Organizing and Cleaning

It is hard enough being the mom/dad and harder yet to be the mom/dad and have a job away from home, but the king pin is to be a mom and (try to) work at home.  In an office setting or a factory, you have coworkers that are there to 'help' get the product out. As a work at home mom/dad, your coworkers are there to 'interrupt' that possibility.

It is hard enough trying to work at home when you see all of the things that you should be doing; clean the house, do the wash, paint the living room etc. Then, your little darlings decide that they need your attention..NOW!

It takes all of the patience and child psychology a parent has in order to be able to set the ground rules when mom/dad is 'working'. There has to be guidelines that the child knows that they have to follow, ways that they know are permissible to interrupt you if they need you and things for them to do to occupy their time. It definitely takes good organization on the part of the parent to make it all come together and work properly.

Here are a few hints to help to make the job easier to handle.

1. Make a game for your child to clean their bedroom. Have hidden things in there, for them to find and the child that finds the most things-wins a prize. Things you can hide would be things like; mom's hairbrush, dad's shoe, a penny, an eraser etc. You may have to mark these things so the child knows it is the right thing to find. Or, you may hide pieces of paper with the numbers 1-10 and the child has to find all 10 of them to win.The prize can be a cookie, able to pick out a video or tv show to watch or whatever the parent deems fit.
2. Set up a table and chair work area for the child, so they can write a letter, paint, and draw or color a picture. This is their time to 'work' too. This picture that they have created, can be hung on the refrigerator, mailed to Grandma and Grandpa or used to wrap a birthday present, that they will make themselves later.
3. If the child is old enough, you may want to give them the job of making lunch for the two of you, or possibly a treat for a mid-morning break. Kids can get very creative when given a job like this. Only I would advice to give them the choices of what it is that they can use to make the treat.
4. Once an hour give them something that they have to do for you. You will have constant contact with them and they will enjoy being able to 'help' you. It could be as minimal as getting you a glass of water, running out to get the mail, getting all of the dirty laundry together or as big as going to the store for you, making instant pudding for dessert at night or watering the flowers outside. If you look at it the right way, by working from 8 a.m. to noon you only have to think of four things for them to do per child. As you are doing this, start a list of things that you have given to each child for them to do and keep adding to it each day, then all you will have to do, is look at your list in order to pick out the four things for that particular day.
5. Plan something special for a lunch break, to give the kids something to look forward too. This could be a trip to McDonalds, a picnic in the back yard or lunch and a walk around the neighborhood. Sure, it will cut into your work time a little, but, after all aren't you working at home so that you can spend time with them too? By the way, through a roast, potatoes and carrots in the oven for supper before you leave and you will come back to an inviting aroma.
6. Fix a 'dress up' box-using mom and dad's worn out clothes, purses, hats, belts and shoes. Then, have your kids put on a fashion show for you. They have to each pick out three outfits that they are going to wear, put it on and model it for the other kids first. The fashion show for you can be presented during lunch, a mid-morning break or when you are through working. It will keep the kids giggling for hours.

A friend of mine works at home and has three little ones, ages 2, 4 and 5, she has come up with her own kind of schedule. She works for two hours at a time, having the 5-year-old help with the 2 year old during one of the work periods. This teaches the 5-year-old responsibility, patience and helps to show mom what a big boy he has become. During the afternoon work session, the two year old takes a nap and the 4 and 5-year-old gets to play something that they can't do when the two year old is around, such as, play ball or skate. This way, she gets four hours of uninterrupted work accomplished and the kids are happy too.

Most work at home parents that I am acquainted, work approximately four hours per day so that is how I wrote the article, however, this will also work well for an eight-hour workday schedule.

Jan Hayner is a Professional Organizer that offers tips and hints that take the stress out of organizing, cleaning and life itself. She offers shortcuts, hints and games to parents to help take the stress out of parenthood. Get her free pamphlets, checklists and newsletter at Organizing Your Life THE EASY WAY.