictions to allow them to come and visit us. The “new norm” for many people has become working from home. Up until recently we have had Ethan home from childcare, making things not exactly easy on the work front. I wanted to share some of my tips on how to survive working from home with kids during COVID-19.
Be organised…
I think one of the most important things for me was being organised. Making sure I had activities set up, food organised and a general plan for the day the night before was a total game changer for me.
I recently discovered the amazing Jordan Page from “Fun Cheap or Free” and her famous Block Schedule. It makes so much sense and really helps me get so much more done in my day. Plus I figure if Jordan can do it with eight kids….I can almost certainly do it with one!
Another hot tip is getting out of bed early before Ethan wakes. This makes such a difference. I log on and check my emails first up to get a good handle on what is happening. Then when Ethan wakes I can make us breakfast and get ready for the day, knowing that work is under control at that point.
Find educational resources…
As COVID-19 hit, I stumbled across an amazing resource called Reading Eggs which also includes Mathseeds.We tested out a free 30 day trial, and then after the trial was finished, I decided to purchase a one year subscription as I found it to be such an invaluable resource! The lessons are tailored to different age groups and the kids can work their way through at their own pace. The best part is that Ethan can work unassisted and ask me questions along the way. You can also download the app to your phone or tablet making it very versatile. Highly recommended from me!
Get creative!
Ethan loves craft! I went to the $2 shop and bought lots of cheap things which got his creative juices flowing! From felt, puzzles and coloured paper to buttons and crayons….it kept him entertained for hours. He could also sit up next to me while I was working and feel like he was part of it. I found the trick to it was to find things he could do with little guidance. Working from home with kids during COVID-19
Consider nap times…
If your child still has an afternoon nap, try and schedule conference calls or work that requires high concentration during these times. This will avoid being wacked over the head with a plastic golf club while you’re on the phone to your boss (true story!!)
Food…food…food!
After the first week of working from home and trying to entertain Ethan, a common phrase became “Mummy, I’m hungry”! So a funny story….I made the mistake one day of creating a food basket for him. Filled with lots of little snacks, fruit, a sandwich for lunch, his water bottle. I said to him that the basket of food was to last him the whole day. He understood. Well, do you think this happened? By morning tea time, the entire basket was empty! He’d scoffed the whole lot!! Needless to say this was the first and last time I did this.
Instead, I prepare snacks the night before and pop them in the fridge. Chop up carrots, apple, have some crackers in a container, make his sandwich. Have it all prepared and ready to go. So it’s very easy to grab it from the fridge when hunger strikes without taking too much time out of your working day.
Consider break times for guided activities…
I tried to do some sort of guided activity during my break time. For example some fun science experiments. Making a baking soda and vinegar volcano is super easy and fun. It doesn’t take too long either so you can easily do this with your little one when you have a short break from work. There are so many ideas out there on YouTube which show step by step instructions.
I hope you’ve found this useful reading about some of my tips for working from home with kids during COVID-19. Please leave me a comment below with any of your hot tips! I’d love to hear from you x