Posted: 23 Oct 2014 01:00 PM PDT

Your new bundle of joy will come with a bundle of new expenses, too. Photo: Frank de Kleine

I was once told there's never a right time to have a child, and you can never prepare enough once they're on the way.

After seven years of parenting, I definitely agree with the first part of the statement. As for the second half? You never know what will happen after your child is born, but I do believe there are actions you can take to get your finances in order.

Here are some simple ways to get your financial act together before your new baby arrives, and some useful tips to trim expenses that crop up along the way.

Estimate Expenses

Upon discovering we were expecting our first child, we couldn't be more elated. But as much time as we spent mentally preparing ourselves for his arrival, there's one important step we completely overlooked: expense planning. Let's take a closer look at some of the items you want to think about ahead of time:

1. Child Care

Unless you'll be staying at home with your little one or qualify for an income-based program, brace yourself for the huge sum of cash you'll be forking over each week for child care.

This was definitely a shocker for us. I remember visiting a number of daycare providers a few weeks after our son was born to get an idea of how much we'd be paying for care. To my surprise, it was much more than we could afford at the time — somewhere around $1,000 per month. So, I decided to attend school at night and watch the little one during the day to cut costs.

I eventually returned to work part-time and took a few courses during the day. Fortunately, I was able to find much more affordable care through a home sitter recommended to me. One piece of advice: Start looking before your child is born.

As you plan, here are a few additional cost-efficient child care options worth considering:

Ask family members for help: If a grandma, grandpa, or retired aunt is sitting around all day looking for something to do, asking them to babysit may be the perfect win-win opportunity, at least until you get on your feet. Just be sure they're reliable to avoid issues down the road.
Research employer-sponsored child care: Does your employer have partnerships with local child care facilities? If so, confirm with human resources that you're eligible for discounted care.
Consider on-site care child care if it's available at your workplace: Perhaps there's a facility on-site? Not only is this a convenient option, the “tuition” may be cheaper than that of traditional centers.
Draft up a nanny-sharing arrangement: Splitting the cost of a private nanny can be a big money saver, but it only works if you know of another family you trust that is willing to participate and share their home (and caregiver) with your new bundle of joy.

2. Diapers and wipes

It'll be awhile before your little one is potty-trained, so be prepared to spend at least $50 per month on diapers. During my children's diapering years, I frequently stacked manufacturer and store coupons to curb costs.

Now, I'm not suggesting you go on a diaper-shopping spree just yet, since your baby may be allergic to certain brands. But it's never a bad idea to start collecting coupons for diapers from multiple manufacturers that aren't set to expire in the near future.

A more green and cost-efficient alternative: cloth diapering. I personally don't have any experience with this method, but I know of others who have saved a bundle by ditching the boxed diapers for cloth ones.

3. Formula, Bottles, and Baby Food

Planning to breastfeed? If not, read this section — and even if you are, it doesn't hurt to take a peek since, there’s a slight chance things may not go as planned after delivery.

Formula has the potential to sink your monthly budget if you aren't prepared. Expect to spend anywhere from $13 to $25 per can of formula. Baby food is less expensive, but you’ll still need quite a few jars to fill up your growing infant when the time comes.

A few tips to curb the costs:

Use coupons: Along with diapers, this is one of the few times I'll strongly suggest that you clip away. Also, sign up for perks from the manufacturer to receive coupons by registering online or calling the toll-free number on the back of the can. And ask fellow coupon users to pass along to you what they don't need.
Join a Baby Club offered by your local grocer: If you live in a state with a Winn-Dixie or Publix supermarket, you're in luck. I received over $100 worth of free baby supplies in my my little one’s first year.
Load up at the hospital: I feel a tad bit weird making this suggestion, but some mother and infant units have tons of baby formula sitting on the shelves waiting to be consumed. And I’m certain your nurse won’t mind giving you a few extra cases to “try” at home.
Pick up samples at the doctor's office: In some instances, coupons are also affixed to the can. And if you don’t see them, just ask.
DIY: Yes, you can make your own formula. Isn't that spectacular? There are a host of homemade recipes to choose from online from sites, including Pinterest. I didn’t make my own formula, but I definitely avoided pricey pre-made baby food by using the blender.

