Working At Home With Kids

*this is article for MBP

Bismillah,

"Siti, how did you manage your work with your kids around??". This is one of the best question that 'working at home mum' to be always ask. Owh, everytime this question comes to me, I can't stop my mouth to say, "If U don't wanna get tired, work at the office!!" He he...and that is seriously sincere answer to that question.

A week before, I read this entry from kakyong. I understand how hard she is to handle her 3 wonderkids because I have 4 with me!! But, alhamdulillah my husband is always there as he also a Working At Home Dad. But this will change in this month due this 5th birth and he has to move his business place . We are still visualising how our life could be because one or two mega-things and hoping that ALLAH will show us the best way.

It will be really a very exciting day to write this entry. I love to share what I did with my kids at home with you but first, please give me an apologize because in this 1 last month of my pregnancy, the situation is not like what am I going to tell you. I just did a very basic things as long as my floor clean, our food and clothes stock is always there and my kids can learn at least one day one page of reading and counting. I still continue my online bizz and my business down my floor will be monitor by my lovely staff.

So, how to work at home with our kids around??

• Schedule and to-do-list - I have to make a schedule for two weeks. If you have 7 days a week, I have 14 days a week. It is just to plan my mission earlier. I will get excited if I ready some activities for them and let them did it while me, finish my work. Please refer to this entry to see my schedule.
• Control our environment - we have to design a SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) so that we will find it is cool enough to do our work. Please refer this link in Diari Naufal which is so many deco for WAHM in our own house. An organized worksac will help us to minimize the distractions and make the most of the limited time we have available.
• Make our office as their office to - if we are playing with paper and the computer, we must give them something handy for them too. If they are interested in a toybox, lt them stash some of their toys there. Don't forget to encourage them to play quietly while we are working. If we don't do this, our child will soon discover that our stuff as a toy!!
• Pass on your old computer - many of my friends did this. Nothing makes the kids happier than doing the same thing that we are doing. We need educative CD, software or maybe any web that provide kids activities.
• Adapt to their schedule - one of the great objective for being a WAHM is we can enjoy the flexibility. If there's a part of our day that requires the utmost concentration, schedule that part during their nap time, or after their bedtime, or while they're off to school. Working slightly crazy hours is much better than yelling at kids when we're trying to enforce absolute silence. I really love my 8 a.m to 2 p.m because my Asmaa', Usamah, Uwaiys are off to school. Because of that, Arwa also like to sleep but if she is awake, she will join me to do my housework. Mmm...wondering how it could be when my baby inside my tummy born.... *ngeri...ngeri... will I be a Tarzan again??
• Treat our child first - if they ask for milk or food, just give them what they want. If they ask you a question but you don't have the answer, please always remember Mr Google. If they want to sleep, they will need your sweet lullaby. Better entertain them first before they get their tantrum and you have to double your time entertaining them.
• Set your limit - you're the boss...opss..you're the parent. So if you don't want them to take things off your desk, say so. The key is to find the balance that works for us, so that we can have a successful career and raise our lovely kids ourself.
• Be up front with customers - I always mention my customer, "Owh, I am sorry. That is my kids playing around," and this will ranging from sympathy to envy. They will understand this.
• Get help when you need it - your husband or maybe your wife, your business partner or maybe your downline or upline. Or maybe you still have to send your kids to nursery for a few hour until you finish your work.

It is really cool being a WAHM. I can sleep whenever I want, I can watch my favourite drama (hey...did you see Munajah Cinta @ tv9?? I hate myself because I love the polygamy drama), I can cook and eat anytime. The best part is I can gado-gado with my kids. Just put a scream (penuh harakat dan lagu taranum) and they will clean our house and ask, "Umi cantik dah rumah??"

Maybe this 94 ways to keep kids busy for the work at home parent will help us :)