In many ways, working from home can feel like a gift. There’s often more flexibility and the chance to be present for moments you’d normally miss.
At the same time, working from home as a parent or carer can be one of the hardest juggling acts there is. There are endless emails to answer, meetings to attend, and deadlines to meet, all in the same space where your children need connection and care.
If you’re finding it tough, it doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re doing something genuinely demanding. The good news is that there are ways to make it feel more manageable.
One of the biggest challenges with working from home is that you’re trying to do two things at the same time: be psychologically “at work” while physically “at home”. That mismatch can be difficult for adults, but it can be particularly confusing for children.
For children, home is usually where connection happens. It’s where they expect access to you, reassurance from you, and shared moments with you. So, when they see you at home but unavailable due to work demands, it can feel unsettling or frustrating. It isn’t that they’re trying to sabotage your work; it’s that their nervous system is responding to the mixed message of: I can see you’re here but I can’t have you.
Interruptions also don’t just affect your schedule; they can affect your regulation too. Many parents carry guilt in both directions, which can be exhausting.
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