Boundaries around WFH?

[Ricepops]

So I have 2 DC (7 and 4). DH and I work full time, and he does all the drop offs in the morning (and then works from home), whereas I do all the pick ups. I work in the office usually 3-4 days per week (though a bit less recently), with the other days at home.

I like a balance of working in the office and at home, but am starting to find it is disruptive to DH and DC if I am at home in the mornings while they are getting ready.

When I go into the office, I try to leave at 7.30am, so I can start work at 8am. However, if working from home, I am obviously present in the house in the morning, and the 4 year old in particular refuses to get ready without me doing everything, and this week has really played up. DH said "sometimes the mornings are difficult when you aren't here, but they are never this bad". Obviously this means that I also can't start work until they have left either, which is usually around 8.30am.

I'm planning to WFH tomorrow and seriously contemplating leaving at 7.30 and going round the corner to the cafe and starting work there. AIBU? Does anyone else find it difficult to enforce boundaries around WFH?

YANBU. Similar issues here with our pre schoolers.
Maybe go to a cafe for a few days to break the cycle and then you will be hopefully be able to stay upstairs hiding thereafter?
What annoys me in our similar situation is that DP works out of the house so he has me on hand in the morning pre drop off as I work from home whereas I do the pick up / bedtime solo! Also need to get some boundaries in place!!

Absolutely. I really struggle with it. And I don't have any easy answers! But I think your cafe solution might be a good idea.

The cafe sounds like a great idea! I’m sure your DH will be on board too if the kids play up more when you’re there.

It depends how much you can face in the mornings but a few days of "mummy is working I can't help" will be tough at first will set the boundary then should become routine.

That said arguing in the mornings is rubbish and going to cafe will also work so I would also be tempted with that option too.

I have an office with a lock and DD knows when I'm 'off to work' that she won't be able to come in, so it tends to work okay. It did take a couple of days of rattling the door and 'mummy? Are you in there?' but now she tells other people to be quiet if I'm 'at work' If I was working somewhere else in the house she had free access too it would be terrible though I'm sure!

It's harder with little ones, but I just take myself into my "office" (corner of the bedroom) and shut the door, and we all understand that from that point Im as accessible as if I was literally in the office.

I guess it's a strong boundary that was set during school lockdown (dh was SAHD at the time).

They don't pop in with questions and I don't help out in the same way that I wouldn't get back on a bus and help find a lost reading book if I was in the office.

I often have early morning calls so I'm on my headset anyway and that's another clear visual signal not to disturb.

If you're working in a space where they can literally see you though, and they're used to you putting aside work to help out, then I can see that taking yourself out of that space altogether might be the best option.

I'm sorry to hear that others have the same issues as me, but I am reassured at the same time that I'm not alone.

I just find it hard to enforce boundaries as I'm not WFH everyday, I think that makes it harder as the routine is slightly different every day.

This morning was better, in that DD did get ready without me, but then wanted to talk/play with me after that which was disruptive to my work.

We do have a separate office, but it doesn't have a door on it which makes its difficult to stop them wandering in.