Working from home with neighborhood kids constantly interrupting
Edit: many are assuming I am a “dad” and I am in fact a “mom” so just wanted to clear the air on that. Thank you to all who provided constructive guidance and advice! I got some very helpful tips :)
Iwork from home in a demanding senior leadership role for a global company. My job requires a lot of meetings, focus, and uninterrupted time.
My daughter is 8, and while she’s in summer camps and activities, they don’t cover the entire summer or even full days, so she’s home quite a bit. She spends a lot of time playing with the neighborhood girls, and they all run between each other’s houses throughout the day.
Here’s my problem: I’m working from our basement in a relatively small house, so I hear almost everything. The girls ring our doorbell multiple times a day asking if my daughter can play. If I say no, they’ll leave, but then another group comes later and the cycle starts all over again. Every doorbell ring sets my dogs barking, interrupts meetings, and breaks my concentration.
Sometimes my daughter will even try to sneak her friends into the house because she knows I’m working. If I let them stay, they inevitably get loud enough that I have to send them back outside.
One of the moms stays home full-time, and another has a much larger house with a dedicated office, so I feel like they don’t quite understand how disruptive this is for me.
I’m trying to figure out the best way to set boundaries without creating tension with the neighbors. I’ve considered:
- Asking the parents to text me before their kids come over during work hours.
- Letting everyone know our house is “closed” during the workday except by invitation.
- Putting a “Working. Please Don’t Ring the Doorbell” sign on the front door.
Has anyone else dealt with this? How did you set boundaries while still letting your kids have good relationships with the neighborhood?