17 top tips for mums working from home with a toddler – Mummascribbles

There is no such thing as having an easy time working from home with a toddler. Someone posted on Instagram recently asking how people managed to get any work done at home with two kids, and I remembered back to when Oscar was born and how much easier it was to blog when he was a baby. I mean he just slept on me – all the time! So he would be on my chest and my laptop would be next to me. I got used to typing one handed, used to breastfeeding and tapping away. Keeping up with the blog was simple! Especially as Zach was at nursery two days a week!

But as with everything, things have changed and as Oscar has gotten older, it has became more and more tricky. He requires more of my attention and more of my time – which of course is fine. But now not only do I blog, I have also just set up as a VA too, so I need to make sure my time is spent wisely between by businesses and my child, and there are a number of things that I can do to make it easier for myself!

Here are my top tips on how to manage working at home with a toddler.

Make use of nap times

If you are anything like me, you are willing nap times never to stop! We are at the point now where Oscar is probably ready to stop napping, but I am not ready for him to stop napping! When he does nap, he generally naps for two hours, and two hours is a lot of work time.

If your little one still naps, then make sure you know exactly what you are going to be doing in the amount of time you should technically have. And then make sure you know exactly what things you want to get ticked off first, because then if they wake up earlier than expected, you won’t be berating yourself for not getting those bits done.

Set up a play station

This will be something for them to focus on for a period of time while you get stuff done. You may need half an hour to reply to emails or to pack up some orders, so give them an activity that will last the duration. It could be some play-doh time, it could be them sitting down with a colouring book, or maybe a selection of jigsaws. If you give them something to focus on, you should be able to get a little bit of work done.

Set up a tuff spot

I really need to make more use of our tuff spot tray, because I think that Oscar would spend ages playing with one if I bothered to set something up. It can be so simple, from grains of rice, cereal, sand, or something far more themed if you have the time. Just make sure you put a big sheet underneath it so that you can clear up the mess easily afterwards! That way, you won’t be worried about what they are ‘creating’ and can focus on the task you need to get done.

Get up before the kids

I dream of being able to do this, but at the moment, Oscar has me in his bed every night and if I try and get up earlier than him, he realises within minutes that I have left the bed. Either that or Zach has decided to wake up super early instead. If you aren’t in my situation and know roughly what time your kids are going to wake up, then set your alarm an hour before that time, and have a productive hour of work before they come badgering you for breakfast. And a quiet cuppa too! 

Let them help you

For this, I am envisaging that you are a Mum who sells things from home and has parcels to package up. Let them help you package them. Let them pop bits into the envelopes, let them help you stick the labels and stamps on. They will be over the moon that they are helping Mummy, will get to watch what goes on in Mummy’s work, and it means that you have got some bits done too.

Use the TV

Do not think that you cannot use the television as a babysitter if you need to get things done. We all do it!

I find the period after nap time is a really good time to let Oscar sit and watch a bit of TV because he is still waking up, a bit moody, and usually hungry. This means that not only is he sitting down to eat, but I can generally sit alongside him with my laptop and get a few bits done before he really wakes up properly and is ready to play again.

Work from the garden

Of course this can only happen on certain days (particularly if you live in the UK), but Wi-Fi generally reaches to parts of the garden so why don’t you sit out there and get some admin done while your little one is having fun looking for bugs, sliding down the slide, or playing with the water table?

Let them ‘work’ with you

A friend of mine recently gave me this idea when she was doing some work from home and had her little girl with her. She had created a little workspace for her daughter alongside her, and she was happily playing away. If you have an old spare laptop – or even just a keyboard – you can let them tap away without them affecting what you are doing.

Grab them a notepad and some pencils for them to make their notes, some stickers for ‘postage’, some envelopes that they can pop things into. They will love thinking they are working like Mummy is.

Go to soft play

I have to confess, it hasn’t come to this for me yet, but when Oscar does stop napping, this will probably be a regular port of call. Because while they are running round soft play like loons, you can take advantage of the Wi-Fi connection and do some work. Even if you don’t take your laptop and just do some bits on your phone.

Use the tablet

Just like the TV thing, you really shouldn’t feel guilty for letting them use the tablet or iPad. There are so many educational games and programmes on them – they really aren’t the worst things in the world and they will give you time to get work done. Just make sure you are near them as they are bound to get stuck on bits and need help every now and then!

Make up some busy bags

These are bags or boxes that are full of things for them to explore. You might have one with some musical instruments, one with a colouring activity, one with a threading activity. Or they may be a bit more general, so that each one has a selection of toys that they haven’t played with for a while. Having these bags or boxes to hand will definitely free you up some time while they have an explore and have fun with the contents. 

Make use of your other half

If your other half is out all week but home at the weekends, then get them to solo parent for a while so you can get some focused time. Or if they are off during the week, schedule it in then too. The best thing would be for them to head out somewhere so you have complete peace and quiet, but otherwise, just sneak upstairs and pretend you aren’t there. Of course, if you are a single parent, it’s not as easy as that, but if are you able to ask a family member to come over to give you some dedicated work time, or even a friend, then it’s worth doing.

Break up the day in half

Focus the morning on the kids. Play with them, take them to the park, for a walk, or whatever it is that wears them out a bit. And then when they need a rest, give them some lunch, pop on a film and let them chill out for a while while you get some work done.

Use books

I don’t know about your child, but Oscar loves books! And where we have read some of the easier ones so many times, he often knows the story off by heart. Books that work particularly well are board books, lift the flap books, or hide and seek books.

We have a massive toddler hide and seek book that Oscar loves, so if you have them sitting next to you, you can ask them to find things while you are working away!

Sticking activities

I don’t think I could cope with a painting activity while I am trying to work, but I do think I could manage sticking. You could keep it simple and just have a stash of stickers and they can go wild on some paper, or you could get some Pritt Stick or PVA glue, spread it over the paper and let them go wild with tissue paper or other crafty bits. Oscar is a huge fan of sticking so I think he would enjoy doing it alongside me.

Have a plan

I mentioned this briefly earlier, but if you want to make the most of the time that you do have, know what you want to get done and achieve. Plan the night before, have a to-do list, be ready to just get on and go as soon as you have that opportunity to do it.

Have lists for different time frames. So if you know you are going to work through nap time, schedule some longer tasks. And if you know you have half an hour here and there, have a separate list for those short tasks. That way, you are ready to get things done and you will be far more productive by having those specific tasks to focus on.

Don’t feel guilty

That is easier said than done, but most Mums work from home in order to be there for the kids and save them going to nursery. I worked full time when I had a toddler Zach and I absolutely hated being away from him. So if I do need to work from home while Oscar is there, then I have to remind myself that this is a far better option than him not having me there at all.

Just because I am at home, it doesn’t mean that he has to have my sole attention all day. And in reality, the more success I have working from home, the longer I will be able to stay home with him in the future.

So there you go. Working from home with a toddler isn’t easy, but it is completely do-able. Remember that you are doing this for them, for your family – so that they can have you around a bit more than they would if you were working outside of the home.

And remember, when they turn three, they get their 15 hours of funding (or 30 if you are able to get it), so ship them off for some guaranteed hours of work time!

Oscar starts pre-school in September for three mornings a week and I will be ready for those two and a half hours (which is what you are left with when you take into account the walk back home and then back to the nursery) of not wondering if he is going to wake up before I have got anything done! You’ll probably find me in Costa a lot to cut the walk time down – it’s half way and has free Wi-Fi!

Do you work from home alongside your children? Do you have any other tips that I have missed? I would love to know!

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