How to Work From Home with Kids – and Stay Sane!

This article is for all those thinking about or already working from home with kids, whether babies, toddlers or school-age, full time or part time, and with or without help. We illustrate both the challenges and benefits of work from home jobs with kids around, how to create your work space and their play areas, tips for finding a job and company compatible with your needs as a parent, and much more.

Before 2020, working from home with kids was something most employees had yet not experienced. The COVID-19 pandemic changed that, forcing many parents to learn how to work from home with kids and successfully juggle work and home life. During that time approximately 93% of households with school-age children had them engaged in online learning and the number of people working from home tripled. To be exact, in the U.S., the number of remote workers went from roughly 9 million in 2019 to over 27 million in 2021.

Even though schools have long since reopened and many workers went back to working outside their homes, the number of people working from home with a baby or older kids remains high. Some people do it because they need to, others do it because they like it, and others do it for both reasons. No matter which of these categories you fall into, if you are looking for tips on how to work from home with kids you’ve come to the right place.

Working From Home with Kids : What’s It Really Like?

This isn’t a topic where one explanation describes it all, because what working from home with your kids really looks like depends on many variable aspects. Some parents working from home will tell you that it’s better with babies, while others will tell you otherwise.

Some also say that remote is the only job option they’ll consider, while others tremble at the idea of working from home. There’s no right or wrong answer, it all depends on your personal situation.

Firstly, It’s All About the Kids (and You)

Not all kids are the same, and this is true even when comparing those of the same age or with the same parents. So, don’t be discouraged if you loved working from home with your first kid, but you feel like you are losing your mind with your second. Or if your friend with a baby is able to work flawlessly from home, while you struggle to even be alone for over 10 minutes with your thoughts.

Each child has different needs, and so do you. Make a list of all those needs and use it to make a schedule that allows the best times for you to work. Then, of course, adjust it periodically.

Next, It’s Also About the Job

Not all jobs are remote-friendly, with or without kids, and it’s a fact. Some occupations require you to collaborate with others or use specialized machinery on location, such is the case for truck drivers, hospital nurses, doctors, and those working in the food industry, for example. Also, keep in mind that even when you choose a remote opportunity, it can look a little - or even a lot - different when you work from home with kids around.

So, what should you look for in a job if you’re wanting to work from home with kids around? According to most parents already doing it, a certain degree of flexibility is a must. How much, depends on your unique parenting needs.

If during the day your children aren’t solely your responsibility because they go to a daycare or you have help from others, you might not need as much flexibility from your job. But if you’re the sole carer, the answer to how to work from home with kids is a job that allows you the freedom to complete your duties on a schedule that works for you and your family.

Another aspect most parents working remotely report as important is choosing a supportive company. All in all, it isn’t only about how hard working from home is when you have kids, but it’s also how much your company does to help you with your parenting needs.

Then, It’s About the Company Too

A recent report released by KinderCare Learning Companies showed that childcare benefits are the second highest reason that parents stay at their jobs, after health insurance. Moreover, over half of the parents they interviewed said that they would stay in their current jobs if they were offered more child care benefits. These include, but aren’t limited to, childcare assistance, on-site childcare, an dependent care FSA account, and education funding.

Another survey, done by Clutch, involving 500 employees, reported that in the U.S. only 6% of companies offer parents any sort of childcare benefit. Such s lack of support from companies, unfortunately, cause many parent employees to believe that they do not have a fair chance to advance. This is sensed more by women, whose careers and earning potential are often more negatively impacted by the lack of childcare support.

While the statistics above might discourage some from wanting to learn how to work from home with kids, please know that they are also changing, and relatively quickly too. Remember that many companies and employees were unfamiliar with working from home up until the COVID-19 pandemic hit. But when it was time to do so, rather than companies closing down and employees losing their job, they all made the switch to remote working. Fortunately, in our post-COVID-19 world, corporate childcare benefits are following.

Need proof? The Future of Benefits Report, by Care.com, involves 500 companies and shows that 56% of employers offered some childcare benefit, a figure that has quickly grown by 55%. So, with more companies understanding the importance of childcare benefits and more parents demanding them, we hope you see how working from home with kids can hopefully only get easier.

