Train Your Kids To Follow Specific Protocols When Working From Home

Train Your Kids To Follow Specific Protocols When Working From Home

Kids have a knack for demanding attention at the worst moments, especially for the parent who works from home. Practise specific work scenarios, like conference calls, so your children remember how to behave when they really happen.

Picture: Nathan Bittinger/Flickr

Most young children won’t understand a general concept of “working”, and what’s required of them when you are. The Simple Dollar recommends simulation training:

To minimize this risk, run through a series of simulations to prepare your troops. Nothing is guaranteed, but it’s worth a shot.

Since my children tend to be experts at interrupting me at the most inopportune times, we frequently practice the most common scenarios. A few examples:

  • If the phone rings and mummy quietly steps into the office, do you run after her screaming or quietly have a seat and wait for her to finish the call?
  • If (for some strange reason) I leave the door unlocked and you decide to enter and notice mummy on the phone, how do you react?
  • If mummy is staring at the computer screen with “that look on her face” when you enter, do you scream your demands or politely request mummy’s attention?

If you train your kids in your free time, hopefully you’ll begin to notice less and less noise and interruptions during your work hours. Again, it’s not guaranteed, but it is worth a shot. Hit the link below to read more about how to handle working from home with kids.

17 Strategies to Survive Working From Home With Children [The Simple Dollar]


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