Many Americans entered the world of working from home for the first time last week. Seven days later, even more will be joining the virtual education adventure/hellscape as more municipalities tighten up on stay-at-home orders. What everyone working from home for the first time will discover is that there are levels to it, and it’s generally not as easy as people might think. It’s freeing in some cases, it’s maddening in others, it can be a mix of all the above for some, and then there are parents.
Imagine having to balance your day job and care for children at the same time, especially when it comes to keeping them focused on school and out of mischief around the house. Like adults, not every child has the discipline required to be productive at home. Some children are too young to care or even try, and now is the time when people are seeing just how much teachers and daycare providers matter. At this rate, there is no telling when things will get back to the old normal, but parents have been finding comfort in knowing they are not alone. They have taken to social media to share thoughts on what it’s like to quarantine oneself and work with children at home.
Here are some of the funniest reactions.
Kids as coworkers
My coworker is drinking on the job. Pretty sure she’s drunk. I need to speak to someone in HR. pic.twitter.com/v0U4QCRGsD
— OohLaTourIt (@OohLaTourIt) March 20, 2020
My coworker keeps farting, asking for my lunch and playing on his tablet while I do all the work. I went to HR and they just said “leave my grand baby alone” this is ghetto pic.twitter.com/XcYv9iYIbQ
— sarunas jackson stan page (@colderthan__ice) March 16, 2020
My coworker suggested I work from his fort #workfromhomechallenge pic.twitter.com/kZEWWoQg1w
— Sam Grefrath, MBA (@SGrefrath) March 20, 2020
My smallest coworker blowing kisses at the end of our meeting. Not appropriate, sir ???? pic.twitter.com/iH9j3VHAjz
— SegarsdoesScience (@segarsdoes) March 20, 2020
General madness
0910hrs tomorrow. Every parent working from home with kids home from school pic.twitter.com/nnWT7nvWMM
— Infosec Heartbeat (@InfosecHeartBt) March 22, 2020
Working from home is an extreme sport for people that have kids ???? pic.twitter.com/X6upd3q5du
— DIMZ | OMO IYA TAILOR???????? (@Obadimz) March 21, 2020
The forced working from home week has had great benefits such as more quality times with my kids… pic.twitter.com/Ml5sC4QKRh
— François Tardif (@FtardifUofG) March 20, 2020
Boss: I need you to-
[4 kids run by: one on fire, one naked, 2 in ski masks and capes]
Boss: Never mind
— Rodney Lacroix (@RodLacroix) March 18, 2020
Working from home with three kids how about you pic.twitter.com/8D0FZ9oqSU
— Matt H (@EyesOnToronto) March 17, 2020
I don’t know why everyone is complaining about working from home with kids home.
I can barely tell they’re here. pic.twitter.com/5HBReC3S7V— Craig Wilkey (@CraigWilkey) March 17, 2020
Anyone working from home with kids still think teachers are paid appropriately? pic.twitter.com/vqA0fsRp9s
— James DeVaney (@DeVaneyGoBlue) March 17, 2020
Was chatting live with @LinkedIn about working from home with kids, when my kids decided to crash the shot pic.twitter.com/J9SM3x1gfK
— Lindsay Powers (@lkpe) March 18, 2020
Working from home with kids… pic.twitter.com/UEkKq7772O
— Ryan Bielat (@rjbielat) March 20, 2020
Working From Home…. With kids ????
Jan Vertonghen's doing a live interview on Instagram right now… No idea what he's saying… but watching his daughter, Leyla, trying to get involved is really funny. pic.twitter.com/vhyO7YFrJS— Jo Mac (@Jomacjomac) March 20, 2020
Working from home with kids and the family…. expectation vs. reality. pic.twitter.com/eV6JBCSJZS
— Lion Recovery Fund (@LionRecovery) March 20, 2020
So this is why working from home with kids is so terrifying… pic.twitter.com/pe5QzfHvjG
— Richard Bridger (@RichardBridger) March 20, 2020
Working from home with kids = random requests. This appeared under the door of the room where I'm working. #workingfromhome pic.twitter.com/jDGFi1ePaz
— Eva Wong ????????♀️ (@eva_toronto) March 17, 2020
Folly of the furry kind
My sincerest admiration for anyone working from home with kids rn. Love them, but these two are driving me crazy already pic.twitter.com/d0m8S7NgP1
— Madalyn Hafenbreidel (@MHafenbreidel) March 20, 2020
Group partner isn't doing his share of the assignment, refuses to social distance, and keeps laying on his laptop ???? #workingfromhome pic.twitter.com/UaWoFMSLBJ
— Devon (@devonhayley) March 22, 2020
Think it’s hard working from home with kids? Try an attention starved Siamese cat. pic.twitter.com/LuwqB7WMrV
— Keola (@MrKeola) March 17, 2020