4. Apparel and Footwear

As tempting as it is to pick up every cute piece of clothing you run across, do so in moderation. I used to be fascinated with baby clothing until I realized that children grow quickly, and often miss the opportunity to wear their cute new outfits. And if you insist on shopping, give consignment stores and thrift shops a shot. Infants basically outgrow their entire wardrobe every three months, so it’s easy to find barely-worn secondhand children’s clothes.

5. Medical Expenses

During the first few years of your little one's life, you'll be making a number of trips to the physician's office. Whether it be for a routine checkup or emergency visit, be prepared to fork over cash for any co-pays or prescriptions your baby may need.

And if you're currently employed, it's never too early to start researching maternity leave benefits along with any short-term or long-term coverage you have and when it will kick in. I wasn't fortunate enough to have these benefits the first time around; the second round came with three months of paid leave. (And my husband had a chance to join in on the fun, thanks to paid paternity leave). If you don’t want to use up all of your leave at once for financial or personal reasons, inquire with human resources about additional options that may be available to you.

6. Toys

The motto in my home is simple: If it's not on clearance, we don't purchase it. But we ran into a major problem when our first son was still in the oven: There were tons of toys on clearance, and it was tough to narrow down the choices.

My advice: Stick to your budget, because you'll have bigger fish to fry in the near future. Also, friends and family will more than likely shower your new arrival with toys that he’ll barely touch during the first few months.

7. Miscellaneous Expenses

I've given you a pretty good overview of what to expect in terms of expenses, but life happens. In other words, everyone's situation is different, and you just never know what might come up with little ones — so it's best to be prepared for the unexpected.

Adjust Your Spending Plan

Once you have a good idea of how much you'll be spending each month on your new bundle of joy, adjust your budget accordingly.

This was yet another costly mistake we made the first time around. We knew our son would mean some additional expenses, but we figured we'd just find a way to work it all out each month. Boy, were we sadly mistaken.

Don't fall into the same trap we did and be forced to make adjustments after the fact. Instead, be proactive and plan cuts if needed to comfortably afford the extra costs that come with a new addition to the family.

Create a Registry

If you discover that the costs of raising your new arrival greatly exceed the income you're bringing in each month, don't be afraid to throw those necessities on a registry and let your family and friends fill the gap. Also, ask for gift cards as they will come in handy a few months down the line when money's tight.

And don't forget to add the big-ticket items, including furniture, pack n’ plays, strollers, and car seats, just to name a few.

Creating the registry was one of the more memorable moments of my pregnancy — not because it was a load of fun, but because of how time-consuming the process was. However, it's the best thing I could've done, as family and friends purchased enough items, with the exception of baby food and formula, to last us for almost nine months.

Build Your Cushion

Life happens, and so do emergencies. As a parent, you never want to compromise your child's well-being by having to choose between purchasing formula or diapers. I wouldn't wish that on anyone, but I've seen it happen time and time again. So, it's best to establish a "baby fund" to get you through any rough patches.

If money's tight and you're barely scraping by, here are a few ideas to get you started:

