Creating a Space for Junior in the Home Office

Being a work-at-home mom means juggling a lot of different responsibilities all that the same time. When you have to work during the day, it can be difficult to keep your child entertained and actually accomplish anything. Both are full time jobs and both need their own space. If you are lucky enough to have a separate home office area, one trick for keeping junior occupied is to create a special spot in the room just for him. There are three easy questions to ask to get you started.

1. Where in the Room?
Decide where in the room is the easiest and most convenient place to have a small area for your child. If you will be on the phone a lot, it may be best to put the play spot in an area across the room, but in full sight. If your child is younger or just needs to have mom close by, having his spot near your desk may be better. Ideally, the spot that you choose will give him enough space to move around, but also keep him occupied and contained in that area. Before purchasing furniture or moving toys into the office, it is important that you know exactly what space you have to work with and where everything will go.

2. What to Include?
It may be tempting to haul some of your child's favorite toys into the home office, but in reality, the newness of the toys is what will keep him occupied longer. It is fine to bring in some old favorites, but most of the toys should be reserved for play in that space only. Some key pieces of furniture to include are a toy organizing shelf, which can be a shelf with plastic bins for storage or an old bookshelf with baskets on it for toy storage, a small table and a chair. If your son is a train fan, try placing a train table in the room. It can double as a solid play table when the train well is covered. You may also consider placing a play house in the room in lieu of a table and chairs. Girls will especially love playing house while mommy works, and boys will enjoy the novelty of the area as well. The good thing about a play house, is that the toys can be stored in covered bins inside it when play time is over. Use your discretion to choose furniture pieces that will fit in the available space and also work with your child's interests.

3. How to Decorate?
Decorating the corner of the room for junior is a chance to be creative and fun. The color scheme should match or coordinate with the colors already in your office's decor. You can paint a wall mural of a tree or garden to differentiate the space if you desire. Vinyl wall decals are also another great option, because they can be removed and rearranged as needed. As your child gets older, the decals can reflect that change. The most important thing to remember when decorating the space is that you want it to be accessible for your child, but also pleasing for you. You do not want the play corner to be a visual source of distraction from work. The more organized and coordinated it is, the more pleasing it will be.

Creating a separate spot in your home office for your child to play allows you to take him with you to work. Set age appropriate boundaries and rules before allowing him into the room. By introducing a new toy or rotating the toys that you have on hand, it keeps him interested and allows you to work. Be realistic about your child's attention span and be thankful for having the time to spend with him.

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This article was provided by Veronica Smith of AmericanArtisanArt.com, where you can find the best selection of metal wall sculptures and abstract metal wall art.

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