Working from home

SoMoNY

How do you ever feel bad about shutting door to office to keep little ones away?

DS is soo excited I'm home and wants to play, I feel bad that I shut the door to keep him from coming in to climb on my lap.

Not sure I could do this regularly, I feel like meanest mom in world

Does anyone work from home weekly?

CrawltheWarriorKing

I personally can't do it.  They've been home with either my MIL or sister since I went back to work, and the few times I WFH I didn't get anything accomplished so I just won't do it until they are in school this coming August.

I hear them cry or laugh and I want to go see what's going on.  Then they'll be going to the park and I'll want to join them.  Just easier for me to be at work.

dmartin726

I work from home with a 2 year old.  I am usually the only one home with her (unless DH goes into work late which happens 2x a week). 

Luckily my job doesn't require me to talk on the phone a lot.  I am able to work, while take care of her.  I make my phone calls and work my tail off for the 2 hours she naps. 

slwprincess

I mostly work from home but the kids go to daycare. DS starts school in 2 wks so he will be home with me for a couple hours in the afternoon. I'm planning on that being his "quiet" time in his room b/c he actually still takes naps. If this proves to be problematic for me working, we will have to put him into After School Program. No, I've never been able to successfully work from home with kids in the house.

ljanette85

When I was a nanny the dad worked from home for a bit. He had a basement office and only came up for lunch. Honestly, it was a lot easier for me to do my job and for the child's routine. Maybe you can schedule time to come out and visit? That way LO can see you and you can get your work done.

DallasHorn

I've worked from home for nearly 7 years and have 3 kids ages 7, 4 and 1. My office is one of the upstairs bedroom. I ALWAYS work with my door closed. I'm on video calls and regulars calls throughout the day. Right now, my 1 year old is going through a phase where she has just learned to open doors, so we put a lock on my office so if need be I can keep her out. Based on the other two, this is a short lived phase. they learn that when mommy is working, they need to stay out and that nanny is there for anything they need. The only exception is when they are very ill, in which case I will let them come in.

SunAndRain

I WFH about once per week.  DD is at day care just like every other day.

It sounds like you have a nanny.  Can you ask the nanny to take the child to activities away from home during playtime?

SoMoNY

He loves his nanny but because it was odd that I was home I think he felt an even greater need to see me.

I think he was just soo excited that I was home.

I ended up getting a lot of work done and time in with him afterwards - we did a date night of him and I and movie Turbo.

2chatter

I WFH and this summer is the first time I have had the children in the house while I work.  Our new house has an office through the master, then through the master bath (3 doors between me and the kids).  I am loving it, except the feeling of interrupting when I do need to go grab a drink, etc.  I feel like it throws the sitter and the kids off and they have to stop and present to me "We are doing aqua sand now and played Memory after croquest in the backyard".  The youngest is in FT DC, so I don't have to deal with a LO.  I feel ZERO guilt.  I am not "home".  I am working, just as I would be if I were away from home and in an office.  Close the door and lock it if you have to, no guilt!

rockychryslerb2010

I've worked from home pretty regularly since I went back to work, and we go through phases.  My office has always been an upstairs bedroom and E is mostly downstairs or outside with the nanny.  He never comes in, except to say hi on his way up to nap.  He will wave to me as I go upstairs now, I just say 'mommy's going to work' and he knows I'm going upstairs.  I come out once or twice for lunch/drinks and snuggles, but for the most part I stay away.  At 19 months, he is doing fine with me popping in and out, so I come down when I can to say hi.  We've gone through stages where he didn't cope well with me popping in and out, so I just stayed away and only came out while he was napping.  I've been traveling a lot more in the last few weeks, and he definitely knows the difference!  As much as I love working from home, I would end it in a second if being around but not able to interact with him was a problem.