Cut the extras: Could you survive without the routine spa visits, pricey gym membership, 300-channel cable package, fancy smartphone data plan, or any other money-devouring habit you've formed? Most certainly, so now's the time to trim those costs for the sake of your little one.
Skip fine dining: I'm a big fan of a gourmet dinner out, but let's face it: The price points are often exorbitant for the portions you receive. As a feasible alternative, visit CopyKat.com and learn to create your favorite dishes in the comfort of your own home. Set the table and the mood with a few candles, prepare your favorite dessert, pour a glass of sparkling cider, and you have the perfect date night for a fraction of the cost.
Sell some stuff: Remember those shoes you purchased awhile back that are collecting dust? Or that artwork grandma gave you years ago? If you have no intentions of using these items, or any of the others sitting around the house collecting dust, host a yard sale or post them on Craigslist. Not only will you make a little (or a lot) of dough to add to your cushion, but you'll also clear up the clutter — and you’re going to want the space with a new baby on the way.
Negotiate your current obligations: You never know until you ask, correct? If so, what's stopping you from picking up the phone and reaching out to your service providers and creditors to see if more cost-efficient alternatives are available or if they offer alternative payment plans? Each time money's been tight in my household or I wanted to make room in the budget for some other expense without touching the emergency fund, I picked up the phone. On average, I've saved $100 or more by making a few calls that took up 30 minutes or so of my time.
Bank windfalls and extra checks: Expecting a tax return or some other cash infusion in the near future? Sorry to burst your bubble, but you ought to forgo that shopping spree or highly anticipated vacation and stow the funds away. Your little one will thank you! The same rule applies to those months with an extra week of payroll: Transfer the direct deposit to the "baby fund" as soon as it hits your account.
Work a little overtime: This is probably the last thing you want to hear if you're suffering from an extreme case of morning sickness or in your final trimester and anxious to head to the birthing table. However, working a few extra hours and banking the cash can provide the extra boost you need to beef up your cushion. Your significant other should be willing to make the same sacrifice; after all, you're in this together for the long haul.

I'm certain your precious bundle of joy will be in good hands once he make his grand entrance, but getting your financial ducks in a row can give you peace of mind to focus on the things that matter most.

And if you weren't fortunate enough to plan beforehand, don't fret. Start now and before you know it, you'll be in the perfect position to start planning for you little one's college expenses.

Most importantly, cherish these precious moments when your children are young, because they grow up way too fast!

The post How to Prepare Your Finances for a New Baby appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

Some Thoughts on Following Passion

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 07:00 AM PDT

A few weeks ago, Mike Rowe (perhaps best known as the host of the Discovery Channel television series Dirty Jobs) posted an interesting essay on the subject of following your passion. In fact, it was interesting enough that it popped up all over the place on social media sites.

His central point is that passion alone won’t bring you success in the field of your choice, which is something that I certainly agree with. However, he carries it a bit further than that, stating that the advice to follow one’s passion is inherently bad:

Like all bad advice, “Follow Your Passion” is routinely dispensed as though it’s wisdom were both incontrovertible and equally applicable to all. It's not. Just because you're passionate about something doesn't mean you won't suck at it. And just because you're determined to improve doesn't mean that you will. Does that mean you shouldn't pursue a thing you're passionate about?" Of course not. The question is, for how long, and to what end?

He goes on from there:

"Staying the course" only makes sense if you're headed in a sensible direction. Because passion and persistence – while most often associated with success – are also essential ingredients of futility.

And:

That's why I would never advise anyone to “follow their passion” until I understand who they are, what they want, and why they want it. Even then, I’d be cautious. Passion is too important to be without, but too fickle to be guided by. Which is why I’m more inclined to say, “Don't Follow Your Passion, But Always Bring it With You.”

I have mixed feelings about what Mike Rowe wrote here, so I thought I’d walk carefully through my own views on passion and how they intersect with careers and the need we all have to earn a living.

What Passions Are

Before we get started, I wanted to talk a little bit about what I view passion to be, and by doing that, I’ll end up discussing some of the things I am personally passionate about.

First of all, in my eyes, passion occurs when your enthusiasm or desire for something is great enough that you’re compelled to do it without compensation, when others would insist on compensation for the same thing. In other words, if you enjoy something so much that you would do it for free, you’re passionate about it.

I’m that passionate about writing. There are few moments in my regular life that fill me with enough internal pleasure than getting lost in writing. When I get so absorbed into putting my thoughts down on paper or on the screen that I lose track of time and then I suddenly “snap out of it,” I feel incredibly fulfilled on a personal level.

I often feel this way when I’m reading a book that really clicks with me, or playing board games with my friends, or when writing computer programs. I also often lapse into this kind of state when spending time with my immediate family. I can feel this way about exploring the wilderness, especially when I’m observing the wildlife or looking for something (such as geocaches or morels). There are a few other events that can trigger a burning passion, such as competing in sports or watching an exciting sporting event, but it’s relatively rare.

