In this article, we will be focusing on an aspect of today’s reality that many of us are facing but not a lot of us probably expected, and that is working at home with your kids. We hope to provide tips and inspiration to create and maintain a happy home and work balance
After months of personal experience among people on our own team and research through the ever-growing blogs and articles online, we have found that the one nearly most important thing to keep during these times is structure. Having structure and cadence in each day can make a huge difference in your own and your children’s abilities to be productive, learn more, and above all stay sane! Below are a few tips of ways to easily introduce structure and cadence in the day-to-day.
Meal Planning
Each day for a child (particularly in school) is broken up by their meal times. It is so important to keep this rhythm in sync for them even at home.
1. Keep the “bagged lunch” or “lunchbox” system and prepare their meals so that when lunch time comes around they have a similar experience to what they would have at school
2. Building off of the last point – Once a week engage the kids in their own meals and have them help with preparation, so this can also be a learning experience. Create a “make your own sandwich bar” and pack the lunches for the next few days together.
3. Keep a balance of snacks around! Kids are constantly growing and need snacks to keep them motivated and happy throughout a day. Create a snack cupboard/drawer etc. which they have access to and keep it balanced with healthy and fun treats. Some of our office favorites are also perfect for kids at home:
- Cucumbers, carrots, celery + hummus
- Trail mix, almonds, cashews
- Meji panda bites
- Black Forest gummy bears
- Sigona’s individually packaged mango
We also offer the at home Family Share Snack Box which could be an exciting box in the mail for you and the kids to open together. It is also a great way of incorporating new and fun snacks for the whole family.
Set Expectations
Making your expectations clear of your children and yourself from the start can make all the difference in the flow of your household. This can be done by having a chat with your entire household on what those expectations are, and making schedules that can be revisited by all throughout the day.
1. Print a weekly calendar and meal plan so everyone can know what the plan is for each day
2. Create a reward system for actions that go above and beyond expectations
3. Plan time for movement – this is so important!! Kids have so much energy that needs to be released throughout the day. Make sure they have productive breaks to release their energy and get some fresh air.
4. Jar of activities – this could be used for when the kids are finished with their school day, but you are still finishing up work. A great distraction to keep them busy while you can stay focused.
- Some great examples are board games, outside games, arts and crafts, movies, etc.
And Most Importantly:
Try your best to set aside one on-one-time with you and your kids. This year is a year of “pivoting” for not only us adults in the workforce, but also for all children in such important years of their learning! More than anything, we need to keep a strong line of communication and understanding as we all navigate the day to day together.
We hope this has provided you with some valuable tips and inspiration to create and maintain a happy home and work balance.
Article by Carly Corippo
Some of you may already know Carly Corippo as your account manager, but she also has a strong background in nutrition. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition and Food Sciences from California State University Chico while working throughout the community in different nutrition and wellness focused internships. After college, Carly started working here at Associated and is your go-to gal for all wellness and nutrition related questions or tips!
