With schools closed and workplaces encouraging remote-work from home; families are finding their routines brought closer together than usual. Parents are now responsible not only for their work-from-home duties, but also for tutoring their children through homework so that studies don’t fall behind.
How do you do it all? Here are a few tips that we’ve learned over the past few weeks to help parents manage both home-work and work-from-home.
BUILD A SCHEDULE
Set up a daily schedule and post it on the wall. Let your kids know that your days won’t be falling into cartoons and family game-nights every day of the quarantine. The middle of the day, like always, is for work and schoolwork. The schedule will help you stick to your work tasks as well.
DELEGATE RESPONSIBILITIES
If you have a spouse or older children, delegate. Assign the older children to help the younger children with their homework. Use assigned household chores to help break up the hours of work, and encourage your older children to practice “playing teacher” while you focus on your remote work tasks.
PUT A DOOR BETWEEN YOU TO FOCUS
When it’s time for you to work, it’s OK to close the door and even lock it. This can help to set hard limits between work time and family time. If possible you can task a responsible older child to be in charge of school-time. That can help you and your children focus better without the temptation to “hang out” or shout between rooms. You can even set time limits for focus periods if the kids are getting antsy. Focusing for 20 minutes, then playing for 10, is a great way to reward extra effort.
REWARD YOUR CHILDREN FOR INDEPENDENCE
When your children do complete their schoolwork and home chores without interrupting your work, reward them. This is exactly the kind of day you need to repeat to get through the pandemic procedures while your work and their education continues. Extra playtime, snacks, time reading for fun and not for school, can all be great rewards.
GO OVER HOMEWORK TOGETHER
When all the work is done, go over your children’s schoolwork with them. Make sure they truly understood the subject, answered all the questions, and didn’t fill out each other’s worksheets. Share a family discussion about the schoolwork and anything your kids have learned or want to share.
Staying home to keep your family safe is essential during this pandemic, and a good home routine is the best possible way to keep your family productive and sane indoors.
Have you picked up any work from home tips? Share them in the comments below.