Naturally, if you can find a way to make money based on something you’re passionate about, that’s a sweet gig. That, to me, is the real American dream.

The Problem with That Picture

Mike Rowe does a pretty good job of spelling out the problem with this picture.

To put it simply, people pay for skills, not for passion. You can have all the passion in the world, but if you don’t have skill, people aren’t going to pay you for it. It just isn’t going to happen.

I have always been lucky enough that I’ve had enough skill with my passions to earn money with them. My first post-collegiate job tapped into my passion for computer programming. Today, I can tap into my passion for writing as a way to earn an income. In both of those cases, I tapped into something I was passionate about that also coincided with at least some level of skill. I don’t claim to be a great computer programmer, nor do I envision myself a great writer by any stretch of the imagination, but I can write a program to do the things I want (for the most part) and I can get my ideas across with the written word.

Still, we’re stuck with the core problem. People pay for marketable skills and talent. Passion might make those skills and talents really shine, but passion alone does not create them.

So, how can a person “follow their passion” and still make a living if their passion doesn’t happen to match up with an obvious way to earn an income? There are really four separate things you can do here, some of which Mike overlooked.

Build Transferable Skills That People Will Pay For

In other words, you should be skilled in areas that can find employment in a lot of places. Don’t overspecialize. At the same time, at least some of those skills should be transferable to as many fields as possible.

For starters, you should try to choose an area of study that leads to a lot of potential jobs. In fact, I’m going to suggest something that might surprise some people: unless you are quite passionate about a specific field with strong employment opportunities, you should strongly consider going to a trade school. Become an electrician or a plumber or a carpenter. As long as buildings are being built, these types of jobs will always find employment with a solid pay rate.

If you do choose a specific field in school, try to choose a specific path that opens as many doors as you can. Add a teaching certification to your studies. Add a second major so that you can see work in either field. Be diverse.

What about transferable skills? This website offers a great list of these skills. Those skills should be all over your resume because they’re valuable in almost every field. Find ways to build these skills, particularly in ways that enable them to be added to your resume.

This is the exact career advice I’m giving to my own children already. Try things. Figure out what you’re naturally good at. Hone those skills. Add some transferable skills to the mix. If you find your passion and it happens to line up with your skills and healthy employment opportunities, chase that. Otherwise, get into a field with lots of employment opportunities that either uses your natural skills or is something that anyone can do with adequate training.

What if you’re already in a tight career field? Get training in another field. Take evening classes so that you can move into a career path with more diverse options. I’m reminded of my mother-in-law, who moved from a very narrow field (she had a very specialized skill set that basically linked her to one employer anywhere near where she lived) to nursing, which has many opportunities for employment, by taking evening classes. She was in fact taking those classes in the evenings when I first began dating Sarah and then moved on to a successful nursing career from something completely different.

Find Ways to Use Passions at Work While Plying Your Skills

If you follow the first step, you’ll have a job that pays you at least somewhat well. You might not be following your passions, but you should be using at least some of your natural talents and skills.

Once you’re in that context, keep your eyes open for any and all opportunities to use your passion at work or in that career path.

What kinds of projects come through your workplace? Do any of them brush upon your areas of passion? What about projects that other people and companies in your field are tackling? Do they parallel your passionate areas?

If you’ve involved yourself in a field that has lots of employment opportunities and you’ve also built some transferable skills, you’ll have some flexibility in your field. You may be able to jump to another employer who is doing something interesting. You may be able to convince your boss to let you work on a particular special project.

What if there’s nothing in the pipeline that even looks close to your areas of passion? Be patient. Look for things that people are doing anywhere that merge your field of expertise with your areas of passion, then do what you can to prepare yourself to be able to do that should the opportunity present itself.

You might not ever be able to work exactly in your area of passion, but you can certainly merge your skills with some aspect of your area of passion. The possibilities there are limitless.

