WFH with young kids
Work remotely with no commute? In the comfort of your own home? That sounds amazing! But add an indefinite timeline and the global COVID-19 pandemic and that scenario no longer sounds as appealing. The pandemic has pushed out my need to work from home until what is very likely until the end of the year. That means almost an entire year of essentially replicating my office environment into my own home.
I’ve had to make considerable adjustments over the 4+ months working from home with a 3 year old, 1 year old and my wife who is a SAHM. Ranging from getting the entire family on a daily schedule that somehow can work alongside mine, creating a makeshift office, and trying to navigate video calls with coworkers with minimal background noise of toddlers screaming - it’s been quite the adjustmen
Here are some of the ways I’ve managed to stay sane during the WFH life with young kids:
Portable office desk - my wife is a guru in finding the right things on Amazon and this find was one of them - a desk that was light enough for me to transport throughout our house, big enough for my laptop, phone and coffee mug, and the ability to fold at the end of the day and store under our bed? This find was gold! Prior to having this desk, I was placing my laptop on top our bed and sitting on a medicine ball for 8+ hours a day. Needless to say, the transition into using a real desk and having the ability to sit-up in a chair has been a game-changer.
Educational Learning Games - my wife and I have to balance the amount of screen-time and technology we give our kids, especially our 3 year old who already knows how to navigate an iPad like a pro. We feel less guilty when we give him learning games that stimulate his mind and actually teach him skills that he needs to know! And honestly, relaxing a bit on screen-time during quarantine does keep us sane. Here are our favorites that provide some educational stimulation (and gives us some breathing room to get work done):
Osmo Little Genius Starter Kit - Gavin interacts with actual hand held pieces & an iPad, so he’s having hands-on learning and engaged. He's learning letter formation, phonics, he’s honing his listening skills and attention to detail, and lastly, he’s cultivating creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills - all super important during the preschool years.
Khan Academy Kids - first off, Khan Academy Kids is a free app! The app provides educational program for children ages two to seven and includes interactive activities, books, animated videos, games, and creative lessons that Gavin loves. Also, Khan Academy Kids was developed in collaboration with learning experts at Stanford and aligned with the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework and Common Core Standards.
Super Simple Songs - sometimes we just have to turn on Youtube Kids and play something, and this is usually our go-to when we do. Super Simple Songs is a collection of original kids songs and classic nursery rhymes.
Activity Stations - this is where my wife is an expert and always has something up her sleeve each day. Whether it’s setting-up paint stations outside on our patio so the kids can freely sponge paint with different colors, to playing on the water table with all the various water toys on a hot day, my wife always thinks of different ways to keep the kids entertained.
Daily walks - I usually have the majority of my calls in the late morning (10-12) and mid-afternoon (1-3), so my wife usually picks one of those slots to take the kids on a walk around our neighborhood. Gavin jumps on his balance bike and Hailey gets to eat snacks in her stroller, and my wife is able to get some fresh air and exercise. For myself, I’m able to have silence on my calls and not have to worry about going on and off mute every time I hear the kids!
Sense of humor and patience - this is an unprecedented time and everyone is making adjustments, working the best way we can, and being as flexible as possible. Luckily, my work is very supportive of everyone working in this new normal, especially for parents who have to also deal with kids at home. It’s important to take a deep breathe and be patient, this is new for everyone and we all need to not be hard on ourselves. And lastly, finding a sense of humor has been my saving grace - just like the Youtube video of the BBC News correspondent whose kids barged into the room, you can only laugh at moments like that and remember that at the end of the day, we’re just doing the best that we can.
