Juggling children and a home business during school holidays.

The ultimate balancing act.

HOME WORKINGLIFECHILDREN

7/25/20243 min read

Juggling children and a home business during school holidays: The ultimate balancing act

Ah, the school holidays. That magical time of year when the kids are home, the house is a mess, and the phrases "I'm bored" an “I’m hungry” is uttered approximately every 2.5 minutes. For those of us running a business from home, it's like stepping into a three-ring circus where you’re not just the ringmaster but also the clown, the juggler, and occasionally, the lion tamer. Here's a glimpse into my world, where managing both kids and a business requires the skills of a ninja and the patience of a saint.

Morning Madness

7:00 AM: The alarm goes off. I leap out of bed with the optimism of someone who hasn’t yet faced their children this morning. This is my sacred time – an hour of peaceful productivity before the house wakes up. Or so I think.

7:02 AM: The youngest bursts into my home office, demanding breakfast and asking existential questions like why the sky is blue and why they can't have ice cream for breakfast. Productivity level: zero.

Breakfast Bedlam

7:30 AM: Breakfast time. I try to negotiate the fine line between a healthy meal and something they’ll actually eat. My business emails ping with increasing urgency in the background, but I’m too busy negotiating a hostage situation involving the last pancake.

8:00 AM: I manage to send a couple of emails while the kids debate the merits of “real” pancakes versus “those weird green ones” (note to self: spinach pancakes are not a hit).

The Great Divide

9:00 AM: I set the kids up with activities. This means dumping an assortment of crafts, toys, and educational worksheets on the table and hoping for the best. It’s like throwing a bunch of spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks.

9:15 AM: The living room looks like a glitter bomb exploded, and the kids have used all the printer paper to make paper airplanes. Meanwhile, I have managed to write one coherent sentence for a client. Progress!

Conference Call Chaos

10:00 AM: Time for a conference call. I brief the kids: “Mummy is going to be on an important call. Please be quiet and don’t disturb me unless it’s an emergency.”

10:02 AM: “Mummy, I'm starving.”
10:05 AM: “Mummy, where are my blue socks?”
10:07 AM: “Mummy, he hit me!”

10:10 AM: My business associates now know all about my children's dietary preferences, sock colour preferences, and sibling rivalry. At least they were entertained.

Lunchtime Lunacy

12:00 PM: Lunch is served. By which I mean I’ve slapped together some sandwiches and cut up some fruit while responding to emails on my phone. Multitasking at its finest.

12:30 PM: The kids want to know what we’re doing this afternoon. I want to know how it’s only 12:30.

Afternoon Antics

1:00 PM: I try to work while the kids are occupied with a movie. This lasts for about 15 minutes before they need help finding the remote, changing the movie, or debating the profound plot holes in a Disney film.

3:00 PM: We venture outside for some fresh air with the dog. The kids run around, and I attempt to take a business call while picking up dog poo. The call is going well until the youngest decides to serenade us with an off-key rendition of “Let It Go.”

The Home Stretch

5:00 PM: Dinner prep begins. This involves answering client calls, negotiating vegetable consumption, and avoiding stepping on Lego pieces. I consider any meal that doesn’t involve a trip to A&E a success.

6:00PM: Bathtime and all hopes of using the phone are out the window for fear of dropping it in the bubbles.

7:00 PM: Bedtime for the kids. My second shift begins. I work on projects, answer emails, and try to remember what it’s like to have adult conversations.

The Sweet Sound of Silence

10:00 PM: The house is finally quiet. I have a moment to reflect on the day. Sure, my productivity levels were questionable, and my sanity was tested, but I made it through another day of this beautiful chaos.

Final Thoughts

Balancing kids and a home business during school holidays is like juggling flaming torches while riding a unicycle. Blindfolded. On a tightrope. Over a pit of hungry alligators. But, hey, if we can manage this, we can manage anything, right? And if all else fails, there’s always wine. Or chocolate. Or both.

Here's to all the parents out there doing the impossible every day. We’ve got this. Sort of.