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Shift your schedule. Use nap time to get work done. Work after they go to bed. Putting the kids on a schedule has helped us tremendously but will have limited

Shift your schedule. Use nap time to get work done. Work after they go to bed. Putting the kids on a schedule has helped us tremendously but will have limited efficacy for a toddler. If all else fails, balance screen time for the kid against your use of time off. It's really hard.

larrymyers 7y ago
I second the suggestion for time shifting. I'm in the same boat with young kids, and I've started waking up 2 hours before they do. It allows me to get much of my daily work out of the way before our house wakes up. If you can find a way to condense your normal workload into 5 hour days it's possible. With no commute, less meetings, and less distractions it's manageable so far for me. Beyond that being able to get the kids adjusted to a stable new routine is crucial. If they know what to expect everyday you'll hopefully find your time not getting sucked away by meltdowns and behavior issues you weren't expecting. Also, please don't feel guilty devoting time to your kids right now while "School at Home" is the new normal. Being able to give my kids undivided attention with their education has been a pleasantly positive upside of the current situation. Find ways to enjoy it while you can. Also, make sure you talk to your direct manager and leadership team, I hope you find that everybody is trying to adjust right now. Not only are many of us trying to juggle the new job of home school parent, there's also the added mental and emotion stress that comes along the with the fact that we're dealing with global pandemic that has upended our normal lives.
divbzero 7y ago
Really hard indeed. I too have been time shifting, but balanced against this is our responsibility to stay somewhat well rested for the sake of health.
deeths 7y ago
Yeah, sleep time is key for getting things done with kids and toddlers. If your toddler isn't napping much or your kids are staying up late, a sleep consultant can help you reset their schedules (most will handle all the advising over the phone). This is one of those things that most parents think is a joke, or that their kids just won't go on a schedule, or that they can figure it out themselves until they actually deal with a professional. It makes a huge difference. If your kids sleeping on a schedule is the difference between being effective at your job or not, it's definitely worth trying.

larrymyers 7y ago

I second the suggestion for time shifting. I'm in the same boat with young kids, and I've started waking up 2 hours before they do. It allows me to get much of my daily work out of the way before our house wakes up. If you can find a way to condense your normal workload into 5 hour days it's possible. With no commute, less meetings, and less distractions it's manageable so far for me. Beyond that being able to get the kids adjusted to a stable new routine is crucial. If they know what to expect everyday you'll hopefully find your time not getting sucked away by meltdowns and behavior issues you weren't expecting. Also, please don't feel guilty devoting time to your kids right now while "School at Home" is the new normal. Being able to give my kids undivided attention with their education has been a pleasantly positive upside of the current situation. Find ways to enjoy it while you can. Also, make sure you talk to your direct manager and leadership team, I hope you find that everybody is trying to adjust right now. Not only are many of us trying to juggle the new job of home school parent, there's also the added mental and emotion stress that comes along the with the fact that we're dealing with global pandemic that has upended our normal lives.

divbzero 7y ago

Really hard indeed. I too have been time shifting, but balanced against this is our responsibility to stay somewhat well rested for the sake of health.

deeths 7y ago

Yeah, sleep time is key for getting things done with kids and toddlers. If your toddler isn't napping much or your kids are staying up late, a sleep consultant can help you reset their schedules (most will handle all the advising over the phone). This is one of those things that most parents think is a joke, or that their kids just won't go on a schedule, or that they can figure it out themselves until they actually deal with a professional. It makes a huge difference. If your kids sleeping on a schedule is the difference between being effective at your job or not, it's definitely worth trying.