THE REALIST’S GUIDE TO BEING A WORK-FROM-HOME PARENT

Any dad (or mom) who’s successfully worked from home for longer than a week will tell you it’s a juggling act that makes circus performers look like amateurs.

You need to find the right balance between meeting your children’s needs and the demands of family life and your job. And those needs and demands can change not just daily, but by the hour.

The trick is to go in with realistic expectations and a plan. You won’t always get it right, but what matters is being prepared, flexible, and forgiving.

Here’s what you can do to become the best work-from-home parent you can be, without burning out.

CREATE A SCHEDULE AROUND YOUR KIDS

In a 2024 survey, 61% of parents said that working remotely helps them to fulfill their family responsibilities, and this comes down to the flexibility this working style offers.

Children can be demanding and unpredictable, so trying to get them to fit into your work schedule isn’t the best plan. Instead, you need to plan your work around them.

The easiest way to find a balance is to portion short periods where you can focus on work around times where you’re actively parenting, even if this means occasionally working outside of your regular hours.

You can pencil in meetings during nap times, do important work that requires dedicated focus after bedtime, or when you have some help in the house, and use the more chaotic hours like early mornings or snack breaks for lighter tasks that don’t require deep concentration.

MAKE SURE THE KIDS ARE ENTERTAINED

While older children usually have no trouble keeping themselves entertained, younger kids need a little help in this department.

If you’re parenting little ones while working from home, giving them something to keep them entertained before you settle down for focused work time can help prevent them from disturbing you.

Some easy kids’ entertainment options include:

●       Boardgames

●       Books

●       Building blocks

●       Crayons and coloring books

●       Indoor and outdoor playsets

●       Kids’ craft sets

●       Puzzles

Make sure the entertainment options are age-appropriate and easy enough for the kids to use by themselves, or you’ll be interrupted every few minutes.

KEEP THE DIAPER BAG AND FIRST AID KIT CLOSE

Emergencies don’t happen according to schedule, so there will be times when you need to change a diaper or attend to a scraped knee when you’re working.

Running from room to room to gather what you need in these situations isn’t ideal, especially if you’re trying to squeeze as much as possible out of your day.

You can prevent this by keeping a few necessities in or close to your workspace so they’re on hand when an emergency arises. A HighSpeedDaddy Diaper Bag Backpack filled with clean diapers, wipes, and a changing mat, or a  HighSpeedDaddy First Aid Kit Pouch packed with medical supplies, is the perfect solution to life’s little upsets.

SET HOME AND WORK BOUNDARIES

Sticking to your schedule is much easier when you’ve set a few boundaries for home and work. Your boundaries should support your work and your family life, and how this happens is something that every work-from-home parent needs to figure out for themselves.

That said, here are a few suggestions to get you started:

●       Explain your schedule to your partner and children, letting them know when you’ll be unavailable because you’re working and when you’ll be free to do dad stuff.

●       Make a no-work-during-family-time rule for yourself and stick to it.

●       Create device-free family times, such as game nights, so that you can all focus on one another without any distractions.

●       Let your manager and coworkers know when you’re available for work, calls, and meetings during the day and when you’re not available due to family responsibilities.

SET-UP A NO-KIDS WORKSPACE

Toddlers and small children are experts at turning a neat space into a colorful mess in no time, which isn’t ideal when you’re trying to stay organized. This is why you need a dedicated workspace that’s off-limits to your kids.

Whether it’s a desk in a corner of the lounge or a home office, it’ll help your kids understand work-home boundaries and help you focus on your job and be more productive.

If you have video calls or online on-camera meetings regularly, you need to know that you may be interrupted or have a curious little face pop into view mid-call. This is part of the reality of working from home with kids, but there are simple ways to keep things professional.

One of the easiest is to create a slick  work-from-home video conference setup that includes a microphone with noise-canceling capabilities, an adjustable webcam, and software with features like blurred or virtual backgrounds. This helps to minimize visual distractions and maintain a polished appearance, even if there’s a mountain of toys behind you.

Over time, your kids will also learn to associate this space with your “do not disturb” time, especially if you set clear expectations and reinforce boundaries gently but consistently.

CONSCIOUSLY SWITCH FROM WORK TO PARENT MODE

You’re likely to be tired and stressed by the time you reach the end of your workday, and some of that stress might spill over into family time. If you consciously make the switch from work to parent mode, you can help prevent, or at least limit, the spillover. 

When you’re done with your work for the day, switch off your computer, pack away your stationery or tools, and tidy your workspace.

Next, do something that signifies making the transition, such as changing your clothes, having a beer, listening to music, or  meditating for a few minutes before you get on with being the world’s best dad.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR BREAKS

Your break times are ideal for helping kids with their homework or spending time with them, catching up on chores, or enjoying some self-care, so take full advantage of these moments. To take full advantage, unplug from work during those times, even if it’s just for 15 minutes.

If you take a longer lunch break, you can round up the kids, pack healthy snacks or meals into your HSD Lunch Bag, and head to the park for fresh air and sunshine. You’ll have the chance to recharge while the youngsters burn off energy with some outdoor play.

ROCK REMOTE WORKER PARENTING

Getting to grips with being a work-from-home parent takes time, discipline, and tweaking things as you figure out what works for you, your children, your coworkers, and what doesn’t.

By remaining flexible, being proactive, and making sure that you’re there for your kids when they need you, you can rock being a remote-worker parent. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.