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Sanity For The Work At Home Mom

If you are the work at home parent of a toddler, you're sure to know the headaches and hassles that come with the territory. It is possible, however, to work from home with a small child without losing your sanity or your income. If you're in need of a few tips and tricks to get you through your work from home day with your one and a half to three year old, try these on for size!


1. Just Like Mommy or Daddy

Purchase a toddler sized desk, and stock it with plenty of scrap paper, stickers, and crayons. You may even want to purchase a used keyboard and cut off the cord, or provide your toddler with a toy computer. Allow them to sit at their desk while you sit at yours, and play "work". This tip may just provide you with the fifteen minutes you need to answer email or make that client call in peace.

2. Download a Lock Out Program

If you frequently use your computer, you may find that your toddler is fascinated with it as well. All those blinking lights, buttons, and fun sounds make it incredibly attractive. It's cute, until you realize that your wee one has just pushed the power button and obliterated several hours worth of work. A lock out program can help. ToddlerKeys is free, and locks your child out of the buttons as well as the keyboard - great for when you have to step away from the computer.

3. Learn to Work in Spurts

Sometimes fifteen minutes of peace is all you can muster. When planning your day, put a star beside those activities on your to do list that can be accomplished quickly or while being interrupted. Answering email, for example, can be done in small chunks, while a major conference call cannot. Use this list and your toddler's mood to plan when you'll accomplish which activities. Taking the time to prioritize in this manner will allow you to spend time with your toddler, while getting your work done, even on those melt-down-pull-your-hair-out days.

Working from home is challenging, and working from home with a toddler can sometimes seem impossible. On days when you're struggling, take a deep breath. Try implementing one or all of these tips, and if all else fails, call it a day and go to the park. After all, your children are only small once, and you're working at home to enjoy this time.

Written by Diane Gardner

Diane is a mother of 2, grandmother of 4, and the author of http://www.parentawarenesscenter.com a resource for parenting tips and natural health alternatives and a work at home moms site http://www.wahmhotline.com that provides articles, help, free tools, and more for the mompreneur.  Diane has been a successful entrepreneur for 20 years developing both off line and online businesses. She is dedicated to helping women and is a personal success coach. She has a passion for helping parents with health issues, natural alternatives, toxic awareness and much more. She is also dedicated to helping women in business and moms who would like to work from home successfully.