• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop ModernMom
  • Become An Insider

ModernMom

The premiere destination for moms

  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • ModernMom Monday Videos
  • Cooking
  • Living Healthy
    • Breast Cancer
    • Health & Fitness
    • Body after Baby
    • Beauty
    • Relationships
    • Love
  • Lifestyle
    • Crafts
    • At Home
    • Education
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Decorate
    • Money
    • Brooke Burke
  • Celebrate
    • Holidays
      • Easter
      • Valentine’s Day
      • New Year’s
      • Christmas
      • Hanukah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
    • Birthdays
    • Parties
  • Must Have
  • Contests
  • Entertainment

Working From Home During the Pandemic

February 24, 2021 by Julie Cole

As a busy entrepreneur and mom of six, having kids around more during this pandemic has certainly been challenging. Working from home got a whole lot more difficult once my kids stopped going to school. But, with time comes improvement and I’ve learned a few little tricks along the way that might help you, too:

1)Consider Your Space
Assess your space and see if it can be re-purposed but BE REALISTIC with yourself. My teens like to gather around the harvest table and are very productive working together in that space, which is great, but I also had to consider what kind of learners I have. My youngest has ADD/ADHD and can find distraction everywhere. The communal study table does not work for him. He needs to be on his own, and there needs to be a door separating him from the rest of the action.

Once you create a functional space, be sure to have all supplies accessible and handy. You don’t want kids wasting their time looking for things, or wasting your time asking “MOM!? Where are the (insert pencil crayons, erasers, notebooks, etc.)?”

2)Manage Expectations and Communicate!
You may have to re-evaluate and re-adjust some expectations. Have the discussion as a family. Every morning have a “team meeting” with your family so that everyone has a clear idea of what the day is going to look like for each person. If I have a few important meetings or interviews, I let my kids know what time they are so that they know not to interrupt and that I’ll need the WIFI. No live streaming while mama is doing an interview for work! You may want to create a non-verbal communication system. A green happy face on the white board on my office door means come on in! An orange one means enter with caution. Red means do not enter unless the house is on fire or someone needs the Heimlich Maneuver.

3)Encourage Independence
Set up spaces that are accessible to the kiddos – make snacks and cups reachable. Is the constant snacking and kitchen traffic getting to you? Even with kids home, you might want to pack them a school lunch and say THAT’S IT for the day. Encourage independence with school work as well. I know when we see them struggling, we want to jump in and help, but I like to let them sit in their struggle a bit. They often figure it out – so resist the temptation to rescue them too quickly.

These are challenging times for families! Here’s to hoping these tips will better help your family survive and thrive TOGETHER!

Comments

comments

Filed Under: Money, Parenting

About Julie Cole

Julie is the mother of six and a co-founding VP of Mabels Labels, the leading provider of labels for the stuff kids lose!®. After her son was diagnosed with autism, she shelved a legal career to monitor his therapy and launch a business that would strike a better work/life balance. Mabels Labels has grown from a basement start-up into an award winning international phenomenon. It has been featured everywhere from The View to Forbes.com and is widely recognized for its business and product excellence. As company spokeswoman, Julie is a well-known personality amongst mom entrepreneurs and her dynamic personality has led to numerous speaking engagements, from morning TV to university business classes. With humor and candor, Julies writing focuses on her experiences raising a big, happy family while running a successful business, and has appeared in Chicken Soup For the Soul - Power Moms and numerous websites. Follow her on Twitter @JulieCole Julie Cole
www.mabelslabels.com

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Tell a friend

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Search

ModernMom Boutique

ModernMom TV

Featured

Killing Off Supermom

I'll be honest with you. In my house, the beds are rarely … [Read More...] about Killing Off Supermom

Must Have

ToniBox

Meet Toniebox – A Loveable Storytime Friend For Your Kids

If you are looking for something to occupy your children … [Read More...] about Meet Toniebox – A Loveable Storytime Friend For Your Kids

Did you know?

Child Seat Belt Laws for a Pickup Truck

Child Seat Belt Laws for a Pickup Truck

Calories Burned Sitting in a Steam Sauna

The Calories Burned Sitting in a Steam Sauna for 15 Minutes

Post-Pregnancy Headaches

Post-Pregnancy Headaches

Decoding a Man’s Hug

Decoding a Man’s Hug

Upper Abdominal Pain in Pregnancy

Upper Abdominal Pain in Pregnancy

Signs That Your Toddler Has Been Touched Inappropriately

abdominal pain on the left side in pregnancy

Abdominal Pain on the Left Side in Pregnancy

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact ModernMom
  • Advertise With Us
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contributors

Copyright © 2021 Modern Mom. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the express permission of Mom, Inc.

The information provided on ModernMom is for educational use only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.