Crazy with Kids
Dear Trellis,
I love my work and my home office. And then I went and ruined it all by having a kid and now I can’t get a thing done. I thought I could work while my little angel slept and that was full-on wrong. I love my kid but really need my sanity back. Help!
- Crazy in San Francisco
Dear Crazy,
Oh my god do I hear you. I got into coworking because I can’t work effectively from home, but learned that many people can! You have your routine, your stuff, your cozy clothes. For about 10% of people, I’ve learned, working from home works beautifully. At least until something causes it to come crashing down — like kids. A child will absolutely do that to you. Or a spouse who had an office (outside of the house) and then moved to remote work and now you are fighting over who gets the kitchen table. Or a roommate who had a job and now lives on the couch getting stoned. The list goes on.
Having a kid is all kinds of wonderful, but what it’s not is either restful or work-focused. You need to spend those hours watching your little one sleep and experience those miraculous firsts. You also need your brain back and the time and space to get work done so you can keep paying Bay Area rent. Childcare is crazy-expensive and absolutely necessary for maintaining your mental health (I found at least). I am a terrific mom 1-2 hours a day, and it goes downhill from there pretty quick. So I need a lot of help and it can’t break the bank.
We did a nanny-share to defray the cost, give Sawyer some socialization with another kiddo, and provide me/Jason the freedom to leave the house. In-home daycares are more cost-effective than the bigger guys and provide a homier feel. And hopefully if you get that sorted, your home can revert to your home being your work haven.
What? Your home office is now the nursery? Gotcha. Well, Crazy, in that case, you need to find yourself some coworking. Ideally a space with a Mother’s room so you can pump and save your milk for when you head home to your little angel. Ideally somewhere with hourly and daily options, so you can get out of the house when you need to, and decide from there if it’s a once-a-week or every day thing. If you are on Zoom calls all the time you can try a day office or take the plunge and get your own office away from your delightful (crying) progeny.
Doing our research we discovered some more tips here.
We designed Trellis with mom’s in mind, in great part because I was pregnant at the same time we launched the space. I needed a Mother’s room. I needed a space that wasn’t home to escape my incoming little darling. I needed hot tea and cold rosé to keep me sane. I needed beauty and plants and natural light and soft fabrics to balance my baby brain. And Trellis became all of these things, not just for me, but for mom’s all over the Bay who need to feel supported and held so they can support and hold their own. I’ve got you, Crazy. Trellis does.
- Rebecca
