10 Expert Tips on Working from Home with Kids

Approximately 22 million people in the US work from home full-time, according to Pew Research, compared to around 9 million remote workers in 2019. Of course, that estimate leaves out the demographic that’s become a regular fixture in the virtual workplace: the kids.

40% of US households include children under 18, a ratio that most remote workers can anecdotally confirm. At this point, working from home with kids is nothing new. A baby’s head edging into the camera’s frame, a child off-screen asking their parent a question, and the brief pause in a meeting to address a rambunctious toddler have all become commonplace experiences for remote workers.

Remote work has had a mixed impact on parents, allowing some people, especially women, to thrive in their careers, while others feel they’ve taken on too much. Working from home as a parent may not be the ideal option for everyone, but it’s now the reality for many families. To learn more about how to best handle working from home with kids, we surveyed HR pros who tackle the challenge for themselves every day.

In this article, you’ll find:

Insights into the biggest challenges for work-from-home parents
10 tips to be successful when working from home with kids
Advice on how HR pros can support working parents

*Quotes have been edited for concision and clarity.

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The Benefits of Working from Home with Kids

Return-to-office mandates are on the rise, but remote work is sticking around. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 23% of professionals teleworked for at least some of their working hours in July 2024, an increase from last year. Of those working remotely in July 2024, over 1 in 4 were parents with children under 18.

With the flexibility offered by remote work, it’s not surprising that many parents prefer it. A BambooHR study reports that 75% of parents and caregivers who prefer remote work say it helps them maintain a work-life balance, and 3 in 5 parents say it helps them meet family needs.

Working from home with kids can also address one of the biggest challenges for working parents: the costs of childcare. In 2024, Care.com found that parents are spending 24% of their household income on childcare (the US government defines affordable childcare as no more than 7% of a household’s income). With remote work, families may have more options for part-time childcare, or in some cases, opt out of paid childcare altogether, significantly reducing expenses.

Beyond just saving money on childcare, working from home can open up a lot of professional opportunities for both the work-from-home parent and other family members.

“My ability to work from home allowed my wife to take a major promotion that required more travel. It was really helpful for her career and for us economically.” —Director of HR

And from a management perspective, remote work can help support performance, alleviating some of a working parent’s stress and allowing them to be more productive and engaged in their work.

“I find it lessens stress levels because you don’t have to worry as much about planning. An employee can make their own schedule and get their work done in a more comfortable environment while tending to their children.” —HR Manager

Remote or hybrid schedules have personal and professional benefits for working parents, but as CEOs continue to express concern over remote work harming productivity, work-from-home parents may be feeling the pressure to set a stricter boundary between their personal and professional lives.

What Are the Challenges of Working from Home with Kids?

Keeping your kids at home while you work remotely can be a great choice for some families, but it’s not without its challenges. These are some of the most common difficulties to think about, according to HR pros.

Taking Care of Babies and Young Kids

LEFT: “It’s hard when employees have younger children that actively need to be watched, like toddlers, babies, even kids up to six or seven years old that really can’t be left by themselves.” —Director of HR | RIGHT: “Babies are the hardest. It’s tough because they’re constantly crying, and you have to run out to get food and diapers.” —Director of Talent Development

Time Management

LEFT: “The biggest challenge has been coordinating things like getting to daycare and getting to the store, and balancing that with a work schedule.” —Chief of Staff | RIGHT: “Kids take up a lot of time, and work takes up a lot of time. When work often extends beyond the clock, that can be hard to juggle.” —HR Manager

Distractions

Caring for Sick Children

10 Tips for Working from Home with Kids

Working from home with kids is difficult, but that doesn’t mean you can’t pull it off. With a bit of planning and a lot of flexibility, you can create a positive work-from-home environment for you and your kids.

Draft a Plan

“My advice is to draft out a plan. If you have a partner, plan who’s responsible for childcare each day of the week. If there are days you both need to be in the office, figure out your alternative arrangements.” —Owner, Management Consulting Firm
Before you start working from home with kids, make sure you have a general outline of how you’ll juggle work and childcare. Figure out which days you’ll be working from home and what days or times you’ll need help with childcare.

This is also a good time to create your backup plans. Think about what you’ll do when your child is sick, if your childcare falls through, or if you and your partner have work meetings at the same time.

Build Your Schedule Around Your Child

“To get your job done, you may not be on from 9 to 5. You might get on early in the morning, then take a chunk out of your morning to do something with your child, and then sign back on in the afternoon and work until 8 PM.” —Director of HR
Embrace the flexibility of remote work and arrange your schedule into short spurts of focus time, coordinated around your child’s needs. This might require you to get some work done outside of traditional business hours.