Devote Your Spare Time to Your Passions, Not Time Wasters

I try very hard to spend my evenings and free time on the things I’m passionate about. I’ll get lost in the pages of a book. I’ll gather a bunch of like-minded friends and play a mind-crunching board game with them. I’ll come up with some sort of crazy project and do it with my kids (and my wife). I’ll work on writing a novel. I’ll work on an iOS app. I’ll learn about something new or try out a new skill.

To me, a great day is one where I get lost – even if just for a little while – in one of my passions where I lose track of time. I’m not doing it for cash; I’m just doing it because I love that particular activity. That is a key part of any great day.

Does this mean I’m magically going to make money from that board game I’m playing? Very doubtful. What it does mean is that passions are a part of a complete life. My life is better because I spend some of my spare time diving deep enough into my personal passions that I lose track of time.

But I don’t have time to do that! Many people come home and spend their time… well, wasting time. The average American watches five hours of television per day and more than an hour of internet usage for pleasure per day. That’s a lot of time.

I’m not suggesting that a person completely cut the cord on their television, but if that average American cut their internet and television time in half, they would have three more hours a day for their passions.

The point? Find time. Look at what you’re doing each day. Of those things, which ones are genuinely more important than investing an hour or so into something that truly makes your life better? Does Sportscenter or The Big Bang Theory trump that?

I devote a block of time each evening – usually from about eight, which means the kids are in bed, to about ten or so – to some specific passion of mine. Often, I’ll devote a healthy portion of my Saturdays and Sundays, too. Most of those times, I’ll get lost in whatever it is I’m passionate about until I’m literally interrupted from it.

That experience makes my life better. It is perhaps the single biggest key in my life to keeping melancholy at bay.

Share Your Passions

Now, here’s the kicker. This is the big part that I felt like Mike Rowe was missing in his essay.

People love passionate people.

Few things make me happier than seeing someone else engaged in something that they really care about in a positive way. I love seeing someone engrossed in a book. I love hearing from someone who is really excited about that book and wants to tell me about it. I love it when someone who is truly passionate about something takes the time to share some aspect of that passion with me.

That’s cool. In fact, in my eyes, that’s about the coolest thing a person can do.

Whenever I listen to a podcast or watch a video on Youtube or read a blog or take a class, most of the time, I’m bumping up against a passionate person, a person who really cares about whatever it is that they’re sharing. That positivity is infectious and enjoyable. It comes through.

For the most part, those people are earning money simply from sharing their passions. They’re not usually experts in their field of passion. They’re ambassadors.

Youtube is full of ambassadors for various passions. So is the field of podcasting and the blogging area. Some businesses hire people with passion for customer relation purposes.

How does this happen? It’s just people sharing their passions.

The Simple Dollar started as a way for me to share my passion for writing by using my own story and the joy I was having in figuring out how to turn my financial life around. I shared it with a few friends. Within a few years, the site was popular enough that I was actually able to leave my primary job to work on The Simple Dollar, earning ad revenue money and signing up for lots of other related projects.

One close friend of mine started a side business of buying and selling trading cards out of a room in his basement. This allowed him to spend his time sorting and organizing cards and trading them with others, something he deeply enjoyed. It’s been a major part-time gig for him for years, which has enabled him to only “work” part time in his community at another job while still, overall, making a great salary. He found a way to share his passion for these cards and the social connections it has built for him and make money from that.

Another friend of mine makes a living from his Youtube videos and a related podcast. What does he talk about? He talks about his own experiences playing games. That’s all. He makes a living at this.

What do all of these stories have in common? All of us spent our spare time on something we were passionate about. We took a chunk of that spare time and channeled it toward sharing what we were passionate about. People were attracted to that passion, which opened up opportunities for each of us. In each case, it took a long time – years of trial and error and sharing and many failures along the way. But, in each case, we made it eventually. The passion for the topic is what kept each of us involved.

Beyond that, most of my closest friends were discovered through my attempts to reach out regarding my passions. I sought out others who shared the same passions that I have and, over time, I’ve built close relationships with many of them. My life is a better place for having found these people.

