Need some tips for working at home!

MsShona

Sun, Feb 11 2024, 12:28 pm

amother wrote:

How do you manage your kids while you are working?
When do you prepare meals?
When do you find the time to do housework and laundry?
What hours do you work?
If you work at night, when do you find time to relax?
Do you work straight for many hours, or do a little bit at a time?

1. My kids are in elementary school. My twins are on the bus at 7:30am. Although I officially start at 8:30am, my oldest son needs to be at school between 8:35am - 8:55am. So I log on, check emails, and then drive him to school (it's only 5min away - so 10 min round trip). There is a general understanding at my job to not schedule any meeting prior to 9am. Everyone is home by 4pm though. So there is about an hour overlap between them being home and me working. During this time, they usually eat a snack, play (they are always excited to get back together since they go to different schools) and play on their Nintendo Switches for a bit. We usually eat dinner between 6-7pm.

2. Ugh -- I default to frozen things (I.e. chicken nuggets/cutlets, pizza, meatballs, vegetables, soups, etc.) way more than I like to admit. But I honestly don't start meal prep until after my kids come home from school (most meals that I make take under an hour to make). The exception to this is Shabbat -- but my job finishes up at 3pm on Fridays -- so that helps!

3. I do laundry while working. Same with washing dishes and other kitchen cleanup. Everything else I do either before or after work. Sundays are my days to do heavy chores (I.e. cleaning the bathroom, mopping etc.). Before Shabbat I sweep floors (it's all hardwood and tile in my house).

4. 8:30 am to 5:00 pm normally. But I am on the East Coast (Pennsylvania) and my job is based in California so sometimes I do have meetings that run until 6pm

5. n/a

6. Since my job is based on the West Coast, usually my mornings are quiet and I can work on projects and independent tasks then. After lunch it tends to get filled up with meetings. If I have a day with no or few meetings, those are days that I can leave my house for lunch and do errands and what not.

amother

Moccasin

Sun, Feb 11 2024, 12:38 pm

MsShona wrote:

Did you realize that this thread is from 2009?

amother

Heather

Sun, Feb 11 2024, 12:58 pm

amother wrote:

OP here: Thanks for the advice!

I should have mentioned the following: I have a baby and a toddler at home all day. My 4 year old comes home at 1:30. The 4 bigger kids get home around 4. So, all your tips about any age from babies to school age kids really help! Thanks!

I honestly think you are asking for the impossible, which is why it feels so overwhelming.
Sometimes when things are so overwhelming it’s not a question of how can I do it all faster/quicker/better which hacks, etc. it’s about making adjustments so it’s realistic.
Like lessening your hours
Getting a sitter
Sending kids out to daycare
Etc.
These r difficult questions only u can decide.

But I’ll tell you, a good friend of mine recently quit her full time job cuz she couldn’t do daycare for the 1 year old (couldn’t find/afford) and as a result they moved to a smaller apartment and she’s home watching her baby.
Or I chose to send out my 14month old because I couldn’t work from home anymore watching her, so it was either quit the job or childcare. And we r talking my work from home job is 24 hours a week and I still struggle to get it all done with the house, and kids out only from 9-3. I think it’s a struggle any way you slice it Bh, but it sounds like your situation is not sustainable in my opinion.
Hatzlacha raba!

TwinsMommy

Sun, Feb 11 2024, 3:59 pm

songbliss wrote:

TwinsMommy: Wowowowow! You have alot on your hands and you sound so organized! Kol Hakavod to you!! All the best of luck and I hope things get easier!

I love that this thread got bumped! Things never got easier. Smile

We stopped at 2 kids once it was clear that their behaviors and appointments would keep running my life. I dropped down from a high level position and now do a few different things that are all flexible.

They're 17 now and life is still crazy. Smile