Since my retail store isn't open yet, right now I would be considered a home-based business.
Which is really, really good when I want to balance my books in my pajamas, meet a friend for lunch, or watch Ellen on TV. And it's great that I can be home to wait for the Fed-Ex guy or a repairman to show up.
But it's really, really bad when I'm trying to work with a feverish, vomiting, cranky, clingy, and sometimes smelly 19-month old on my lap. Which is what I'm doing right now.
Looking on the bright side, I guess it's nice that Ava is able to have her Lita home with her when she isn't feeling good, and that my daughter is able to go to work knowing that her little girl is well cared for.
But all those good feelings aren't getting my work done. How do those of you who also work at home manage to get anything done when your children are sick?
Thanks for this good question Cathi. We have a little baby at home, where I also work for Know More Media. He is a joy, but sometimes he is tired, hungry, upset, sick, needing undivided attention - well, just like all people. But he is too little to understand or help with my job. So how do I work and spend time with him all at once?
First, I'd say that working while little ones are asleep can be productive. Get up really early, go to bed late, or do both - and work while they nap.
Also, work in the same room as the sick kid if you can - give her something quiet to do while you work. It's hard when your concentration is broken every few minutes, but you have to remember that family is more important than work anyway.
Depending on the type of work you have, you can assign your sick child some simple tasks to help you - organizing papers, searching for information on the Web, etc.
Random thought: I wonder if in a few years people will say, "You work outside the home? Wow - isn't that hard on your family?"
This is a very interesting topic and I look forward to learning what others have to say about it.
Posted by: Easton Ellsworth | March 16, 2006 1:44 PM | Permalink to Comment