Good parenting skills tip:How to Get Kids to Respect Your Office Time

by Helene Malmsio

Anyone who works from home knows how hard it is to get anything done with kids, dogs, neighbors, and a messy house underfoot. While an article could be written about each problem, I'm going to tackle the hardest one here - how to get kids to respect your office time.

Sometimes it helps to spend quality time with them first, before you begin your work time. Then they feel listened to and respected themselves and are more willing to be okay for a while before they need you again.

If at all possible, do your work in a home office with a door that you can close (when they're being supervised by another adult.) If you don't have that option, put your desk in a designated corner behind a screen. It needs to be someplace special so that kids know when you're in that special spot, you are working.

Have a family talk and explain that you are running a business and that it's not a little hobby. Show them your company stationary and your business card. Explain in a way your kids can understand that this is how you earn money to buy food, clothes, and toys. Making sure your spouse understands is essential too because they can offer support by keeping the kids away when they are home and you are working.

Act in a professional manner while you are working and the kids will notice the difference. It might help them remember, oh yeah I'm not supposed to talk to mommy right now. They get confused if you are gabbing on the phone with a friend when you said you were going to work. Sometimes it helps the kids to know the difference if you dress up a bit while you are working.

If your spouse is home and watching the kids, shut your office door. Put one of those cardboard clock signs on the door and move the hands to the time when you'll be available again. If your children can't tell time yet, put a special picture on the door showing mommy working and take it off when you are done.

Communicate with your children about what the clock or picture means so they understand what's expected of them. Don't feel guilty, you've probably just spent all day with them and it's nice to give your spouse a chance to share special moments with them.

If you don't have your own office or spare room in which to work, put on some noise-cancelling headphones. This is another signal to the kids to respect your time.

It's hard for children with limited attention spans to remember to let you work, so you'd be doing yourself a favor by setting them up with their own "work" while you work. That way you can both be busy together. They can type on their Leap Frog while you type on your computer, or they can play a computer game while you write out your next business plan.

There's no doubt that sometimes it's hard to get work done at home with the kids running around, but it can be done. Give them attention first and let them know in a way they can understand what "work" is for you and what you need them to do.

As Helene Malmsio from Time Management in the Workplace website says “Ensure that you have a clear idea of what you need to accomplish in your working day and be realistic! You will do yourself no favours by trying to complete a week’s worth of work in one day. All you will accomplish if you try this technique is a big ball of stress in your stomach and a head ache to go with it.”


Learning time management in the workplace is actually not difficult. It may take time but once you’ve mastered the necessary skills, you will feel less pressured and be able to work better.


Being efficient and effective, by utilizing the best practices for your time management in the workplace is essential to your career development and success. When you visit the site you can get a free ebook about timemanagmenent tips that shows you how to maximize your time, the types of time management techniques you can use, and much more!