It shocks me that Mike Rowe overlooked this. It certainly seems like he is passionate about trade craftsmen. He’s not an expert at any particular trade – far from it. Yet, he took that passion for trade craftsmanship and basically made a career out of it. That’s what Dirty Jobs was, in essence. Dirty Jobs could have been made as a YouTube series by two people and a camera (or even one person, for that matter). Perhaps it wouldn’t have had quite the same production quality, but it could have had the same passion and wit – and, honestly, that’s the attractive part of it.

Whatever it is that you love, find a way to share it with others. It’s a great way to build relationships. It can often earn you some income. Sometimes, it can even find you a job that lets you earn a living from that passion.

Final Thoughts

Whatever you are passionate about, find a place for it in your life. For me, at least, one of the big reasons for working is so that I can secure space in my life for the things I’m passionate about. I work to live, not live to work.

Maybe you can find a place for that passion through your primary job or your career path. Perhaps you can find a way to get there in a parallel fashion by finding ways to share it in your spare time.

It doesn’t even really matter whether you’re highly skilled or not, just that you’re passionate about some aspect of it. (Skills help, of course, but it’s not entirely required – look at Mike Rowe’s “skills” at the jobs he did on Dirty Jobs.)

That’s not really necessary, though. All you need to do is to find room in your life for the things that make your heart sing. If you can do that, your life will be in a better place, period.

And One Last Thing…

So, why have this discussion about passion here?

Passion is a big reason why personal finance is so important to me. When you have control over your money and you’re spending less than you earn as a natural matter of course, lots of good things happen.

For starters, you no longer feel an overwhelming stress in your life. Back in the dark days, I felt absolutely tied to my job. Every decision there felt stressful because I needed that job. Our finances were so precarious that losing that job would have been a complete disaster, and a mis-step at work could have caused that firing. This caused me to be constantly stressed about my job for years. It made me often choose “safe” choices at work, which meant that I spent less of my time doing the things I was passionate about and more time doing things that grated at me. It also made me take on extra things that I didn’t want to do, like travel and handling weekend emergencies.

The end result of that experience is that I came home feeling dead inside. The stress just ate me up. I was often happy in the evenings to just sit there staring at the television. Because of that, I lost touch with many of the things that I was passionate about.

As our finances improved, I felt substantially less stressed. I began to realize that if I lost that job, we’d be okay, at least for a while. Our debts weren’t closing around our necks. We had an emergency fund. That paycheck was important, sure, but if I messed up at work, it wasn’t going to end us.

This led to less stress at work. That led to less stress and more energy at home. That led to my ability to start rediscovering my passions, particularly writing, but also reading and some other things. That led to my launching of The Simple Dollar because so many positive changes were happening at once, and those changes were led by our financial turnaround.

Being smart about my money was at the core of everything. It gave me the space in my life to rediscover and dig into the things that I was passionate about, and the ability to do that has helped my life in virtually every dimension.

Remember, always remember, that you should work to live, not live to work, and living is best exemplified by falling deeply into the positive things that you’re passionate about, whether it’s hiking in the woods to find arrowheads, reading deeply from books, or anything else.

The post Some Thoughts on Following Passion appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

17 Strategies to Survive Working From Home With Children

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 05:00 AM PDT

Little kid sticking out his tongue while using laptop

Younger kids can be a handful when you’re trying to get things done. Photo: Rob Briscoe

If you’ve ever thought working from home with small children beats driving to the office each day, you may be sadly mistaken. My children are definitely the apple of my eye, but they can be a handful anytime I sit down to complete an important task. It’s almost as if they have an internal switch that flips on any time the cover of my laptop opens!

Before I made the decision to enroll my youngest son in child care, it was quite a struggle to balance running a business with an infant in tow. After years of following all sorts of tips to minimize distractions, I finally figured out how to successfully accomplish tasks without pulling all my hair out.

Here’s a comprehensive list of tactics I’d suggest if you’re having a difficult time working from home with children:

1. Be realistic

If your children constantly demand attention during non-business hours, do you really expect them to sit in a corner with a pile of crayons, coloring books, or an iPad for hours at a time while you work?

