Reflections 7: Working from Home with the Little Brat

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There was a two days break for the lower Primary kids while the older ones take their final examinations. Ordinarily we will make arrangement to pack our little rascal to a nanny’s place or coerced by relatives and close friends to have our girl stay over at their place to let all the kids have a happy time together – to the delights of all the affected children of course!

Come on, I mean, it is ONLY for TWO days, gungho daddy can handle that while still work at home. It started well with a schedule. So-and-so this time, do the assessment work. Then so-and-so this time can go play the computer games. Then so-and-so this time we go lunch together and so forth.

Sounds great, in theory. By and large, it went as planned but it did come with its glitches. In spite of the activities planned, the one thing I did not bargain for is, she gets bored – easily.

Day One glitch – Hippity hop, she’ll come in and pester daddy for things and she’ll insistently stand next to you while you work, till she gets your attention. At an unfortunate instance, I was conceptualizing various ideas and just couldn’t quite get it right. For a designer, these are times they should be left alone – we mean it. And there’s this little pest, pestering just next to you, over trivial matters like, can you please sign this done (and darn) school assessment paper, that is to be submitted only the following week! Flash point, daddy lost it and shouted ‘SHUT UP LAH!’ And I saw the little one scurrying back to her room. Then I hear sniffing coming from my little girl’s room. That was it, concept or no concept, I did no right in that. My girl needs me…

Day Two glitch – There are times, when you need to focus while working, and even have the radio turned off so as not to be distracted. In the quietness, you suddenly feel some one touching your leg below the table! I was jerked out of my seat for that instant, then you hear laughter and realized it is the little one playing one of her ‘boo’ pranks! Flash point, I did not think that was funny and shouted ‘GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE!’ And that had her scurried back to her room (once more) and this time, it was loud sobbing. I guess I scared her too!

After these two incidents, realized that house rules together with work rules have to be applied. I explained to her that there is always a time and place for everything. And playing ‘boo’ or pestering daddy for things when he is working is just not going to happen. To keep it simple, I only have two rules for her to follow:

1) When daddy is in the study room working, the study room is THE office – so no play time (for both parties)
2) Knock twice before entering when daddy is working – no more shocks, for myself and for her, and importantly, it is just plain, basic manners to knock before entering

After that it gets easier with a gentle reminder that daddy is working, and she’ll do her own things. And when she wants to talk to daddy, she’ll knock before coming in. Initially, the knocking the door part needs some getting use to. After a few retries, to ask her to walk out again and knock, before entering, she got the message.

Nowadays, it becomes part of her to knock when she enters the room. A good lesson learned, I’d say!

Rule of the Day: Let your kid know, to be number one is good, but to give your best in everything you do, is better.

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