If the title of this post made you LOL, we get it.
Mamaprenuers have a unique challenge. Working with littles underfoot takes a special kind of skill, creativity, and discipline. After all, it’s not like big, fancy, corporate offices have three-year-olds running through the halls while employees are trying to hit their deadlines!
But that’s the beauty, too, isn’t it? Working from home as a Mamaprenuer is the very thing that allows you to spend more time with those precious, underfoot kiddos.
While we hope you can score some child-free work time regularly, there are moments when work simply has to get done when your kids are awake.
We’ve got your back. From our community of real Mamaprenuers, just like you, here are 15 ideas for Getting Work Done while your Littles are Awake:
- “Play-Doh. Lots and lots of Play-Doh.” –Katie Green Clark
- “I have my kids do “five minutes of quiet.” They can do whatever they want, as long as they do it quietly. Mine are 5, 4, and 2, so we are just coming out of the “littles” stage. But, I still work almost exclusively when they are in bed.” –Stevie Ballinger
- “iPad with educational games.” –Beth Newitt
- Here are a few things that have been working well lately, for 15-20 minute stretches: “A colander and pipe cleaners, sorting pie, and painter's tape “roads” on the floor to drive cars on.” –Katie Clark
- “I used to have really fancy coloring books, and as the kids grew older, some special paper dolls. I also kept a toy box of things they really wanted but could only get out when I absolutely needed a few minutes alone for whatever reason.” –Robin Elise Weiss
- “Try babywearing, if your little is little enough!” –Victoria Wilson
- “We used to have quiet time every day after my kids outgrew naps. An audiobook and each kid in a separate room could buy me an hour's time.” –Sarah Mueller
- “Anything that's ‘new to them’ is a good distraction. Also, their own pretend office with a fake phone and laptop, and paper and crayons works great.” -Jennifer Rebello
- “I will forever sing the Little Einsteins theme song.” -Jessica Dunkle
- “When my children were small, I had a couple of bins that I filled with a variety of toys, activities, and games. I would rotate the bins each week. That allowed them to have something fresh to play with and kept them more engaged, and it kept the toys to a more manageable amount. Also, having a reading time is a wonderful thing! One thing I couldn't live without was a well thought-out schedule. It is when they are little that they need the training as opposed to the teaching. I kept the same schedule every day (to the best of my ability). This trains them to know what is coming next. It takes some time, but it is well worth it in the end.” –Karen Todd
- “I give them some focused play time with me in the morning, and then have them do independent play, usually in the same room I'm working in, so I can mediate when needed. Sometimes that's just them playing with each other and entertaining themselves while I sit on the floor and work, and other times they do crafts while I work at the table next to them.” -Ellen Russell
- “I used to have a ten-year-old come over on the bus after school to play with my little one while I worked. She got pre-babysitting experience, and I didn't have to pay full babysitting rates. It was a win/win!” –Karen Hipson
- “Also, Legos.” -Hannah Hageman
- “Turn on a movie. We don't watch a ton of TV, so it's a treat for them.” -Rebecca Tomas
- “Mine usually just wanted to be in the same room with me, and they still do (1st and 2nd grade). They'll play in the rag bag (I have an alterations business), read, do homework, play games, or play with the neighbor girl.” -Rebekah Marks
Now, go wrangle your kiddos and pour yourself a cup of coffee. It’s your turn to head out there and be brilliant!
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