My husband and I both work from home, and we’ve got two kids to keep things interesting. Our oldest is in half-day PreK, and our youngest is currently 7 months old. So yeah, it’s a full house, but we make it work!

To keep everything running smoothly, we do a ton of prep and plan our days pretty meticulously. Our oldest is pretty independent and doesn’t need a ton of structured activities—thankfully! She’s a pro at solo play. But… she does need her 1:1 time with each of us. Once she gets her fill, she’s usually good to go and will happily entertain herself. But to make this magic happen, we’ve got to be prepared for anything.

When our oldest gets home from school, we usually have two activities ready for her. The first is school-related—something to help with the skill we’re working on. Right now, it’s all about letter tracing. After that, it’s time for a craft—well, as she calls them, “Arps and craps,” which honestly cracks us up every time! These can be anything from a Pinterest find to something I came up with on the fly. After that, she’ll go off and create her own little “arps and craps” projects, often coloring in her journal or adding bits and bobs to decorate it. When I say journal, it’s really more of a scrapbook of her crafty adventures—and I absolutely love it!

While she’s in her creative zone, we’re plugging away at work. We’ve found that all being in the same room is surprisingly productive. We’re each working solo but together, which feels like a nice balance.

Next up, one of us takes over for 1:1 playtime. We stagger our work breaks and lunch, so it doesn’t interfere too much with our deadlines. This is when we get our energy-burning activities in—think “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes,” “Red Light, Green Light,” or an impromptu obstacle course. The best part? It’s all prepped and ready to go in about 30 seconds flat! Oh, and the latest favorite is Lego building, which my husband and daughter are all about. It’s pretty adorable to watch them bond over that—though it only lasts about 15 minutes, ha!

Once that’s over, it’s back to solo play. She’s usually had her fill of us by then and is happily playing on her own with whatever crafts and activities she’s chosen. Meanwhile, we’re back to the grind with work, and we pretty much repeat the cycle throughout the day.

Our daily goals are simple but essential:

1. Each parent gets 1:1 time with our 4-year-old.
2. We fit in a learning activity.
3. We get in a physical activity.
4. We do something creative.
5. She gets to choose whatever she wants to do.

Of course, all of this is constantly being adjusted around the baby’s sleep and nap schedule. Her naps can throw a wrench into things, but we juggle it all. Each baby gets the attention they need, and somehow, we’re still knocking out work at the same time.

It’s chaotic, but it’s our chaotic, and we’re making it work—one “arp” and “crap” at a time!

What do other people do? Lol are we crazy?