And no, I don’t mean the ones who cheat by doing their son’s algebra homework!
Hands up if this sounds familiar to any of you..
2.30am – woken by daughter who has had nightmare. Climb into her bed.
6.30am – woken by cat demanding breakfast & litter tray
7.45am – realise you’ve run out of school uniform. Dryer goes into overdrive
8.15am – prepare breakfast, yell at daughter to stop watching TV to get ready
8.30am – yell at daughter because she’s still not ready. Remember her uniform is still in the dryer.
8.55am – screech to halt outside school
9am – quick cuppa then realise you’re already 15 minutes behind work schedule
10am – post arrives, inevitably bringing with it letters/bills which need urgent action.
11am – now an hour behind schedule. Start work.
11.30am – friend/relative telephones for a chat. Gets sniffy if you suggest you’re busy
11.45am – parcel delivery driver gives you parcel as neighbour not in
1pm – just over an hour of work completed & tummy demands food
1.30pm – finally settle down for some serious work
2.55pm – realise dishes haven’t been touched, beds still not made & house looks a wreck
3pm – off again to pick up daughter who needs taking to ballet/art/music/riding/swimming class
6pm – back home, having missed several phone calls. Start tea.
7.30pm – tea finished, bath given & daughter into bed. Story time
9pm – after drink given, numerous trips to toilet & incessant chatting, daughter finally falls asleep. Time for work!
9.30pm – realise brain stopped working several hours ago and about to fall asleep on the keyboard. Dishes still not done & house has more dust than a hoover bag. Off to bed vowing early start in the morning.
And so it continues….
Only another parent working from home can understand how difficult and tiring it can be. A complete lack of structure, uncooperation from the rest of the universe and never knowing when you’ll next be paid can make for a very stressful life. You can be left feeling a failure in all areas.
So, fellow homeworking parents, I want to do something about it. Not just post tips, advice (hah!) etc on here but to set up our very own hashtag on Twitter too, so any one of our group working at 11.30pm can take comfort from knowing that there’s somebody else at that exact same minute, feeling absolutely shattered but working to deadline. Scheduled prompts throughout the day – eg “Ok it’s 11.30am & we have 5 minutes. Whip the hoover out & whizz it round the living room! Back here in 10 with a cuppa”. Or perhaps “It’s 2.30 guys – start wrapping it up, ready for school run”.
Does that sound supportive or do you have any ideas? Let’s get this up and running – what about a buddy system with someone who works late into the night too or lives in your area?
Love to have your feedback!
Cx
Heh great article. I can relate – can I also add:
“11am – on the phone to an important client and the postman arrives causing the dogs to bark, putting you completely off the conversation and making you sound like an idiot”.
The number of times I’ve sat in the car outside when I’ve had to make a phonecall………
Trying to do everything often causes something to slip the ironing normally in my case, or running up the road 10 minutes late to pick up my son from school, I hate it when that happens…
Great article, I often feel like a failure in all areas you aren’t alone there!
I feel your pain Claire!
I hate how quickly those hours between 9 and 3 seem to go. Mind you I still have my toddler at home when my son is at school, so rarely get anything at all done in the day.
Theres nothing worse than starting work at 9pm when you’re already exhausted, but us WAHM’s just have to take one for the team sometimes.
Keep strong girl! x