If you have small children in the house while you're working from home..how do you concentrate!!??

[hattyyellow]

Dh is looking after DD3 (9 months old) while I am working from home. I'm doing one full day plus two afternoons per week.

He collects the older ones from school and from 3.30 onwards the racket is deafening. Our baby is also teething and fussing at her food, so I can hear her screaming and wailing.

Does anyone else work with their children around? How on earth do you concentrate? I'm trying to write some grant applications on a really complex topic and even with earplugs in, headphones on - the noise comes through.

Any suggestions most gratefully recieved. I don't want to pay for office space as it takes such a chunk of my profits and we need every penny.

I know this isn't helpful but I simply cannot imagine how anyone does it without soundproofing/locks on doors etc.

Is it something you need to be in the house for? Would Starbucks be an option? They have space and don't mind if you just have one coffee and sit all afternoon.

Cheap caravan in the garden?
A room in a parent's / friend's house??
Local library?

I work from home but since i have to be in my studio there is NO WAY i can do it with DSs around. Had a phone call from bank (but that's a different matter) whinging as no credit gone into business account since mid July i said to him two words "summer holidays"

A 3 storey house helps. My husband has always worked in our bedroom on the top floor of our house even when the kids were tiny. I didn't start my business until my youngest was at school but have to admit it's hard to get much done during the school holidays. I do a lot when they're all in bed.

It was a nightmare when we tried it, too. I only had 2 DC but they were both preschoolers and DH refused to take them out hardly anywhere when I was supposed to be working (except to preschool, or brief visits to the park).

He was SO grateful when I gave up work.

Loft conversion with thick floors and a very well-fitted door.
But if that isn't an option I would think about the suggestions like going to a cafe or someone else's house, especially after 3.30.
Or get your dh to take the dcs to the park for an hour or two if he can't keep them quiet.

Thanks so much for all the suggestions! We're a bit stuck for some of them as we live in quite a rural area - so the local library is tiny and only open a couple of afternoons and coffee places with wi-fi few and far between!

And our loft is filled with bats who are protected by some conservation order so we can't extend!

They are all off sick today and DH is muttering about downstairs trying to look after them without "resorting" to putting the tv on..aaaggggghhhhh!

I am working from home, and we had an au pair when the kids were younger (dh was also working from home, from his garden office).

The au pair would take the younger brother with her when picking up the older brother from school. She would not come straight home, but have a small picnic outdoors, or go to a coffee shop with them, or to the park, library, on a playdate, etc.

Our youngest also went to preschool for a few hours every morning.

I find it impossible during holidays, have to resort to working in the evening

I have a big pair of sound-blocking headphones - the type that road diggers/the people who run around changing tires on aeroplanes use. It doesn't block out the racket all together but damps it off. You might even be tempted to wear them round the house generally though obviously it's NOT a good look.

It isn't possible! I've learnt the hard way, it just does not work!!!
We've recently moved house and bought the house we did because it has a loft conversion which is now my office.
I work a three day week, DS is at nursery two days and with my mum on husband on the third. If I'm ever tempted to send even a quick email while he's here I have a little word with myself, even a two minute task can result in small child falling backwards off sofa...

I would go with Zippy's headphones and wear good ear plugs too.