This is especially important for young children and babies who are home full-time and have schedules for naps and feeding. Sticking to that routine consistently will help you and your little work buddy get through the day in one piece.

“Try to have a schedule with your child, like set times where they take a nap. When my child was a lot smaller, she would take one to two-hour naps, so I knew the best time to take meetings was around when my child was napping. Having set times for the child to eat and engage in certain activities is super important for structuring your work schedule.” —Director of HR

Have a Dedicated Workspace

“Make sure you have a dedicated workspace that eliminates distractions. Have a quiet background for meetings.” —HR Project Manager

Ideally, you should have an office with a door so you can keep out distractions when needed. If you don’t have space for a home office, you should at least have a dedicated work desk. Having a designated workspace can help you stay focused and organized, signal to your kids that you’re in work mode, and give you some much-needed personal space in a busy household.

Additionally, try to put your desk in an area where children will be less likely to walk in the background during a video call (for a small home, this might just mean angling your camera upwards, so your tiny coworkers are out of view).

Set Expectations with Your Kids

Talk with your kids to explain what’s going to happen during work hours and set expectations for how they should behave. While expectations vary based on a child’s age and needs, there are ways to prepare kids both big and small to be good coworkers.

Toddlers and Young Kids

Help young children with the transition to working from home by rehearsing it in advance. Take turns pretending to work while the other waits patiently. Use a simple phrase like “all done!” to signal that you’re finished with work and ready to play.

When the day comes to begin your real work, you can use the same routine and phrases that your child has already practiced. You’ll still face challenges, but you and your child will at least have the shared vocabulary of the “work game” as a starting point.

Older Kids

If your children are older, be upfront about what you need from them during working hours. You can create a schedule, establish official rules for work time, and explain the importance of your job. Setting these expectations will help make your workday easier and support your children in becoming more responsible and independent.

“I have one employee who wrote up a rule sheet for her nine-year-old child with strict—but fair—guidelines, and he seemed to understand it well. We never had an issue there.” —HR Manager

Keep Your Kids Entertained

Keeping your kids entertained is essential to having a functional home work environment. For younger children, this may look like brief spurts of independent play, whereas older children might entertain themselves for longer periods. Set your children up with a toy or activity before you have a meeting or when you need time to focus.

Some ideas for engaging (but non-disruptive) activities include:

Coloring
Jewelry making
Playdough
Building blocks
Stacking cups
Outdoor games or playsets
Puzzles
Books
Screen time

Use Your Break Times

“You can take 10 or 15 minutes to have a fun activity or go out to the park during lunchtime.” —Owner, Management Consulting Firm
Much like in-person workers who take time to grab a coffee, eat lunch, or chat with colleagues, most remote workers aren’t working nonstop for eight hours straight. One of the perks of working from home is that you get to see your kids more, so take advantage of break times and slow periods.

Play a little with your toddler, help an older child with their homework, or make your kids an after-school snack. Break times are also an excellent opportunity to catch up on chores or personal care you typically skip on busy days.

Start Your Day Right

“It’s best to get up and get ready for the day and set some goals. That way, you can stay on task and tend to your loved ones.” —HR Project Manager

When you can, get up early so you can have some personal time to take care of yourself and get ready for the day ahead. This might be tricky if you aren’t a morning person, but taking advantage of that extra hour to clear your mind, enjoy a cup of coffee, and write out a to-do list can make the rest of the day a lot easier.

Assemble Your Village

“Parents who can successfully work from home have a small village surrounding them, and they can pass their child off to a family member or caretaker when they need to.” —Director of HR

No one should have to be a full-time solo caregiver and a full-time worker at the same time. If you have a partner, make sure you’re equally sharing childcare responsibilities. Beyond co-parenting, you should draw on any other resources you might have, like free childcare from relatives or friends. Hiring a part-time nanny or using part-time daycare can also be a huge help and a financial compromise if you can’t afford full-time care.

“I have a one-year-old at home with me. Sometimes I have a sitter who comes over when I’m really busy at work, and she helps me out by taking care of my son while I work in my home office.” —HR Specialist

Put the “Remote” in Remote Work

If you have a remote job, you don’t necessarily have to stay at home all day. If your child has a short dance class or sports practice, join them and use the time to work from your laptop or phone. On the other hand, if you need a break from being at home, bring your laptop to a coffee shop and get some work done while a co-parent or babysitter watches the kids.

