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Easy Tips to Keeping Kids Quiet While You’re on
the Phone
By: Nell Taliercio
One of the easiest ways to get into the telecommuting
industry is to get a phone job. These phone jobs are
more readily available than other telecommuting jobs and
usually pay pretty well.
When you first start working on the phone from home, keeping
the kids quiet can be a bit of a challenge. There is a fine
line between keeping your child quiet and stifling the fun
that kids should have every day. Here are some age-appropriate
ideas on what you can do to make sure you get at least some
quiet phone time in each day.
For Babies:
1. Keep them busy with some soft toys that make little
or no noise. Fabric dolls and stuffed animals are a good
choice. You can also use the stackable plastic rings. I
found a soft, fabric covered box that came with a set of
4 finger puppets. The box had different openings and a mirror
on one side. My baby spent hours putting the animals in
and taking them back out.
2. Wear your baby in a sling. You will be able to nurse
her while you work and she can take a nap in mommy’s
lap. Get her used to the noise of everyday life in your
house from the day you bring her home from the hospital.
Don’t keep everyone in the house quiet. The baby will
get used to hearing your voice and will be able to sleep
even when you are talking on the phone…in fact she
will find comfort in it.
3. Work while your baby naps. Try to get your baby on a
good sleeping schedule that works for you and your job.
Make sure you have something around that will sooth her
quickly – like a favorite stuffed animal – should
she wake up early while you are on the phone.
4. Work when someone else can watch the baby. You can get
a few hours of work in while your husband is home. Ask a
relative if she would be willing to watch the baby a few
hours a week. You can also trade babysitting with a friend
or neighbor. Offer to watch her child for a few hours a
week, if she will do the same for you.
For Children:
1. Get your children on a sleeping schedule and work while
they nap. Don’t let them sleep too late in the afternoon,
or you will have a hard time getting them down at night.
2. Work while you husband or significant other is home,
or ask a relative if she would be willing to watch your
children for a few hours a day. You can also look for a
Mom’s morning off program in your area. Your child
will get to play with other kids while you work. Trading
babysitting or arranging play-dates will work as well.
3. Give your kids a special game to play. Many board games
work well, or if you have an additional computer you can
pick up some age appropriate software. The key is to find
something that doesn’t make a lot of noise and will
keep their attention for a little while. Make sure you don’t
use any given game too often, or your child will get board
with it quickly.
4. Use a noise-quieting headset. If your kids do get loud
from time to time – and believe me they will –
the headset will cancel most of the noise. It’s well
worth the small investment. Be sure to invest in a good
quality headset though.
5. Work in short intervals while the kids are around. Kids
can only be good and quiet for so long. Make sure you take
frequent breaks to play with them. Have a tickle session,
take them out to the yard to play catch, play hide and go
seek for a few minutes. Just let them be kids and get rid
of some of that build up energy.
6. Teach them that they need to listen to you when you
ask them to be quiet. They will learn to respect your need
for some time to work. Make sure you give them something
interesting to do and pay them lots of attention when you
are not working. This should work as long as you don’t
ask them to stay quiet for hours at a time. Just be firm
and stick to your guns when they do get noisy while you
work.
Always remember that kids will be kids. Keep your sense
of humor. It’s not the end of the world if you have
to excuse yourself from a phone conversation to break up
a fight or attend to a child that needs you. Your kids will
get noisy from time to time. Try your best to keep them
quiet, but not at the expense of stressing yourself out
or expecting too much from your kids.
These telecommuting
phone tips by:
Nell Taliercio is the owner and founder of www.TelecommutingMoms.com
– which is a leading resource website with work at
home jobs and everything a telecommuting mom would need.
Come visit us today!
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