Telework and parenthood

Today's reality with kids at home, kids at school, family, friends, pandemic and more has us work-at-home parents literally upside down! 

How to cope with it all? I wish there was a final answer, but there is no certain science; what there is is millennial knowledge and tips to help us.

Separate Mother-Parent and Professional Roles

Each of these roles allows us to have the other in their right mind, that is, if we work well and cope with our Professional Role, we can have some peace of mind to cope with our Mother-Father Role; and vice versa. That is why each one is important and requires our time and attention.

• TIP: Have your own workstation 

       (However small, it doesn't matter) free of distractions and that serves to detach us from our homework, is ideal.

We do not always have that possibility, so the pomodoro technique to establish times to do certain tasks and activities can help.

Remember that this is Teamwork

Let's face it, it's not easy to work and be a mother-parent at the same time, as a couple or alone; but it can be done!

How can we help ourselves? Realistically, we need a little flexibility in our daily routines and goals for the day, remember that Rome was not built in one day, much less in one day we will achieve everything we had planned for the week and it will not be perfect either; but it will be achieved little by little if we work as a team distributing work and adjusting clear expectations for each member of our household.

• TIP: Make a family calendar

       If we are a team, let's work as a team, we organize ourselves with a weekly calendar of tasks and activities (negotiable or not) and try to fulfill it. With real objectives for each day and tasks that lighten the load during difficult hours.

We live in constant change and growth

Work is not going anywhere, sometimes we grow in it and we adapt to change, because it happens the same with babies: they GROW! With it the responsibilities too and it is normal.

What to do with each age? Whatever is needed according to tastes and possibilities.

• Babies - Activity Centers close to parents 

• Babies - Bouncers, gyms and other entertainments

• Toddlers - Clear instructions and short activities that extend for more minutes at a time. Coloring, molding...

• Toddlers - Pomodoro technique again. Play time vs. parent time

• Toddlers - Help mommy-daddy work, short tasks with specific rules (noise level and independence) nearby that make them feel a part of it

• All ages - SIESTAS. Our best ally.

 

Pros and Cons, there are always pros and cons!

 

Some motivators and factors in favor of making an effort with these techniques and tips may be:

• You won't miss their achievements, big or small... We'll be there!

• Time is not returned and investing it with them will be comforting in the future.

• In spite of the run, you will not regret it.

• Unplanned meetings and some that could have been an email are curtailed.

• You'll spend less time (and money) commuting from work to home. Turn that computer on and off on time!

• You can work from different locations each time.

• Flexibility can add many positive factors to your lifestyle.

 

The cons are fewer, and we can work them out with the tips below:

• That extra time we share with the kids is not going to be as relaxing, even on vacation.

• Distractions at home.

• Isolating oneself sometimes leads to unhealthy habits

 

Some other recommendations:

• Maximum organization: At work time you are at your job, home and your duties will come later, that daily and family work plan will help you organize each day and aspect.

• Healthy distractions for children and adultsMoments and free time together or apart are healthy and allow us to recharge our batteries to finish the day, accomplish our work tasks and be with our children.

• Interruption prevention and plan for interruptionsAlways be on "mute" during calls to avoid unexpected interruptions from little voices shouting, "Helloooo". Some non-verbal sign of silence helps, use a hat, glasses, shirt or stuffed animal on the desk that children relate to "Mommy/Daddy busy time".

• Sharing the load: If there are 2 adults at home it is best to share shifts and activities.

• Working while breastfeeding, giving a pacifier or expressing breast milk: With our hands free we can still take low-involvement meetings or read files and plan work.

• Dressing for work: It will help children understand that mom/dad are working, by changing clothes after work they will begin to better distinguish adult work times and routines. 

• Enjoy the weekends as much as possible: Outside activities whenever possible or games and lots of chilling on days off will help the kids appreciate our attention and recharge for another week of craziness!

Grace Moya

QA Manager