One of the articles I’ve written that gets the most requests for reprints is my 6 Tips for Balancing Entrepreneurship and Family. Tip #1 about childcare is frequently on my mind now. When my kids were little, I could not seem to get any work done when they were around. Now that they’re a few months away from turning 5 and 7, they don’t need my constant supervision and attention. The play together a lot, and usually get along very well. This year, with one in first grade and one in preschool, my childcare expenses are less–until we hit the summertime. So I’m trying to decide how much time I really need to get my work done while not paying an arm and a leg for them to go somewhere while I’m working.
When they have been home with me, I try to suggest activities to keep their brain going and change things up a little. This creates for a frequently interrupted workday, and working in spurts from 8 a.m. to 10 at night. Right now I’m considering sending them to my neighborhood babysitter two days a week in the summer so I have at least 2 days to totally concentrate on work. When I need to write or edit something intense, I need total concentration.
I know there are other VAs who read this blog. How do you guys meet your children’s needs, not pay an arm and a leg, and get all your work done without going crazy??
Lauren Hidden, owner of The Hidden Helpers is a professional writer, author, editor, and writing coach. Working with professionals in a variety of industries, Lauren helps her clients get their messages across clearly, concisely, and persuasively.
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Not an easy question to answer, is it? Now that Tom and I are both home during the day, it’s less of an issue, we can tag team them. My oldest is in Kinder this year and my daughter is almost 4. I think you just have to be creative and watch the level of work you take on. There are days when my daughter has to entertain herself, and other days when I can take off from work and go to the bouncy castle place. It’s just about that happy balance for us!
I shudder when I remember working with smaller kids around, especially in the summer time when school was out. My first office was in the living room. Bad idea on my part! Once I got my work space out of there, life was better professionally, but I always felt I was neglecting someone. I learned that I could only really focus on my projects when the house was empty, or when everyone was asleep. So, many late nights. I also recall taking on more local, off site work during those years. No happy solution.