Lundmark Kids at the Zoo with mom.
This is meant to be a funny blog post…so please take it with a grain of salt. Finding the work life and family balance is something that we all struggle with and I am sure that any parent will get a good laugh out of this post! My three children have been home from school this week for spring break. The Lundmark children are ages 8, 6, and 4. Most people know that my husband, Jamie, plays hockey over seas in Austria. Mr. Lundmark is often home with us in Chester County by the time the busy spring real estate market hits, but this year, his team is doing quite well. With each game they win, they are getting a little bit closer to winning Austria’s version of the Stanley Cup. Which means he has to stay in Austria until they either win the cup or lose it. I thought it was difficult managing a business with three kids in school full time. It’s a lot to keep up with homework, projects, after school activities along with the business. However, this week they had spring break and so all of my hours of daytime quiet while they are normally in school…that all disappeared this week. I have a new appreciation for each and every teacher on this earth. I will give each of my kids’ teachers a big hug the next time I see them.
The top 5 things I learned working from home with three kids off of school for spring break!
- Your home will look like an actual bomb went off at all times throughout the day: No matter how much you clean up, something new will appear in it’s place or in a different corner of the home……all day long. Do not allow any clients, or anyone at all, to come anywhere near your personal home during this week off of school and probably even for a week or two AFTER the children’s spring break is over.
- When you are on a conference call for work: you WILL have to hit the mute button when an argument breaks out amongst the kids. Well, you will also have to hit the mute button when they realize that you are on the phone…..period. As soon as they see you on the phone….there will be an urgent conversation that they MUST have with you at that exact moment. Special hint: hitting the mute button will not solve your problem!! You will need to make a run for it. Some key points here…if you run to another room, be sure to lock the door BEFORE turning off the mute button. Some even better advice; if the kids are old enough, run outside to your car and lock the door….be sure to catch your breath before un-muting the conference call and somehow make sure you are paying attention to the conference call all at the same time. *Obviously this only pertains to normal situations that break out amongst siblings while a parent is on the phone.…if someone is actually hurt, work will have to wait*
- When the kids go outside to play: Jackpot! This will probably net you about 15 full minutes of quiet to get some serious work done. Those 15 minutes will actually turn into 5 minutes so be sure to plan on completing the absolute most important task at hand first…. and quickly. When it starts raining outside and one of them decides to come rollerblading through the kitchen…. in soaking wet clothes….. with two soaking wet muddy dogs following him……take a deep breath and try your best to remain calm.
- Grandparents/aunts/uncles/friends/neighbors need to be on speed dial for this week: grandparents are always on speed dial anyway if you have kids (let’s be serious here) but for this week….they are your absolute life line. Everyone you know is your life line this week. When you talk the grandparents into watching the kids for 2 hours so you can show a house or go on a listing appointment, make sure you turn that 2 hours into three hours! Even if it means you leave your appointment and drive in circles for an hour making calls to other clients ….do anything you can to take three full hours to yourself and let the grandparents handle it! They always know how to do a better job than the parents anyway! Special note: don’t ever let the grandparents know your little extra hour secret! 🙂
- Laugh with the kids and enjoy every second of it: this is easier said than done but they truly will only be little for a very short time. Enjoy them and enjoy the madness. Houses still got listed while they were home with me, houses still got sold while they were home with me, but selling a home while having a tea party with my daughter…..that only happens once in a life time.
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