Even as an adult, I am sometimes easily sidetracked during work hours by phone calls, text messages, email alerts, social media (the ultimate time-suck), or a light bulb that suddenly goes off in my head — just to name a few distractions.

And remember, you are the main attraction for your little ones.

2. Have the talk

Assuming they're old enough to keep themselves occupied, explain the situation and that you'll need to remain focused throughout the day with minimal interruptions. Communicate to them that they are a part of the team and their role is to help mommy or daddy remain productive.

3. 'Emergency' drills

There's nothing more embarrassing to a work-at-home mom, dad, or entrepreneur than a sudden outburst from their children during a conference call. (It happened to me this morning). Luckily, the client was understanding.

To minimize this risk, run through a series of simulations to prepare your troops. Nothing is guaranteed, but it's worth a shot.

Since my children tend to be experts at interrupting me at the most inopportune times, we frequently practice the most common scenarios. A few examples:

If the phone rings and mommy quietly steps into the office, do you run after her screaming or quietly have a seat and wait for her to finish the call?
If (for some strange reason) I leave the door unlocked and you decide to enter and notice mommy on the phone, how do you react?
If mommy is staring at the computer screen with “that look on her face" when you enter, do you scream your demands or politely request mommy’s attention?

Over time, I'm confident the children will get the hang of things and give me quiet time when I desperately need it. But until then, we’ll keep practicing.

4. Offer incentives

Set goals for your children to keep them occupied. If they successfully meet the target, offer them a reward. I began using this strategy with my boys about two years ago, and we’ve been going strong ever since. Whether it's 30 minutes at the park, popcorn and a movie, or pizza night at the local parlor we absolutely adore, they hold me to it. Plus I get to spend quality time with them during the workday.

5. Designate an area for your "home office"

You definitely don't want to completely isolate yourself from the children if no one else is around to tend to them, but the kitchen table won't serve as the optimal work space, either. Search for a well-lit area in your home, preferably a spare room with a door, that will enable you to organize your files, stay on task, and minimize interruptions.

6. Work the graveyard shift

As the old adage says, desperate times call for desperate measures. If you've had a rough day at the home office and are on the brink of missing an important deadline, pull an all-nighter. Before doing so, take a power nap to boost your energy levels for the long night ahead. Don't make this a habit since sleep deprivation has negative side effects, including decreased productivity levels. I have to admit that I work late into the evening at least once a week, but I also usually take a few hours off the following day to recoup.

7. Use your time wisely

Do you have an infant or toddler on your hands? Naps may be a part of their daily routine, but they don't need to be a part of yours. As tempting as it may be to unwind for an hour or so midway through the workday, stay on track. You'll more than likely be surprised at how much you can accomplish in an interruption-free zone.

When my youngest was an infant, my schedule was all over the place. However, I had a specific "nap time" list chock full of tasks that needed to be completed at some point. I didn't include anything too urgent on the list in case he decided to skip a nap on a given day, which was not uncommon.

8. Be flexible

If a generous friend or relative stops by unexpectedly for a few hours to give you a break, make the most of your time by using it as a window of opportunity to tie up any loose ends or get a head start on forthcoming projects.

When neighborhood buddies pay me a visit, they know the routine. As much as I'd like to shoot the breeze, there's work to be done, so I immediately get to it. Besides, it’s more fun and relaxing to hang out when you don't have a ton of items on your to-do list that are lingering in the back of your mind.

9. Solicit the assistance of family and friends

If you’re on this journey alone, especially during the summer months, don't be afraid to reach out to those who have extended an offer to help in the past.

As much as we all love our children, the ladies in my section of the neighborhood cringe at the thought of summer break if we haven't made preparations beforehand. Luckily, there's only one week between the last day of school and the start of summer camp. However, my oldest son tends to spend the first day getting caught up on sleep and the remainder of the week driving me up the wall with chatter about how boring life is and how he wishes we could hang out all day.

