+1 Split work times. I’m doing 6-10 am heads down, 3-6 calls- taking coworker calls as needed on cell. If it’s a conference call during my kid time - I pull some toys in my home office and/or put the tv on and sit outside the door., DH is working 10-3, 9-12 am. Full family time is 6-830 which isn’t that different than when we have daycare.

None of this is perfect.

I wish my coworkers without kids would take up a hobby of get Netflix. One has become a complete workaholic and is stepping on toes / making a mess. He’s gonna get himself fired.. but that is for the jobs forum...

The only way I’m able to work is splitting worktimes with my DH

Can you adjust your hours at all?

We do wake up and breakfast 8-9 am
Craft/activity (painting, playdoh, coloring, etc) until 10
Outside long walk or bike ride until 11
Chores LO helps with, putting laundry in, handing me dishes for dishwasher, sweeping, etc. And she helps me cook lunch
Lunch at 12
Play time/workbooks until 130
Quiet time 130-200
I start work 2 pm - 10 pm
Put on movie and give snack at 2
Dh quits work when movie is over and he takes over playtime and does another walk outside before dinner
Bedtime 8-9 pm (dh handles bath and bed)
Done with work by 10 pm

Kids are happy to play alone if two things are in place: (1) connection and (2) boundaries. You have to build uninterrupted connection time into your schedule. This means you are not working at those times. No phone. It’s essential if you want your kid to work with you. They need to feel seen/heard/valued/loved. Also your kid has to know that you mean what you say. Boundaries are key.

<work 6-8am>
8a-breakfast *together*
8:30-10:30a- free play <work>
10:30a- snack
10:45-11:45a- outside <work if your yard is fenced>
Wash up
Noon- make and eat lunch *together*
1-3p- rest/quiet time in bedroom <work>
3-4:30p- hug/kiss then snack/movie <work>
4:30-5:30p- outside
Wash up
5:45p- make and eat dinner
6:15p- bath
7p- bed

My schedule for a 3 year old is loosely like this:

Wake up, breakfast, dress and groom
Yoga, play, and read books
Snack time (kid cooks/preps snack)
Outdoor play and science experiment
Lunch and read books
Nap
Outdoor play and creative (craft or imagination)
Performance (kids likes to put on a puppet show or dance while I'm the audience)
Dinner and bed

Basically spend around 4 hours outside. I work in phonetics and a foreign language throughout the day.

yeah seriously suggesting the op stops complaining about her child and help him grow and develop.

Anonymous wrote:Also, open ended projects. Collect things from nature (rocks, sticks, leaves, etc...) and have him make art out of it or build something out of it (use a hot glue gun or tacky glue). Cook/bake, make play dough and use it, go on longs walks to tire him out. Go on Pinterest and type in projects, or if you’re worried about academics, you can find plenty of free worksheets online to print out. Some good ones for preschoolers who don’t like normal worksheets are color by numbers

You are not seriously suggesting OP do these in middle of working, taking conf calls etc.? She can't just let the kid out to do all these by himself. If your kid will watch screens then online educational apps are the way to go as PP suggested. Otherwise switch work hours if you can because your child is bored and needs your active involvement for crafts and activities.. its going to be a long 2 weeks.

Also, open ended projects. Collect things from nature (rocks, sticks, leaves, etc...) and have him make art out of it or build something out of it (use a hot glue gun or tacky glue). Cook/bake, make play dough and use it, go on longs walks to tire him out. Go on Pinterest and type in projects, or if you’re worried about academics, you can find plenty of free worksheets online to print out. Some good ones for preschoolers who don’t like normal worksheets are color by numbers

Khan Academy kids
Daniel Tiger shows
buy chalk
Buy bubbles
Legos
Read books

= my 6 yo Kindergartner's day.

(She also tags along on her older sister's Cyber School work)

Anonymous wrote:Can someone share a daily schedule for what preschooler do at home? I pull him out of full day daycare for now, and he drives me nut every day at home. I could not even work from home, and he is not willing to nap in the afternoon, keep asking for TV. I think he is bored to death at home. He used to spend 8am-5:30pm at daycare M-F. His daycare is still open & we are still paying. I am so tempted to send him to daycare to make it easier for everyone.

I think your best bet would be to ask the daycare for the exact schedule that they follow. That's what the kid is used to. Modify that to suit your work schedule. Make sure to have some time out in the open, even if its a walk around the neighborhood. And if you gotta work then you can't avoid TV completely, rather switch to some educational useful screen time - Zoo/ aquarium live feeds, read-aloud book videos, dance-along videos, video chats with family and friends, etc.

Can someone share a daily schedule for what preschooler do at home? I pull him out of full day daycare for now, and he drives me nut every day at home. I could not even work from home, and he is not willing to nap in the afternoon, keep asking for TV. I think he is bored to death at home. He used to spend 8am-5:30pm at daycare M-F. His daycare is still open & we are still paying. I am so tempted to send him to daycare to make it easier for everyone.