Solutions For Working From Home and Parenting
The South Cariboo Elizabeth Fry Society, located in Southern British Columbia, is a community-based non-profit organization that provides education and support to individuals which aid in individuals being able to make positive life choices for themselves and their families.
SCEFS (The South Cariboo Elizabeth Fry Society) provides an array of services to individuals and families within a 22,500-kilometer radius of the Southern Interior region.
Services provided include School-based mental health prevention, police-based victim services, family support along with parenting support programs, and much more.
As the pandemic continues, many families and parents have had to make some challenging changes to deal with the closure of workplaces and schools. Working from home and parenting at the same time can be quite a challenge, not to mention stressful. For most parents that have had to make these adjustments, finding the balance between work and parenting has proven to be difficult, to say the least, and that's where SCEFS can help.
The team at SCEFS would like to share a few tips for parents and families to assist in managing between both work and parenting that will help reduce stress and anxiety, increase work productivity, and make certain that your child's needs are being met.
Solutions For Working From Home and Parenting
Maintain routines.
Although at first, it may seem impossible, working from home while maintaining a regular structured day will help to keep a schedule for both your work needs, childcare needs, and household chores.
Starting your day by continuing the usual routine, such as preparing breakfast and getting everyone ready for the day, will have everyone prepared for the responsibilities of the day ahead and have everyone on the same schedule.
Keeping or creating scheduled mealtimes, adding in blocks of time for chores and schoolwork (if applicable) in addition to incorporating scheduled activity times for the kids will help balance the needs of the children while allowing time for you to tackle your work and household chores.
Keep your children socially engaged.
Children need to have social interaction during these times. Not only for the boredom factor but children learn from social interactions. Finding creative ways for your children stay connected with friends and family by scheduling play dates and interactions, by using platforms such as Zoom or Facetime, will help children to stay engaged socially as well as keeping them occupied. This time will allow for more work to be accomplished.
Create boundaries.
Depending on the age of the children in the home, this step may be a little tricky to implement, but will likely become easier as the kids gradually grasp what areas of the home are dedicated strictly for work and play purposes.
Again, depending on the age, there is no way to ensure the children don't interrupt you during work time, but creating the habit of a work-zone within the home will help set boundaries and help manage the areas of the home which are intended for work and which areas are intended for play.
In these uncertain times, it is important to focus on what we CAN control over what we can not.
It is important to remember that although these times prove to be a challenging, stressful, and emotional journey, having a balanced and structure work and parenting environment that work for both sides of the spectrum is very achievable with persistence and dedication.
For some parents, working from home and managing the required childcare for children under the same roof isn't a difficult task as they may have a much more lenient work schedule, additional help from other family members, or possibly have older children who can care for themselves more than young ones can. For those struggling to find the calm within the storm, we’re here to help.
There is no reason to feel alone or overwhelmed when it comes to working from home and still being an active and effective parent.
The South Cariboo Elizabeth Fry Society proudly offers parenting support services, empowering parenting tips along Parenting Support Programs to clients in the five communities of Ashcroft, Cache Creek, Clinton, Spence's Bridge, and Walhachin as well as to several First Nations Bands.
Don’t waste any more time struggling or stressing. Sign up today for one of our parenting support programs and get started on a strategy to perfect the balance between work and parenting.