I guess I shouldn’t be calling myself a working from home Mom anymore since now I do most of my work away from home, almost everyday in our office at SS19, Subang Jaya. But things are still not quite the same as with most other working women … coz everyday my husband & I travel to the office bringing with us my teenage brother + 6 children - What a joyride to the office! It’s no wonder why we get a lot attention from people around the building and see smiling faces pretty often as people walk pass our choo-choo train : )
So what happens in an office full of little kids?

CHAOS.

No matter how often we tell the kids to quit running about and speak softly … it would only last a few minutes. The next thing you know, it’s thump thump thump, kah kah kah, & waaa waa waa. I guess in their eyes, the office is really a playground, and somehow … they love the office more than the house. Mom too!

Does Mom and Dad get to do work? Previously, not much … but since we just brought in the TV, extra computer and books, the kids are now more occupied and pester us less. I am enjoying myself doing work in the office, away from home where the children behave better, not best but better. New place, new rules. They even eat at defined times and place, and can be warned about neighboring office workers, or even the building owner. And the best thing is … Mom doesn’t have to bother about dishes, laundry or the floor … at least until we reach home.

THE ROUTINE

After Subuh, I’d do some brief cleaning like clearing the sink, do some laundry, and then prepare breakfast, some for the early morning, and some for breakfast or brunch at the office. Then, I’d get the children ready including giving them a shower, do some ironing, get them dressed, give milk/MILO. After that, I’ll have to check for the basic stuffs to bring to the office like the toddler’s bottle & milk, kids’ extra clothes, underwear & diapers, water supply (coz we haven’t purchased our water cooler yet) … and leave home about 8-9 a.m.

After sending the 4 kids to preschool, then it’s off to the office. Dad made a good choice of selecting the right office location as we’re almost always clear of traffic jams. Plus, we do not HAVE TO reach the office by 9 like others. Often we’d reach the office around 9-ish and have roti canai for breakfast at a restaurant near the office, not everyday though. We used to spend too much time just for breakfast, which was a waste of precious working hours (and money!). The children are picking up speed these days though and I’m so glad.

Once we reach the office … it’s work, work, work … with occasional breaks for mommyhood like taking the kids to potty, listening to them talk or whine, make MILO. I’m SOOO used to these untimely breaks :) … when you’re working WITH kids like me, you have to be multi-channeled – so that even if there’s a typhoon going around you … you can still write a web application!

WORKING IN THE OFFICE WITH KIDS VS BY YOURSELF

Honestly, there are times when multi-channelling is inappropriate as some tasks require extra focus. These times, when I have to switch to mommyhood, I’d get pretty cranky. Call me a bad momma all you like, but I am a working person too, and work is serious business … money is needed to send children to school, feed everyone, have great escapes to holiday resorts – it’s really for the bigger picture. I don't have 9-5 to focus in my work like most office working Moms. I can't just think about my own lunch, but for the whole family. And those times when we choose to cut down cost & eat at home ... I got to prepare & serve lunch, then clean up ... then it's back to the office. Those days when I used to work as a QS (makan gaji), I'd buy nasi campur for lunch, eat, then leave - simpler (but boring).

It’s not easy doing work with kids versus having your own space to do work … go to some stall/food court to buy food for lunch, then go back to your office cubicle (common situations only). While you may wonder about your kids’ condition … you do not have to actually deal with them hands on … not until you reach home. Dealing with kids require extreme patience and doing that 24-7 can bring everything out of u ... the sweet & the nasty. I bring with me my home to the office, then back home. The exhaustion of traveling, of work (thinking), of managing children … fuhh.

BACK TO THE ROUTINE …


We’d leave for home whenever we want, as late as possible, suitably possible (beyond Maghrib is simply NOT suitable when dragging kids along), depending on the kids’ condition and the Dad’s schedule as we’re not allowed to be in the office without him. By the way, work can always be done at home, our initial office. We’d come home tired, but happy … and the kids would always ask … "Are we going to the office tomorrow?" … a "Yes" would be followed by "YIPPIE!!!"

CAN’T FORGET THIS MOMENT

The children were running about & making a lot of noise. A boss from an office lot in the same office building sent his staff to our office … I was all nervous ‘There goes … our first warning!’, I thought. He spoke to my husband, "Is this a nursery? Coz if it is … my boss would like to send his kids here". I was laughing from the inside! My hubby replied, "No, sorry … these are my own".

So my daily life as a working-with-kids-Mom is not common … but how it is for me now …. Is simply SUPER-PERFECT!