Working from home is wonderful, regardless of whether you are single, married, a mother, or a father.  For mothers and fathers, though, it becomes a bit more complicated when their school-age children are home during school vacations.

Whether it is a three-day weekend, an early release day, spring break, or summer vacation, parents who work from home must make adjustments to their work patterns to deal with having children at home.

Much depends on the age(s) of the children, the nature of the parent’s work, and the part of the home where work occurs.  This article provides some simple tips and suggestions for work at home parents to deal with kids in several different age groups.

Elementary school age children

Children who are in elementary school vary widely in age, from five year olds in kindergarten to 11 and 12 year olds in 5th and 6th grades.  Having them home on holiday from school requires some planning and some organization.

Before vacation begins, sit down with your children and lay out your expectations for vacation.  Try setting “office hours” where you can focus on work and they can focus on games, playing, or otherwise hanging out.  Make it clear to your kids that you will make time for their needs but that you also have to make time for your work requirements.

If your children are toward the young side, expect that they will probably not be able to leave you alone for more than an about and hour at a time, so plan your work accordingly.

Young children will also be less patient about the number of hours you work, so if possible cut back a little, shift your work hours, or plan play dates with other children to give you some uninterrupted work time.  You may also consider hiring a teenager from your neighborhood to babysit for a few hours each day.

Older children can usually go longer without interrupting you, but they still need to be close enough that you are available for supervision or for emergencies.  If they have school work or projects to work on, have them focus on their work at the same time you are doing your work.

Your working hours are also good times for them to do their chores, walk the dog, or play with friends.  If you have older and younger children, think about hiring your older child to play with the younger child for an hour or two.  This gives you some work time and the older child a chance to earn a little money.

Middle school age children

These are the pre-teen and early teen years when your kids are becoming a bit more independent.  You should be able to set appropriate office hours and expect to be left alone, barring any urgent or emergency issues.  At this age, many kids love to sleep in during school vacation, so think about letting them do so.  This gives you quiet time to work and them a special treat. 

At this age also, though, many kids are beginning to be more active.  They may want to go to the mall, see a movie, go for a bike ride, or just hang out with friends.  It is important to keep kids this age occupied and supervised, even if it means adjusting your work hours to be available for driving them to events and activities.

Plan for them to see a movie, but make sure they are dropped off and picked up at specific times.  Let them hang out at your house with a group of friends, as long as they keep the noise level down enough for you to work.

It might be tempting to let middle school age kids plan their own activities, but that is usually not a good idea.  Too much freedom in these early teen years can lead to real problems and set the stage for difficulty in the later teen years.

High school age children

The high school years are when your children are becoming increasingly active and independent.  They may have their own part time job, play on a sports team, or be responsible for some kind of a project.

During this time, you will probably be able to dedicate more hours to working during school vacations, but make sure that you still allow some time to “vacation” with your teenager.  It is important to spend at least some free time together during school vacations as a way to stay connected.

You might also consider hiring your high school age child to work for you during school vacations.  It is a great way to get that pile of filing cleared up, or get your monthly newsletter written and sent out.  Think about ways that you can include your child in your work so that he or she gains some valuable experience as well as some extra spending money.

Short vs. long vacations

The strategy you use to balance work with children on vacation will vary depending on the length of the vacation.  For example, if it is a three day weekend and the kids are only home for one extra day, think about working ahead or shifting work around so you can take that day off with them.

Longer vacations, such as winter break and spring break, require a bit more structure and planning, but they are still short enough that your regular work schedule only needs adjustment for a couple of weeks at most.

Summer vacation is the most complex to manage.  In most communities, it is nearly three solid months of no school, meaning that your work activities must be adjusted for an extended period of time.

If at all possible to cut back on your workload during that time, we highly recommend doing so.  It will save you a lot of frustration if you can divide your time more equally between work and kids.

Many times, though, it is not possible to cut back on work for an extended length of time, and when that is the case you need to be very proactive about planning and structuring your days.  Make sure your children have activities and supervision appropriate to their age, and be firm about maintaining a disciplined approach toward your work.

Summary

One of the greatest things about working from home if you are a parent is the opportunity to be there for your kids more often.  Even though school vacations present a challenge to your ability to get work done, that challenge is manageable with just a bit of organization and planning.

About the author - Alison Gjefle is a freelance writer with ExquisiteWriting.com. She draws on her extensive background in marketing, public relations, and communications, combining this expertise with her passion for writing. She lives in Washington State, U.S.A.

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