Is Your Family Really Benefiting
When You Work at Home?
By Stephanie Foster
You�ve beaten the obstacles and found a way to work at home, whether
by finding a job or starting a home business. But is your work getting
in the way of time with your family? It may be time to make sure you are
finding balance between working at home and your family.
Let�s take a look at some easy things you can do to ensure that you
are spending time with your family.
1. Make time for play. Family activities are a great way to relax away
from work. It can be as simple as taking a walk or going to the park, or
it could be a full day excursion to a museum, amusement part or beach.
You don�t have to leave the house, of course. You could play games, make
cookies or do other fun activities around the house. The point is to simply
have fun as a family and have time to talk to each other.
One way to start is to plan a family night. Tell everyone they have
to be home on a particular evening each week and do things as a family.
Even if you just rent a movie to watch together, it�s something you�re
doing together.
If you�re married, make sure you plan a regular date night with your
spouse. Frequency may depend on how old your children are and how often
you can get babysitting, but it is important for your marriage to have
time as a couple.
You don�t have to spend a lot of money to have fun with your family.
Just make time for fun.
2. Be there for your children�s activities. If your children are involved
in sports, acting, singing or other activities, make sure you are there
for all the games, performances or other important events. It will help
your children to know that they are very important to you.
3. Set rules and enforce them. If your children understand when they
can interrupt your work you will be able to get more done in less time,
giving you more time for your family.
Of course, you need to be consistent. If kids get away with breaking
the rules some of the time, they will test the rules often. Consistency
will save you time in the long run, even if you aren�t sure you want to
spare the time at a particular moment.
4. Pay attention to what kind of attention each child needs. Every child
is different. Some demand attention while others are so quiet it�s easy
to forget that they need you too. Make sure you spend time with each child
as an individual.
5. When the kids come home from school, take some time to talk about
their day. They will appreciate your interest. You should also make sure
they understand their homework and start it at whatever time they do best
at finishing it. Some do best starting homework immediately on getting
home, while others do better if they can play for a while first. Be aware
of your child�s needs.
6. If your work is something the children can help with, let them be
involved. If not, you can still at least talk to them about what you do.
This sets a good example for your children by helping them to know what
working is really about.
It�s easy to get buried in the needs of your work when you work at home.
A little bit of planning can go a long way toward making working at home
a wonderful experience for all. Your family is why you decided to work
at home, so don�t let your time with them get put aside.
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