Jill’s Blog

random rants and raves

For many Moms who work at home, the summer provides a new obstacle— what to do with the kids? School’s out, and they’re home. How do you handle the additional distraction.

In the Manty household, school is in session pretty much every day, and Mom Manty is the teacer, so the only difference that summer makes for us is that we actually tend to do more schoolwork to avoid the throngs of students out for the summer who take over our usual field trip locations. It’s too hot to go outside in Texas for half the summer, so what else is there to do except hand them books to read?

So, how do I juggle homeschooling with working from home (I guess my online business and blogging qualify as “working from home”, although I never really think of myself that way ) ? Well, for one thing, my children come first. I’m my own boss. I own my businesses. If I declare today a day off because my children need all of me, so be it. But many days my children do not need or want my constant vigilance. They want to play in their rooms or play a game with one of their siblings, and while they’re occupied, I write, or answer emails, or fill orders… But my schedule revolves around theirs, not vice versa. Sometimes I fail to remember this, and no one is happy. I fuss, they cry, I remember why it is that I know that it needs to work the other way.

I know this manner of dealing with work won’t work for everyone. Many people are NOT their own boss, and they have someone breathing down their neck to produce. I’m very blessed to not have that situation. I just sometimes need the reminder.