Working from home has a multitude of benefits. You get to completely customize your schedule, helping to better balance work life and family life. You can even be there for your kids’ school concerts and volunteer to help out once in a while, too. But what happens when too many requests come from the school because they don’t realize that you’re a work from home mom? Here’s how to handle the situation.
1. Schedule a meeting
Asking your child to explain to your teacher that you are working from home could be a case of lost in translation. In order to clear up any mixed messages, it might be a good idea to take time to speak with the teacher about the situation. Let her know that as much as you would like to help out in the classroom, your schedule simply won’t allow it.
2. Come to class
When your child has Career Day at school, take the opportunity to let the class know what you do. Explain to them that although you work a regular job, you do it from the comfort of your own home office. You can even explain to the students what workplace flexibility means, and how it can be an option for them in the future, too. For fun, you can ask them what types of jobs they would like to have when they are grown up and take turns to see how they could find remote jobs in their areas of interest. This will also offer your child’s teacher some much-needed insight into how busy you truly are.
3. Offer to help
As a work at home mom, you are the best example of workplace flexibility. But if you’re going to be holed up in your home office, you are not taking true advantage of having a flexible schedule. So take some time to volunteer in your child’s classroom. That way, you can not only score some quality time with your kiddo, but you can show the other kids (and parents!) how work flexibility positively benefits your life as well.
As more and more working moms make the transition to a work at home career, it’s important to be able to set limits (without guilt!) on how much you can actively participate in your child’s class. That way, you can be a productive, accomplished worker as well as participate in your child’s educational experience—when your schedule allows it, that is.
