With more and more work arrangements moving to flexible working, many parents have worked from home. People often have the misconception that you will be able to watch your young kids and work. This is the opposite. When working from home, your time is tied to your work schedule. As much as you can dictate your time to a certain extent, you will still need help with your young kid.
What can you do? You can either put your child in daycare near home or hire in-home help. Many people hire a nanny or a sitter as the parents can have close interaction with the care provider while being close to the child. However, this is not the easiest task given the amount of training you need to provide them. The good news is if done correctly, you will not need to worry about your child during your conference call.
We compiled four quick tips to make working from home easier while managing a nanny.
List the Requirements
Whether it is a nanny or a sitter, they need to understand what is asked of them. Create a list so they know exactly what their jobs entail and when to perform the tasks. Once you have the list created, you can always reuse it and share it with whoever you hire to help out.
Refrain from Getting Too Involved
No one wants to be micromanaged. Working from home means that you can be more flexible with your day. With this advantage, you can take short breaks and check up on your child. However, frequent breaks might not be recommended. The nanny or the sitter will feel a lot of stress if you are constantly around and supervising. So try to resist those temptations to see your beautiful child.
Set Boundaries
While working from home, you have the flexibility to step out to provide directions if needed. However, this does not mean the nanny or the sitter should always come knocking for help. It is crucial to establish your communication preferences and when to engage. For example, the nanny or the sitter should not bother you while you are on a business call unless essential. If it is only to notify you of what she is doing, it can be communicated via a text or a note on the door.
Use the Weekends to Train the Nanny
If possible, have a trial during a weekend when you do not need to be glued to the phone or video chats. This way, you can devote your full attention to training the nanny or the sitter. In exchange, the nanny or the sitter will get clear, first-hand insight into your preferences to do things and how to handle the child. The bonding time will help you create trust in her to be more relaxed to work from home, knowing your child is in good hands. Utilizing the tips above will help you manage to work from home while employing a nanny or sitter.
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AyiConnect a platform to connect families with helpers who have a language specialty in addition to care. You can post a free job to engage with them directly through self service or use concierge service. For self service, you can even join in discussion. The concierge service can provide another option to ensure successful matches for busy families who don't have time to search or need language assistance. Schedule a free consultation here for our concierge service, or check us out on ayiconnection.com