Lastly, It Takes a Village

Working from home with your kids means juggling your work and parenting responsibilities. Imagine laying them all flat on a table, like tons of puzzle pieces, and then trying to combine them to fit correctly and form a perfect complete picture. Sometimes, for all the reasons we’ve listed above, including your kids’ needs, the nature of your work, and the lack of external support, those pieces of the puzzle just don’t fit together.

For example, we can’t and shouldn’t expect our babies not to cry when waking up from their nap just because we are on an important call with our boss. Or our four-year-old not to barge into our home office because they’re hungry for the fourth time in an hour, aka they’re bored, while we are reaching the peak of our inspiration phase in the day.

Therefore, having a support system is, in many cases, crucial to efficiently do your job without failing in your responsibilities as a parent. A well-known ancient African proverb says that “it takes a village to raise a child”. After many centuries, that still holds true. And maybe even more so, considering that working and also receiving support for raising children is a necessity for many parents.

Communicating with your family and wider support system is important. Not everyone has friends and family who live close enough or are available to help, but .

most parents working from home with kids rely on the following to fulfil their child care needs:

• family and friends who can help
• on-demand care options such as drop-in care centers
• co-working spaces and play centers
• babysitters, nannies, and part-time caretakers
• community centers, afterschool care, and other facilities offering childcare

Pros and Cons of Working From Home When You Have Kids

Here are the main challenges and benefits, or pros and cons, of working from home with kids.

Pro: More Time Spent With Your Kids

This can be both a pro and con of working from home. Typically, most of us parents consider this a pro, but sometimes it can feel like a con that makes you wish you had more time to yourself. Among other things, spending more time with your children helps strengthens family bonds and encourages communication. Also, you’ll miss fewer important moments in your kids’ lives, like their first steps and words, piano concerts, soccer games, and so on.

Con: Hello Working Parent Guilt, Unhappy to Meet You

If you think working from home with your kids will forever scare away that guilt that many working parents feel every now and then, forget about it. You can still experience it for multiple reasons, including:

• not spending enough quality time with your kids, because you are also working
• not giving 100% at work, because you are also parenting
• not having sufficient time to care for yourself, your home, pets, and spend time with other family members and friends

The list could go on and on, but if you want to reduce or avoid any form of working parent guilt altogether the only solution is to stop beating yourself up. Easier said than done, but still true. Nobody but you can convince you that you are doing the best you can. Of course, if you aren’t sure about that, be open to improvement in your workday and apply some of the above tips on how to work from home with kids.

Pro: More Money in Your Pocket and Your Kids’ Saving Accounts

Child care costs average more than $10,000 per year for parents in the U.S. and working from home with your kids allows you to save on those expenses. Moreover, you also save on commuting, eating out when you forget to pack your lunch, and an expensive work wardrobe. With the money spared you can fund a well-deserved family night out, reward your kids for chores, and put some extra in your children’s saving accounts.

Con: Oh Look, a Distraction

Maintaining focus and avoiding distractions is not something that’s always easy to do, even when following all the best advice on how to work from home with kids. Too many distractions can make you slower and less productive at work. This is why you need great time management skills and prepare as much as you can.

Pro: Healthy Life, Happy Life

Flexible work from home jobs, with kids, allow you to take better care of your health, and theirs too. How? Check these benefits out:

• Eating more nutritious food in homemade meals.
• Enjoying the fresh air and going outdoors for walks, hikes, and bike rides during the day (instead of when it’s so late and dark out that you lose motivation to go or when it might be less safe).
• Leading by example you can teach your kids the importance of a healthy balanced lifestyle, reducing the risks of sickness and diseases in the house.
• Taking breaks for the sake of your mental health and doing activities with your kids to let go of stress, such as meditation, singing, dancing, coloring, and puzzles.

Con: Workdays Sometimes Feel Longer

On occasions, especially if you work irregular hours, it feels like you are working and busy all the time. The good news is that the tips on how to work from home with kids in this article can help you with this and other downsides that you might experience. Also, try meditation, yoga, spending time outdoors, and taking a mental health day off to release stress and relax if you can and need to.

