Working From Home With Kids Takes Talent And Patience

Deseret News:

I am right in the middle of a critical interview. I have been waiting two days for this call.

To my 3-year-old, it seems like a good time to ask for help in the bathroom.

“Mommy! Come wipe me!” bellows the little voice, just loud enough that I am sure the caller heard.

I apologize and explain that I work from home and have a little helper.

Most people understand and mention a story about their own children. But occasionally, people don’t find it amusing. Some ask, pointedly: “Is now a good time?”

No. Not really. But is there any such thing as a good time anymore?

These days, I do interviews wherever I can. Once, a source returned my call while I was shopping in a craft store with my toddler. I pulled out my notebook and started working. To keep my 3-year-old quiet, I opened bags of candy and handed them to her. I survived the interview, then had to pay a $6 candy tab.

So how do parents who work at home get anything done?

Lisa Roberts, author of “How to Raise a Family and a Career Under One Roof: A Parent’s Guide to Home Business,” said there are two types of parents who work at home: the segregators and the integrators. The segregators put boundaries up, have a physical office, time to work, time to be a parent and use a baby sitter.

The integrators mix it up and are often doing everything at once. Plus, they may not have the luxury of having a baby sitter.

Logo from The Entrepreneurial Parent

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