How to Share Your Home Office with a Sick Child

Monday rolled around and I was ready to go. I showered
early, fired up the computer and pulled in all my email
before my daughter's alarm went off at 7:00 a.m. As I was
making her breakfast, my thoughts were focused on all the
work I was going to accomplish that week. Then she stumbled
into the kitchen with her announcement:

"Mommy, I don't feel too good."

Sure enough, she was running a slight fever. There was no
way she could go to school that day - and my game plan for
the week was going to have to be changed.

For me, the biggest benefit of becoming a work at home mom
is the ability to take a sick kid in stride. With no boss to
answer to, or co-workers to feel guilty about - and my
office right here in my home - a little fever is no longer a
reason to declare marital war (as it was in the bad old days
when my husband and I fought over which one was going to
stay home this time).

However, work at home parents do have to make adjustments
when their kids take a sick day - and during flu and cold
season, there could be a lot of those - especially if you
have more than one child and they catch the bug serially.

You know it's going to happen - so you need to be prepared:

* Got cold medication? Check your supply of children's pain
relievers (i.e., Tylenol, Motrin, etc.) Buy lots of it
before flu season starts. You'll know it's time when you
see the coupons in the Sunday paper. Either use them - or
take that as your cue to buy in bulk at your favorite
warehouse store.

Many pediatricians advise against giving multi-symptom cold
medications (you know - the ones that promise to lower a
fever, relieve a stuffy nose *and* suppress a cough). Ask
your doctor his or her recommendation for your children at
their annual checkups, including correct dosages (which will
change as they grow). Write it down and keep it with your
stash of medicine. You won't believe how easy it is to
forget this months later when you actually need it!

* You probably already keep the fridge stocked with snack
foods your kids can get for themselves (it does not take a
work at home parent long to realize that this is essential
with children around!) You may need to supplement your
pantry with additional comfort foods. If they are old enough
to stay home alone while you go shopping, do it as soon as
possible. Make sure you include a variety of juices -- as
the doctors say, their sick little bodies need plenty of
fluids.

If your kids are little - and you are unlucky enough to
have the bug hit when the cupboard is bare - you may need
outside help. This is a good time for a neighbor or friend
to repay a kindness and pick up a few things at the store.
And instead of taking time from work to make lunch, you all
might enjoy having a pizza delivered.

This is when I used to rely on the late, lamented Webvan to
bring some groceries. Although that big flashy online
grocery service died spectacularly last year, you may still
be able to find one that will deliver to your home. A quick
look on a search engine turned up these:

< http://www.PeaPod.com > goes to Chicago, Boston,
Washington DC, and some parts of New York state and
Connecticut.

< http://www.GetGroceries.com > is a network of stores that
deliver to parts of Colorado, Florida, Michigan, North
Carolina, Texas, Utah and Washington state.

< http://www.NetGrocer.com > offers nationwide grocery
delivery - but they accomplish this by shipping through
Federal Express. While this might make sense if you want
to make sure you never run out of non-perishable staples
like macaroni and cheese, this won't work in a sick kid
situation.

Safeway is experimenting with home deliveries, and if you
live in Portland, OR or Vancouver, you are in luck. (And
if so, please go to < http://shop.safeway.com/ > and start
using the service whether your child is sick or not! If
their test is successful, a national rollout would be a
godsend!)

* You should have an "activity kit" that you can bring out
on a sick day. Be on the lookout for children's videos
that go on sale, computer games that could be fun and
educational, coloring books, crayons, stickers, etc. Stash
these in a closet until they are needed. This could give
you hours of uninterrupted work time before they start
complaining that they are bored.

* You probably try to limit the amount of time your kids
spend watching television. But when they are home sick
and you are trying to get some work done, the TV can be
your best friend. There is no better time to relax the
rules a bit - and one Nickelodeon-saturated day will not
hurt them in the long run.

* Accept the fact that you will not be as productive this
week. If do not already have a to-do list, start one now
and rank your priorities. Chances are, you'll find lots of
tasks that can wait a few days until your child is back in
school.

Plan to do only what is absolutely necessary. If you're
lucky, you may even be able to tackle a few of the things
that are lower on the list... just don't count on it.

* Rely on your voice mail system. Change your outgoing
message to reflect the fact that you may not be available
during regular office hours. You don't have to reveal your
reason if it is not appropriate. Simply state that you
will be out of the office for a few days but will check
in for messages. Prioritize your calls and return them
accordingly.

* You may need to cancel or reschedule your appointments. If
this is not possible, enlist a friend, family member or
babysitter to stay with your kids while you are out-- and
don't feel guilty about it.

Above all, cherish this time when your kids need you to care
for them. In sickness and in health, these years are special
...and they don't last forever.