Tips on How to Work From Home with Kids

I have worked from home with kids my whole life as a parent and it has looked different with each kid and in each phase of their growth. I had to adjust my strategies multiple times, especially during the COVID-19 remote learning phase, and I know I’ll have to do it again in the future as both my needs and theirs keep on changing.

Here are my best tips on how to work from home with kids that can help you in your journey too.

Make a Schedule

Even though you might not always be able to plan for everything that happens in a day or follow your schedule to a T, making one can greatly help you and your kids be more organized. This doesn’t mean that you must micro-manage every aspect of your day – unless, of course, that’s what works for you. Your schedule can be as strict or relaxed as you want.

Some parents working from home are more productive when they plan everything, using a schedule and even alarms on their phones to remind them when their next to-do-thing is about to start. Other parents thrive when planning is reduced to a minimum. All in all, it’s always about you, your kids, and the type of job you do. But if you feel like your experience of working from home with kids needs more structure, give making a schedule a try.

Limit Multitasking

We know that in certain situations multitasking is a necessity and you have no choice but to do it. Be aware, however, that too much multitasking can negatively affect your mental health and your career. Examples of the harmful effects of too much multitasking include:

• decreasing your productivity
• increasing your stress
• making it harder for your brain to focus
• causing memory loss problems, which can also result in poor prioritization skills
• mood swings
• lack of motivation to begin, execute, and finish tasks

To reduce multitasking try practicing the following:

• use a list of daily priorities
• block distractions when possible (such as silencing the notifications on your phone or computer)
• be aware of when you are multitasking and try to break those patterns
• organize your working area in such a way that you are surrounded by fewer distractions
• set alarms on your phone to segment your time and help you with your schedule
• say “no” more often rather than accepting more than you can handle at once

Take Advantage of The Times When Your Kids Sleep

Considering that the recommended number of hours of sleep per day are less for adults than for babies, kids, and young teenagers, parents all over the world use their kids’ sleeping times preciously. If your situation allows it, wake up a few hours before your kids to focus on your work, multitasking-free. And if your child typically naps during the day, wait until then to do work tasks that require more attention to details or concentration.

Use Technology and Media as Learning and Entertainment Tools

We get it, and we agree with you, it’s a fact: kids shouldn’t spend too much time in front of a screen, such as a TV, computer, tablet, or smartphone. However, thanks to expert studies, we also know that a small to moderate amount of daily screen time won’t affect your child’s psychosocial functioning. After all, technology and media are also used in schools as learning and entertainment tools. So why shouldn’t you use them in moderation as well when working from home with kids?

Here are a few ideas on how to do this:

• Look up dancing or exercise videos for kids on platforms like YouTube. Getting your kids moving their bodies also helps them be healthier.
• Find “how to draw” videos of your kid’s favorite characters, they can even use tablets to draw on to keep the mess at bay.
• If you have older kids, craft videos can be a lot of fun, including ones that teach them how to use crafting tools such as those for sewing, knitting, and making art and jewelry.
• Play an interesting documentary about your kids’ favorite animals or spark their curiosity with one about things they know nothing about. Don’t forget to let them tell you all about what they learned afterwards and give them your full attention when they do so.
• Use video games like Big Brain Academy to engage your kids in a series of fun brain-bending activities. Allow them to practice their game skills a bit while you work and have a match together afterwards.

Set Up a Dedicated Working Area

Even when you can’t afford or don’t have space for a whole room to build your home office, it’s still important to have a dedicated working area. It can even be a half side of your kitchen table, or a desk placed in your baby’s room.

Size doesn’t always matter in this case, what does matter is that you have an area reserved for work and that your kids know and understand this. Of course, in certain situations, such as working from home with a baby or toddler, it isn’t easy to set up and maintain clear boundaries. However, by being responsible and extra careful to not leave your work stuff unattended and accessible to your kids, you can reduce accidents from happening.

Notice how we said “reduce” and not “stop”. And that is because we want to give you the whole truth, which includes being aware that accidents and embarrassing moments when working from home with kids can happen, despite your best efforts and precautions. They are part of the whole experience, so do the best you can, but remember that you are not alone and there’s no such thing as perfect.

