If you are a parent with school-age children and also have a home business, it can be difficult to work while your children are on summer vacation from school. As a homeschooling mom, I'm accustomed to having to get creative finding ways to keep the kids busy so I can get some work done! The following are tips on finding ways to work around your children's summer schedule.
If there are other families in your neighborhood with children of similar age to your children's age, try organizing a babysitting swap. Get together with the other parents and create a schedule where each family takes turns being the designated sitter. Any of the other parents who need to run errands, work, etc., can drop their children off at the sitter's house that day.
You may also want to find out if there are local day camps. Unlike overnight camps, these camps allow you to drop your children off in the morning and pick them up in the evening. They are usually filled with various learning activities, art, music, and drama. These activities will keep your children's minds stimulated during the summer, and you will get a few hours to work each day.
Your place of worship may also have some summer activities planned. There may be a "Mom's Day-Out Program" that allows parents to drop off their children for a few hours three days a week. Volunteers in the congregation may teach the children a craft, read stories, or simply play with them.
You may also want to look into hiring a young teenager to come over and play with your children while you work on the computer in your office. Since you are still in the house, you can feel safe knowing you are there in case of an emergency. A young teen who may not have much babysitting experience will also charge less than an older teen.
Another option is to call the local high school or college before school gets out and let them know you are looking for an intern. This can take the form of someone majoring in early childhood education to watch your children or you may want to hire a student interested in business, marketing, etc. They can help you with your business tasks which will free up some of your time. Normally, you do not pay interns. They work in exchange for the experience.
You can also get your children involved with your business. Depending on your children's age, assign them tasks that they can easily complete. For example, my 10 year old son is one of my assistants. I pay him hourly (and this is tax deductible for us - check with your accountant) to do certain things for me. He has learned a lot about managing a website and works for less than other Virtual Assistants! Hiring your kids will help give them an understanding of business and increase their self esteem. It will also enable you to spend time together as a family and still get work done. Working around your kids' summer vacation can definitely be a challenge, but you can find ways to do it.
Carrie Lauth is a full time internet marketing Mom of 4 who blogs about her experiences getting it all done at Carrie's Blog
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