advice from seasoned "work from homers" please

[alhambra]

Hello. I work from home. I've also just moved into a new area, and for various complex reasons, the only childcare I could find was someone to come into my house and look after the kids while I work - 2 days a week. I am finding this very difficult. The kids are very happy, which is fine, but I am finding it very hard to concentrate with them in the house. I have just started a new career which involves me not earning any money until I deliver work. So I am spending a lot of time a) weeping in my office at my lack of productivity and feeling trapped inside my own house and b) on mumsnet, and not being very productive at all. I would like some advice on how to get a grip, get focussed,and get earning. We desperately need the money - and I desperately need to work for a sense of balance in my life as well! Oh yeh, I love the job.

Get the carer to take the kids out to the park/playground, etc....specially while the weather's reasonable. After that perhaps she can come up with activities out of the house like swimming, soft play, Tumbletots, etc.

Get on the phone and get listings of all the children's activities in the area: Council, Sure Start, addresses of playgrounds and soft play areas, and details of all the commercial kids' activities (Tumbletots, Ticktock etc.). Then you can present the nanny with your list of chosen activities, and off she goes. Ideally she shold also have nanny/childminder friends, so she can take your children to their houses. I think it's not unreasonable to say to a carer that you want the children out of the house as much as possible -- you're paying her, so you can call the shots, within reason.

It also helps to be quite organised on the domestic front. I went through a phase of Flylady but it drove me too crazy. But it is a good starting point: I put the washing machine on at the same time every day, do menu planning for the week on Sunday night, get children's stuff ready the night before etc. That way all the domestic stuff doesn't encroach too much on your working time.