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From Melanie: A Letter To Working Moms

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  We’ve recently launched a hashtag called #askthedesigner, where we take over social media to answer your questions. I realized that the questions I’m getting asked most often have nothing to do with decorating. It seems the question on our minds right now is how do we work full time jobs and homeschool our kids? I can tell you how our family is managing the new normal.

  1. We keep a schedule.  Our child happens to love routines and my uber-organized wife is great at planning. I work alone in our shared guest room/office from 5:30-8:30 AM. My wife works alone the rest of the day but makes dinner and lunch for the three of us and takes “recess” breaks with Theo when she can.

 

 

2. We extend grace to ourselves and each other.  These are extraordinary times. I’m ok not doing Pinterest -worthy art projects with my son and only working 2-4 hours today. Whatever we don’t get done can wait. Sometimes I just stop trying to teach my 6 yr old (Theo) to read and we go outside and look for bugs. Sometimes (ok, often) Theo gets more than the recommended allowance of screen time and we don’t stress about it. We enjoy the closeness. I’m told that raising children goes so fast, so I’m appreciating the slow down.

3. I set goals on Friday. Pre-Corona times I would have about 5-10 things to accomplish each week.  I now put my top 3 goals down on paper and make sure they get done. This has been a game changer in terms of staying productive.  I say no to everything that doesn’t further my goals – like that happy-hour zoom with college friends, looking at yet one more educational website I *might* use to teach Theo.

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Theses are all different parts of my house! Create a workspace that best fits your living space.

4. We have changed up our home to support our new needs. I have an Eames office chair in my dining room most days.  We turned an entryway console into an extra desk and our back patio looks like a school yard. Function always comes first when I design for my clients, our home is no exception. (For my sanity, Theo is required to keep all of his toys in his room, outside, or in the playroom).

5. Finally and most importantly, stay connected. We stay connected to friends and family virtually. We are lucky to have one hour per weekday where Theo’s grandma teaches him.  It is such a sweet time for both of them.

Well, there you have it, my top 5 tips for managing work with kids at home during Covid-19 times.  How are you balancing work and family? Reply and let me know. I would really love to hear from you.

Stay Safe,

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