Guest post from Elise of ElisePhotini.com
A month ago we discovered that our kids were suffering some stressful fall-outs from my years of homelessness with their abusive dad. I decided it was important to shut down my growing freelance writing business to ‘stay home’ full time. Even though I was working from my home office, what my ‘tots in tow’ needed me to do was really be here with them all the time.
It was a nerve-wracking decision. At the time my husband was just finishing his Nursing Program prerequisite classwork and had been unemployed or very under-employed for our entire 3+ years of marriage. How were we going to make it now?
That’s when I remembered that I’d had a rural-area motor paper route a couple years ago. Maybe I could toss my kids in the car and do this side-gig as a family now that my little guy was two years old.
Well, for the past few weeks I’ve been training on a couple routes, subbing for some permanent drivers in our Eastern WA small town and getting ready to take on a regular route. And I’ve learned a few MUST-DO’s for working a side gig with ‘tots in tow’!
1. Pack more snacks than you think you’ll need!
The route takes us about three hours so it’s almost like a mini-road-trip every afternoon. And there is something about kids and cars that gives ’em the munchies!
2. Plan some wiggle/potty breaks!
By having a mid-point, or even a couple, planned into your side-gig. My kids love stopping by the Walla Walla Roastery on one of the routes we run to say hi to our friends the owners and to grab some ice water.
3. To encourage napping or quiet time, bring along cuddlies & blankies.
Only forgot this necessity one day and never again. My little guy falls asleep within 20 minutes of us starting the route now and at some point my girls nod off too. I put on NPR, Dave Ramsey, or some Classical music and we’re all in peaceful land.
4. Try to plan for your side-gig duties well ahead of time — the night before even.
One of the reasons this motor paper route works for us is because I can do all the planning/tracking/paperwork beforehand and then just show up and throw papers while on the route. As anyone with ‘tots in tow’ knows, deep thoughts or strategizing is nearly impossible with the conversations and interruptions that little ones bring! By getting my paperwork done during a quiet moment the night before, I can enjoy the benefits of manual labor while we’re out on the route.
5. Stay in the moment!
Since ‘coming home’ full time I’ve discovered one huge key to getting through even the toughest times: enjoy the moment that is right here. This is one gift of manual labor (or gardening, cooking, even housecleaning sometimes).
Last week one of my tots spotted a family of deer walking calmly across a ridge. What a great memory to make, while making some extra $$’s to help out our bottom line!
Do you have any tips for working along with your kids?
Elise Photini Adams is Mama to four cute kiddos and wife to ‘God-picked’ hubby Andre. Coming from a background of struggle and triumph Elise is determined to overcome her past to become a less-grumpy stay-at-home-mama while cutting through the static in the frugal, green and ‘better-life’ advice out there on her blog ElisePhotini.com. If you’re struggling financially, you might enjoy downloading her Free Report ‘Emergency Cash…Seven Sources of Extra Money for those Tough Times‘.
My daughter became a realtor the same time I did although I was in my thirties and she was four. She had her own supply bag with a measuring tape, flashlight, pretend cell phone and clip board. It was so cute when she would “inspect” a property for me and declare it ready for move in. It really helped to let her be involved in the process. Years later she has a great work ethic and is the first to offer to help- I think her early work experience had something to do with it.
Hi,
I was unable to download your free book-says it isn’t available any longer. Please help!
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i go to a couple dozen yard sales each weekend with 3 kids ranging from 6 to under 2. I agree with plan early…i plan with newspapers craigslist etc a day prior and it helps tremendously….and bring an extra dose of patience 🙂
ALWAYS a necessity..that extra dose of patience 🙂
When I go up to my classroom in the summer I usually have to take my boys with. Thankfully, there are many things there for them to play with-either from my prop closet or my craft supply cupboards. But their favorite thing to do is HELP. I buy crayons, markers, pens and pencils in bulk to prep for the upcoming school year. I simply get out the containers that the supplies go into once opened and give each boy a pair of scissors. They love to help and it keeps them busy while I get work done.
That’s another good one! My son (he’s almost 5) LOVES to help Momma as well. I have a set of “cleaning supplies” – vinegar and water for the windows, a small swiffer duster for the furniture, and a dust buster. He LOVES to clean up and help me – especially if I’ve had a stressful day with clients. It’s so cute, and it makes him feel needed 🙂
I work at home, so it’s definitely interesting sometimes. My son goes to our Parish’s preschool, so during the year, he’s there from 8:30-1pm. I haven’t made the decision yet if I am going to have him go to aftercare until 3:30 (he doesn’t nap anymore at age 5 except very infrequently). I may send him full day just because that’s what our Parish Gradeschool does for Kindergarten. I may not. That being said, when he is awake (my younger child still naps in the afternoon), I have a list of activities in a box for him – words on one side, picture on the other. He can pick from:
-coloring
-fun worksheets
-book time
-movie time
-computer time
-legos
-train time
-taking a rest time if he’s tired (occasionally he will actually WANT to do this on his own)
-play dough (without little sister messing his stuff up, it’s really fun!)
-art time on the easel (painting or chalk – it’s a two sided easel with or without paper)
-crafts
Usually this works well…and my job is one I can stay engaged with him if I am not on a client call, so I can also interact with him as he wants or needs. 🙂 All kids need time, however, for independent play. This is the perfect time for him!
Both of my boys have been at the office with me since they were one week old and we just needed to go back to work. (That’s what happens when you own family businesses) They have a file cabinet with their toys, a drawer with coloring books, workbooks, and crayons and pens. They have a recliner that they take naps in (back when they took naps) and a dvd player and tv that they watch movies on.
They grab papers off the fax or printer and run them to the front office for Uncle Bobo (my brother) and they love to grab a container of wipes and wipe down walls and desks. When my husband is working side jobs and I have clients scheduled they just go along with him. He gives them jobs all day to do to help and then they have an opportunity to earn some money too.
It has undoubtedly been difficult some days but so worth it for me to be able to have them here with me. And I also think it instills great work ethics for them to see how hard our family works.
This will be the first year that they will both be in school all day and will only have to be at the office from 3-5:30 so it will be interesting to see how quite it is around here.
I’m the office manager at my husband’s computer business (lucky me, the staff is great so I usually only need to work there about 10 hrs per week!) and it’s not rare to bring my kids with me. Here are some things they do:
– Color or fill in printable coloring or work sheets
– Complete schoolwork
– Read books
– Watch Netflicks or a DVD
– Make something using a cardboard box, scissors, and markers
– Do an activity from one of our busy bags
– Office work (shredding, filing, cleaning electronics, stamping envelopes, etc)
Love this! My mom brought us along for several years when we were littles…I loved the filing stickers the secretaries would sneak to us!
My first piano teacher had bins of toys in the closet in her piano studio room in her home. That way her young children could play quietly in the same room while she taught. This is something I plan to incorporate as soon as we can afford a house big enough for us to move our piano out of the living room and into a separate room for my growing studio.