Top Recommendations for working with parents who work from home

More often than ever before, caregivers are providing childcare while parents work from home. This dynamic comes with a unique set of challenges, so here are some tips to help you navigate this situation that many parents and childcare providers are now finding themselves in.

Here are some best practices to resolve challenges, establish boundaries, and make this arrangement run smoothly for everyone.

It’s important to have a clear understanding of everyone’s roles to avoid any confusion and tension that can arise when you, parents, and children are all together in the same space. Communicating clearly with the parent is the most important way to set expectations early on. Be sure to ask questions in your intro call that’ll give you a better understanding of how the day will go. To start, it’s helpful to ask they parent if they (or another adult) be home working during the day while you are providing care.

If parents will be working from home, it’s beneficial to ask what they prefer when it comes to boundaries within the home, especially if they have meetings or need uninterrupted time to focus. They may want the children to play in a separate area of the house, away from their office or workspace.

We recommend talking with the parents to make sure you’re both on the same page. Some parents might be ok with their kids seeking them out during their workday, others will want you to maintain authority and set boundaries so they can limit their own interactions to focus on work. If possible, ask the parents to speak directly to their kids about what they’ve decided so there’s no room for confusion.

Whether they’re just going to the bathroom, want to say “hi” to the kids or they need to walk through the house to get to their office or bedroom, these parent sightings can lead to a disruption in your activities and even to a meltdown. To avoid this it's important to create clear lines of communication. Texting is a simple way for you and the parent(s) to communicate without the child(ren) being upset by their parent’s presence. Have the parent text you when they need to leave the house or grab a snack so you can make sure the child is occupied.

Ultimately, the parents have called you in to help them out— so even though it can feel strange to take charge of kids with a parent around, they’re relying on you so they can focus on something else. Focus on having fun and distract the child(ren) from their parent’s presence.