1 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:09,719 Speaker 1: Good morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the New Corner Office, 2 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:13,200 Speaker 1: the podcast where we share strategies for thriving in the 3 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:17,080 Speaker 1: new world of work, where location and hours are more 4 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:21,239 Speaker 1: flexible than in the past. Today's tip is to put 5 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:24,560 Speaker 1: your kids to work. If you're working at home, the 6 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 1: lines between work and home can be blurred. There are 7 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:31,040 Speaker 1: downsides to this, as anyone who spent an evening half 8 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:34,559 Speaker 1: checking email and half puttering around the house knows. But 9 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:37,600 Speaker 1: if your teen and preteen kids are around the house 10 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:40,800 Speaker 1: a lot more this summer because of canceled camps or 11 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:43,519 Speaker 1: summer jobs, then you might be able to put them 12 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: on your team, so to speak, so you can be 13 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:51,600 Speaker 1: at least a little more productive. One obvious approach specialize 14 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:56,120 Speaker 1: Mom and dad specialize in their paid work. The kids 15 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:58,880 Speaker 1: can specialize in more of the home tasks so you 16 00:00:58,920 --> 00:01:02,040 Speaker 1: can focus on your job. Kids who are older than 17 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:05,040 Speaker 1: about ten or so can learn to make simple meals 18 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:08,200 Speaker 1: like pasta with jarred sauce and a bagged salad or 19 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 1: scrambled eggs with cut up fruit. Teenagers might enjoy cooking 20 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 1: from meal kits like those from sun Basket or Hello Fresh. 21 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 1: There's nothing quite like hanging up from your last client 22 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 1: call at six pm to emerge to dinner on the table. Hey, 23 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 1: it could work in any case. They can definitely help 24 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 1: with laundry and keeping the house tidy so you don't 25 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 1: have to do these things. Older children can also entertain 26 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:37,160 Speaker 1: younger children if you have a call during a time 27 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: that you don't normally have childcare all day. Childcare is 28 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 1: more in the realm of actual adults, like if you're 29 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:46,960 Speaker 1: nineteen year old is home from college, but an eleven 30 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 1: year old could build block towers for a three year 31 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 1: old to knock down for thirty minutes or so in 32 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 1: a pinch. I have strongly encouraged my older children to 33 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 1: play Minecraft with the five year old when I need 34 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 1: to knock a few things out. If you work for yourself, 35 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 1: you can use your kids for various clerical tasks. They 36 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 1: can help stuff and stamp envelopes, or scan or make copies. 37 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 1: A teenager might be able to bike to the post 38 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 1: office for you. He or she might be able to 39 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 1: proof free documents. Your kids might have ideas for social 40 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:21,320 Speaker 1: media posts or campaigns. My thirteen year old has written 41 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 1: blog posts for me. If your kids are crack googlers, 42 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:28,919 Speaker 1: you can send them hunting for specific statistics or research studies, 43 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 1: or possibly have them read and summarize books for you. 44 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:36,920 Speaker 1: Mine sometimes come up with podcast ideas for me. In 45 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 1: any case, the whole concept of take our Sons and 46 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:42,440 Speaker 1: Daughters to Work Day is that the world of work 47 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:46,800 Speaker 1: seems very remote to the average child. It's this mysterious 48 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 1: place that mom and dad go and that you don't 49 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:53,080 Speaker 1: really know what's going on. But if you work from home, 50 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:57,520 Speaker 1: they can know pretty much exactly what's going on, and 51 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:01,639 Speaker 1: sometimes they can even be part of it. That's work 52 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 1: life integration and I think it's a lot of fun. 53 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 1: In the meantime. This is Laura, Thanks for listening, and 54 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:17,519 Speaker 1: here's the succeeding in the New Corner Office. The New 55 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:20,679 Speaker 1: Corner Office is a production of I Heart Radio. For 56 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:24,679 Speaker 1: more podcasts, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 57 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 1: or wherever you get your favorite shows.