Six Tips for Keeping Your Business Going When Your Kids are Home from School

One of the biggest challenges a work at home mother faces is how to keep your business going during the summertime or school breaks when your children are on vacation from school. Your business can quickly lose ground if you don't have a plan in place to keep working when your kids are at home. These tips will give you some great ideas on how to work around your children's summer schedule.

• If there are other families in your neighborhood with children of a similar age, try organizing a babysitting swap in the summertime! Get together with other parents and create a schedule for yourselves. In a babysitting swap, each family takes turns being the designated sitter. The other parents who need to run errands, work, etc., can drop their children off at the sitter's house that day. This works great if you can find three or more families to participate together, which gives each family several days "off" without the kids.

• Investigate your local area and see if they offer summer day camps for children. These places are a lot of fun for children and will give you a needed break as well. Drop your children off in the morning and pick them up in the evening, and your children will enjoy various learning activities such as art, music, and drama. These activities will keep your children's minds fresh during the summer, you will be able to get in a few hours of work each day.

• Your place of worship may also have some summer activities planned. When I was a child my parents sent us to "Vacation Bible School" which was great fun for us. I still remember the crafts projects we worked on, the yummy snacks and the fun we had. Or there may be a "Mom's Day-Out Program" that allows parents to drop off their children for a few hours several days a week. Volunteers in the congregation may teach the children crafts, read stories to them, or simply play with them!

• Another great way to make time for work in the summertime is to hire a young teenager to come over and play with your children while you work in your office. This is a lot of fun for the children, and will free up time for you. Since you are still in the house, you will feel safe knowing you are there in case of an emergency. A young teen who may not have as much babysitting experience will also charge less than an older teen.

• Here's another great idea to solve the WAHM challenge of keeping your business going when your kids are home from school. While school is still in session, call your local high school or college and let them know you are looking for an intern. This would be someone majoring in early childhood education who would be happy to watch your children. You also could consider hiring a student interested in business and marketing! They will help you with your business tasks which will free up some time where you can enjoy your children. Generally you do not pay an intern. They work in exchange for the valuable experience they gain.

• Another wonderful and important way to keep your business going when your kids are home, is to get your children involved with your business! Depending on your children's age, you can assign them various business tasks that are within their capacity to complete successfully. This can be great fun for kids and will help give them an understanding of business and increase their self esteem. One of my fond childhood memories is going along with my father to help him in his part time landscaping business. I learned a lot and got to be with my Dad! This will enable you to spend time together as a family and still be productive, and the side benefit will be the learning both you and your children receive from working together.
  

Working around your children's' summer vacation can definitely be one of the bigger WAHM challenges you will face in your career as a work at home mother, but these tips will help you get a handle on the situation and even begin to enjoy the summertime with your kids!