Taking Care of Business at Home with Children
Trying to get anything done at home when you have children that need and want your attention can feel so utterly and completely impossible.
In teaching, we have this term called front loading, It is when we pre-teach the vocabulary or background knowledge that students need in order to maximize what we teach so that students can be successful right out of the gate. I like to take a similar approach when trying to get work done at home.
When I know I need to sit down at my computer to write a paper, get my lesson plans in order, or respond to clients, I utilize the front loading technique. I start talking to my son about the schedule for the day and let him know that I will need to take some time to get work done. We discuss how he will need to play quietly while I work. What do these conversations sound like? What does that quiet time look like?
“While your brothers nap, I am going to sit down for 30 minutes to do some work. Can you think of a quiet activity you can do while I am working? Let’s come up with three ideas for activities that you can do while I work.”
Once we settle on the activities he would like to do, I have him set them up. Oftentimes he wants to listen to an audiobook and build LEGOS so we look on our audiobook app OverDrive, pick a book and connect to the speaker. I like to pick three activities as options provide age-appropriate independence; also, I have the peace of mind that if he finishes with one activity, he can move on to another.
Right before I sit down to work I give him a big snack and make sure he has a bottle of water with him. Then I let him know that it’s time for me to go sit and work and remind him of what our plan is for afterwards.
“I am going to sit at my desk for 30 minutes to work while you play with your LEGOS and listen to your story. When I am done, I will come build your dinosaur puzzle with you”
Sometimes I will set a 30 minute timer on our Alexa that he can hear from his bedroom to hold myself accountable and ensure that I have enough time to go play with him afterwards.
It doesn’t work 100% of the time but there are days where he will play contently and I get enough work done. But then there are days like today where he has a million and one questions and needs that have to be answered IMMEDIATELY or he’ll explode!!
Some days I can put my work aside for a later time and some days it is non-negotiable and has to get done. On those days, I’m not above pulling out the iPad and putting on an episode of Little Bear or Magic School Bus.
