I used to think being a work-from-home mom was the best of both worlds. I can spend time with my kids, and never have to ask for time off to attend a class party or go on a field trip.

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Plus, I can justify doing things like hiring a housekeeper, and don't have to give up family vacations.

Back when being a WAHM was just a pipe dream, I imagined myself working in a beautiful, well-lit office. I could get my work done while watching my kids play in the next room.

And of course, I would have plenty of time to get my hair done, take workout classes at my gym, and get coffee with friends.

Then I decided to actually begin working from home as a freelance writer. This immediately shattered my illusions about working from home.

It turns out that when you work from home, you have to do actual work if you want to make money. Who knew?!

Plus, writing requires a lot of mental focus, and if there is one thing all children are good at, it’s ruining your focus.

My history as a work-at-home mom

I started working from home when my kids were still relatively little -- just six and eight-years-old.

They were old enough where I didn’t have to watch them constantly, but young enough to still want a lot of attention.

In the beginning, they interrupted me constantly and it wasn’t always easy to get work done while they were home.

I did my best to plow through, but there were many frustrating days for all of us.

Now, my kids are 10 and 12-years-old, and I thought my work-from-home challenges were over. That is...until COVID-19 hit.

My kids have been home from school full-time since mid-March and this has required a huge mental adjustment on my part. I constantly have a mental tug of war going on during the day.

There are no day camps for them to attend, and most days, it’s well over 90 degrees and humid outside. How do I ensure that I get my work done, but also ensure that my kids aren’t just watching YouTube videos all day?

5 tips on working from home with kids

Being a work-at-home mom requires some planning, but it’s not impossible. Here are my five best tips on working at home with kids:

1. Stick to a schedule

If I ever get to a point where I feel disorganized and out of control during my day, I know it’s usually because I’m not sticking to a schedule. And right now, that means a schedule for me, and a schedule for the kids.

On Sunday, I look at my week and everything that needs to get done. I decide when I’m going to write my articles, send proposals, and attend to any appointments or household chores. I schedule these items out during the week accordingly.

I also have a schedule for my kids so there’s some type of structure to their day. My kids know when they need to wake up, and what their morning chores are.

They know when they’re allowed to play games on their computers, and also when it’s time for them to read or work on educational activities.

Of course, I do have to monitor them throughout the day to make sure they stay on track. But having a schedule cuts down on the number of times I hear, “I’m bored” or “I don’t have anything to do.”

2. Plan times to get out of the house

Let’s face it, it’s boring to be stuck at home day after day.

That’s why I try to regularly plan times for my kids to get out of the house, even if it’s just for a little bit.

Most days, I try to take a break around noon and take them to the pool for 45 minutes to an hour.

Sometimes I will also take them to a trampoline park and I’ll work while they run around and play.

And other days, this is just us grabbing Starbucks before we go pick up our groceries at Hy-Vee.

The point is, outings don’t have to be extravagant but they go a long way toward helping everyone stay a little bit more sane.

3. Use your time creatively

I’m currently writing this blog post on a Sunday afternoon. After I write this, I’ll schedule it to Squarespace then write and schedule my weekly email. Before I wrote this, I worked on an assignment for a client.

Working on Sundays isn’t my favorite, but I knew it would be too difficult to fit any of these tasks in during the week. In fact, I will be waking up at 5 AM most mornings this week so I can squeeze in an extra hour of work.

Is this my ideal schedule? No. But right now, I need to use my time creatively so I can continue to get my work done and show up for my family.

4. Select a home office with a door

I used to have visions of a big, open office in the middle of my house with windows overlooking the backyard. My current reality is that my office is in the basement, I keep the blinds and curtains shut, and I run a space heater to minimize any outside noise.

My kids know that when I am in my office I am working, and over time they have learned not to interrupt me unless it is an emergency. And when I am done working for the day and leave my office I am able to let go of my work so I am fully present with my family.

5. Expect to be interrupted

Okay, that being said, you should definitely expect that your kids will interrupt you. You can do every item on this list exactly right, and some days will feel chaotic. You’re not doing anything wrong, that’s just the nature of having kids!

And remember, my kids are older. If you have really little kids, then you need to keep your expectations very low and give yourself a whole lot of grace.

I don’t know if working from home with kids ever really gets easier, I think you just learn how to manage it better. But I do know that it’s worth it, and I know I’ll always be grateful for this time with my family.

Bottom Line

Want to learn more about how I work from home as a freelance writer? Be sure to grab the Freelance Writer’s Starter Guide! This value-picked guide shows you exactly how I started my freelance writing business with zero experience and writing samples.

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