Find Your Balance

“I know it’s not easy, but learn balance. Understand that you’re both an employee and a parent, and being a parent is definitely more important, so create a balance and take steps to be proactive about addressing your needs.” —Director of HR

Remember, a healthy work-life balance looks different for every family. Check in with yourself regularly to make sure you aren’t burning out. Your routine should meet your needs.

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Do You Need Full-Time Childcare When Working from Home?

If you’re a working parent reassessing your childcare plan or an expectant parent exploring options, you probably have a big question on your mind: do I really need full-time childcare when working remotely?

The short answer: it depends. Some parents can balance remote work and childcare, finding that it’s the best way for them to succeed professionally while meeting their family’s needs. Others may find it overwhelming or incompatible with their work duties.

If you’re thinking about skipping daycare and having your kids at home for all or part of the day, here are some questions to consider:

How much care and attention does your child need throughout the day? Are there periods where you can be more “hands-off” with your child?
Will your child be in school for part of the day?
Does your job often require phone calls or meetings that can’t be interrupted or have background noise, such as a client-facing role?
Does your job have a rigid schedule, or do you have more flexibility on when you get your work done?
Do you have anyone to help with at-home childcare, such as coparents, relatives, or a part-time nanny?

Of course, you’ll also need to factor in your company’s policies and culture surrounding parental leave and childcare. Before you make any decisions, check the employee handbook and talk with your direct supervisor to clarify expectations.

“Every situation is different, but from what I’ve seen, people who are good, solid workers don’t always need full-time childcare to perform their roles successfully. People need to take stock of their ability to get their work done while parenting. If they’re able to do it, then I say, go for it.” —Director of HR How HR Can Support Work-From-Home Parents

Navigating working from home with kids can be tricky for HR professionals. Developing an effective remote work policy already involves a lot of nuance, and factoring in the needs of parents only adds to the complexity. Developing an approach that helps employees be successful requires empathy, flexibility, and clear communication.

Respect Employees’ Personal Lives

A job needs to support an employee’s lifestyle, not the other way around—otherwise, retention rates and employee satisfaction will suffer. With that in mind, remote work policies should give employees some discretion in meeting their personal needs.

As you develop an empathetic policy, consider the following:

Video Meetings: Is it always necessary for employees to have their camera on and keep their kids out of sight? What are alternative ways you can encourage engagement during meetings?
Childcare Expectations: Do your childcare expectations reflect the diverse needs of working parents at your company?
Employee Monitoring: Do you judge productivity by employee output or by their visibility online? Are there ways to support productivity beyond having employees “jiggle their mouse”?

“Realize that employees are people and have lives outside of work. Showing awareness of that definitely improves employee morale and retention.” —Human Resources Manager

Offer Benefits for Families

Consider how your benefits offerings support working parents. It’s all well and good to say that your company welcomes employees with kids, but you need to back it up with a compensation package that ensure it’s actually possible for parents to be successful at your organization.

Think about offering benefits like the following:

Paid Parental Leave: Give extended paid parental leave to all new parents. The International Labour Organization says that birthing parents should have the right to at least 14 weeks leave, and recommends a minimum of 18 weeks. The World Health Organization and UNICEF both recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life, a difficult undertaking for parents working full-time. Meanwhile, paternity leave has proven to have long-lasting benefits for children and parents.
Childcare Reimbursements: With the exorbitant costs of childcare in the United States, it’s unreasonable for employers to expect their employees to have full-time childcare during the workday without offering financial support. Consider providing a full or partial reimbursement for nanny and daycare expenses.
Home Office Stipends: Remote employees still need office equipment! Provide a stipend to cover furniture, supplies, and Internet costs for a home office.

Be Flexible

Flexibility is crucial to supporting working parents, including those who work from home. After all, employees’ children still exist during business hours, and sometimes, employees will need to deal with unexpected situations. Offer flexibility with schedules and empower employees to figure out what works best for them.

“I don’t want to come down on people with some Draconian policy, I want to be flexible. We’re all professionals—if you need to do something for your kids, you can go ahead and do it, as long as you’re able to get the job done.” —Owner, Management Consulting Firm

Communicate Policies Clearly

Be clear about expectations. If you have a specific remote policy regarding childcare, make sure all your employees understand it. For organizations with a more ad-hoc approach, have direct supervisors collaborate with individual employees to agree on a personalized plan.

Have consistent communication and document any official policies or plans to protect both the company and employees from any misunderstandings, and to ensure working parents are getting the support they need.

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