Plan and Prepare Meals Ahead of Time and Have Snacks on Hand

Meal preparation has many advantages, including making it easier to eat more balanced meals and saving time and money in the long run. Having to think about what’s on the breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack menu every day on the spot takes a lot of your time and energy. By setting up a self-serve healthy snack and drink station for your kids, they’ll know where to go to find something to curb their hunger between meals, and most likely won’t interrupt your work.

Experts agree that parents should listen to their kids’ preferences and give them choices, all while also offering them boundaries and structure. Presenting your kids with too many food options to choose from can backfire, lead to decision fatigue, and lead to long debates about what to eat for each meal and snack. Spoiler alert, these talks typically end with your kids choosing the very first thing you offered them.

It goes without saying that if too much planning and prep stresses you out, and you thrive with your current meals and snack arrangements, you can entirely skip this tip and keep doing what works for you. Plus, every now and then, it is totally fine to have pizza for breakfast and milk and cereal for dinner, or to order a food delivery last minute. Do not let perfectionism ruin your parenthood experience.

Compile a List of Activities Your Child Is Comfortable Doing Alone

Let us clarify that when we say “alone” we obviously still mean with supervision. Especially when working from home with babies and young kids around, you can never completely check out if you are the only caretaker around. You need to hear, for example, if your baby cries for your help because they’re hungry, have a dirty diaper, is in pain, or just needs attention.

With that clear that we aren’t pushing the idea of you simply giving your kids a to-do list, or putting them in a fenced play area and forgetting about them, here’s our detailed advice for this tip. Check out the following activities to keep your kids busy when you are working from home:

• books and audiobooks
• educational toys, including those inspiring imaginative play, building and construction toys, and musical instruments
• STEM activities such as puzzles, playdough, slime, and sensory bins
• arts and crafts projects like rock painting, collages, coloring, and rainbow loom
• exercise and sports activities, including yoga, dancing, indoor/outdoor obstacle courses, steppingstones, trampolines, kids’ bowling, and mini golf
• play equipment, such as playsets and playmats
• caring for family pets - when safe and age-appropriate - including brushing their fur, cleaning their toys and space, and playing games

What to Do When Working From Home with Kids Is Not Working For You

If through learning how to work from home with kids you think it is something that can’t be done in your current situation, here are some of the available to you:

Reach Out to Your Employer

Don’t be afraid to talk to your employer about your situation, as they might be willing to help more than you think. The number of private companies providing support for child care costs is rising and so are those offering flexible work options that allow you to make your work schedule more manageable.

And never mind whether they do it out of the goodness of their heart or because they realize the costs of losing many of their employees working from home with kids. The only thing that matters is that employers are now more open to helping, so try communicating more with yours.

Consider Child Care Assistance

If your company covers your childcare costs or you can afford to pay a nanny, babysitter, daycare, or other child care facility to watch over your kids when you are working from home, you are all set. If, however, you could use a little extra help, the government offers numerous programs that can help pay for childcare and, depending on where you live, your state might too. If help isn’t something you’ve thought about before but you’re struggling, take time to sit down and see if your budget allows it or reach out and ask for support from family and friends.

Reach Out to Other Parents and Support Groups

If you want to learn more tips and tricks about how to work from home with kids, reach out to other parents and support groups. You can also use social networks like Facebook and Reddit to ask for help and ask questions.

Start by joining parenting and local groups. Often you won’t even need to ask anything yourself, as you’ll be able to find the answer you were looking for with a quick search in the previous posts. As a bonus, doing this you can also lead to making new friends.

Change Your Job or Career

Though a last resort, quitting your job is still a choice to consider when working from home with kids is not working for you. In certain cases, you might even want to go for a complete change of career and make a cross-industry move.

Don’t fear not having all the skills you need for a different job or career but instead let that be a motivation to learn something new. Don’t let any lack of budget stop you either, as websites like Coursera and Udemy have tons of online courses for free or at a very low cost, and many universities offer the same in person and online.

Nail How to Work From Home with Kids in a Job That’s Perfect for You

Working from home with kids is such a variable and personal experience that the tips we can give you on how to be more productive and organized, fight parent guilt, and find the best job, truly, could never end. Take our last piece of advice and join Monster and upload your resume today. Let us help you find numerous companies, staffing agencies, and recruiters offering remote working options, flexibility at work, and childcare benefits.