Working from home with small children
I have always prided myself on being an efficient multi-tasker, since been a teenager I have juggled part time jobs, studying, being in a youth theatre (how very on brand!), sneaking in to nightclubs underage and boyfriends. I had nailed multi-tasking by the age of 15!
So when the government announced the closure of UK schools on 20 March, I was naively not as worried about the prospect of working from home with my three year old and eight year old than perhaps I should have been. They would be quietly home educating themselves with some inspiring, valuable but limited input from myself and my husband and I would continue to work as efficiently as ever.
Well, here is some insight in to just how well that has worked out so far!
Firstly as pleased I am that the (surely soon to knighted) Joe Wicks, Body Coach is keeping our nations kids fit with his 9am P.E. classes, the kids will only participate if an adult does it with them. Given the social distancing rules, I can’t just drag some poor unsuspecting soul off the street for a morning workout. So that means a daily argument between me and my husband about who has the earliest Zoom call and therefore who’s turn it is to get their sweat on. More often than not this involves some sort of mid-point tag team that reminds me of something out of 90s WWF wrestling.
Coffee will become more important than ever in my life. I can cope without bread and pasta, but if the coffee supplies dry up then I think it’s game over for me.
Children eat all the time! They are never not hungry, this one also must eat right next to me at all times!
You have to learn to zone out of all the chaos that surrounds you. I can only say ‘please don’t jump on the sofa’ so many times before I want to poke myself in the eye.
I am accepting that we may need a whole new house of furniture by the time this is over.
There are no boundaries on stationary use. The kids believe any pen, pencil, notebook belongs to them. You will find yourself reaching for a pen during an important Zoom meeting and only to discover your biro has been replaced by a fluffy unicorn pen.
As I said – no stationary is your own!
This will sometimes be your view!
They NEVER stop Eating!
You 100% deserve that G&T, bottle of wine, beer, family size chocolate bar etc. at the end of the day. Because tomorrow friends, we must do this all over again!
KEEP IN CONTACT
We are aiming to release a collection of blogs from various Contact staff and advocates over the next few weeks, so please keep an eye on here and our social media channels.
Thank you for reading and keep on keeping on.
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