So, this past summer, I spoke with a few others in the area and realized they were having the same issue. We decided to make a schedule of the days that each parent would host the children so the distribution would be equal, and the children would be occupied until the workday was over. It was successful, and I'm looking forward to participating in the summer care swap next June.

10. Give it a rest

Are the kids driving you up the wall with constant interruptions because they desperately seek your attention? Rid yourself of any internal guilt and take a break! Take them on a bike ride, have a fitness competition, watch a movie, bake cookies, take a walk, or simply play catch. Regardless of the activity you choose, they will be grateful and stay out of your way when work resumes (fingers crossed).

11. Create a to-do/activity list

It's a daily ritual for me and my oldest son on the days when school's out: I either provide him with a folder of fun-filled educational activities or assign him some of my simplest tasks, such as filing and organizing the endless piles of papers on my desk.

If your children are at school for a portion of the day, but you still have a few additional tasks to complete when they arrive home from school, ask them to join you at your desk to read their favorite book or do their homework. That should buy you 30 minutes to wrap up your work for the day.

12. Plan ahead

Always add a few hours to each project and avoid waiting until the last minute to get started. If possible, take control of your schedule by establishing your own internal deadlines, because you never know what each day will bring when you have kids in the house.

This was a very tough pill for me to swallow. Procrastinating has always been my thing; I tend to be most effective when racing against the clock. Unfortunately, it doesn't exactly work that way when you become a parent. I learned my lesson the hard way.

A year or so ago, my oldest son had an accident on the playground at school that cost me four hours of my work day and left me scrambling to meet a deadline. Of course my son's well-being is more important than a project for a client, but that incident resulted in a massive headache, caffeine overload, and unnecessary stress that could have been avoided if I'd planned ahead.

13. Adjust your work space

Some children will entertain themselves for more than a few seconds at a time as long as a parental unit is in sight. If this sounds like your child, designate a small area of your home office as the activity station. Load it up with your child's favorite games, electronics, and activities. I was not as fortunate with my first son, but the second time around, it worked like a charm.

Our little play area contains construction paper, glue sticks, crayons, scissors, and washable markers because my children love exploring their artistic side. And to make it more fun, I submit requests for particular artwork to hang in the "office gallery" they have created.

Another idea worth considering: Visit websites, such as Aussie Childcare Network and ESL Writing Wizard, to retrieve printable worksheets for your child to complete while you're working. It'll keep them occupied and they'll also be learning while you're working.

14. Become an early riser

This is another trick I use to maximize my workday. The kids generally aren't awake in the wee hours of the morning, but I am. It's the perfect opportunity to knock a few items off the mile-long task list and get organized before the madness starts. Or if I'm not exactly in the mood to start working at five o’clock in the morning, I use the time to get things organized for the day and do a few chores around the house. At some point, they have to get done, so why not early in the morning when no one's in your way to create more messes or disrupt your flow?

15. Hire a nanny

Have you hit your wit's end, and things just aren't working out trying to balance work with your little ones in the house? As a last resort, you can always hire a nanny to stop in for a few hours each day to keep the kids occupied. (Notice that I only suggest a few hours for your wallet's sake, although college students and teens on summer break may be an affordable option).

16. Work on the weekend

If you're way behind schedule and desperately searching for a way to get caught up, bite the bullet and rise early in the morning on a Saturday or Sunday to get caught up. It's definitely a sacrifice, but it beats spending the weekday dealing with last week's assignments while you fall even further behind on current work.

To game yourself into working on the weekend, set a goal and an accompanying reward, such as a day off or allowance to enjoy an evening out without your family.

17. Pat yourself on the back

Balancing children and a full-fledged workload is beyond difficult, but it can be done. It's OK to occasionally treat yourself to your favorite meal or a night out on the town for your efforts — within reason. When my husband is able to rip me away from the computer, I enjoy spa sessions or a mini-vacation with friends.

Regardless of how you wind down, make time to pamper yourself on occasion to avoid burning out and crashing into a mental brick wall from work overload.

Most importantly, hang in there. As your children age, it will get easier.

The post 17 Strategies to Survive Working From Home With Children appeared first on The Simple Dollar.