WFH mums - how do you keep Your child occupied?

Daycare 😊

@Ella 😂 I should have worded that better but lol yes day care is a great way to keep them occupied

There are some great instagram accounts you can follow about leaving them engaging activities you create with household items.

Working from home with a small child is a challenge in itself. Its fine during nap time but, during their wake times its not easy! When I had my eldest my first return to work job (since my pregnancy with her) was a work from home & I only worked whenever my husband was home. Then once she was in nursery. I couldn't have taken care of a 2/3 year old & worked from home at the same time. Its impossible! Anyone who argues that it 'is' are fooling themselves & are a glutten for punishment. I changed jobs before I had my 2nd baby & the only time I work from home is when one of my children are poorly. Its not an easy feat & there's so much mum guilt that I'm not parenting my child properly. At the same time, I don't feel like I'm doing my job as well as I could. Its draining, as I don't get a proper break (until my husband is home from work). Sorry/not sorry, you cannot do both without a support network.

My company was bringing people back into the office for this reason

Nap time buys me 2 hours a day interrupted guaranteed every day. Screen time too gives me a bit of flexibility for scheduled meetings: Sesame Street, ms Rachel. When it’s quieter times for emails, proof reading, drafting, I take the laptop to the kitchen and we make snacks together as I don’t need cameras/mics on and I can monitor traffic and have a screen break myself. I have an enclosed back garden so I let her go out on her scooter whilst I pick up bits. The night before I tend to print out some colouring sheets and things for her station. Lunch time is blocked out in my calendar every day without exception for a book and some playtime. I’ll have my laptop nearby in case of course. My job is also flexi hours so important tasks or things that I couldn’t get completed due to meeting, I pick up after bedtime for an hour so I’m ahead tomorrow.

But a lot is baby’s temperament too. My girl has been doing this with me since she was 11m old but is independent and not clingy. She can play in her room happily for an hour on her own (with the monitor on so I can see her play shop/flick through books/play with her blocks). I also have lots of sensory toys and educational stuff rather than stuffed teddies to occupy her xx

@Sarah food for thought; there's nothing 'wrong' with stuffed teddy's the imagination is a wonderful thing. Esp once they get a bit older 3+ & imaginary play is key.

@Sarah🦄 totally true, they just don’t occupy my 2.5yo very long anymore. She loves little figurines and her dolls house atm. She’s into things like her play shop, magnetic tiles, puzzles and busy boards more now and it’s really keeping her attention for longer when I wfh but every child is different.

@J 💃 yes! She loves even looking through them and seeing the room all pink or yellow. Her new trick is to build near the window for the light to really come through!