Any ideas for me & DH working at home while children home

[Littlemiss74]

I feel like it's the calm before the storm in my house! I am working from home alone which feels strange but it's quiet so I'm getting stuff done.

As of tomorrow, DH will be working from home too. Then the schools are expected to close soon and if they don't I'm tempted to take mine out as I have health condition.

So, as for many families, it's going to be a testing time with us all here pretty much all the time. Has anyone got any suggestions as to how they are or are going to manage this?
So there's me - working hours to 1.30/2.00 each day except Fridays
DH - will be working at home most of time
DD 8 & DS 12 who I imagine will have work set but would much rather be on tablet/phone/xbox etc!

At times I'm afraid to say we are not the most patient of families. I think we need a plan so that we all get what we need and don't end up at each others throats.

Any suggestions to help each other?

Let them lie in and watch tv or play on Xbox/tablet in the morning. Get DH to take lunch break while you are still working to spend a bit of time with them. Get them to do school work later on when you have finished work (or could you take a long lunch and work more later?). They only need to do 2-3 hours of learning per day as so much time in school is spent on other stuff - registration, setting up and packing away, moving around school, art, PE, assembly, disciplining disruptive kids etc. School work can be done at any time does not have to be 9-3. Do what works for your family.

I'm kind of in the same boat. My work has said I've to work from home from now on Mon- Wed and there is talk of our nursery closing the end of the week. I physically can't work, do spreadsheets, emails with a clingy 2 year old in the house so I don't know how I'll manage either. Sorry, no advice here! I'm panicking also.

I think DH are going to do a half day each (we have a toddler who can’t be left), then both work into the night once DS is in bed...

Our plan is to basically do 3 hour shifts of work while other looks after kids. So get up at 6 work til 9, then take over from DH until 12 thrn work 12-3 with DH starting again until 6. Mobiles on to take incoming calls. Really not looking forward to it, but what can you do but take 1 day at a time?

I would like to think workplaces will accept that work is not going to be done 9-5 once this kicks in. I have said to my direct reports with school age kids that they will need to be available if we have a 1 to 1 or a team meeting but that everything else can be done flexibly. I am desperately keen to support the single parent with an autistic 5 year old as he will need her when he is awake. But all we can do is see how it goes day to day.