Hacker News Reader

this is exactly the reason I prefer the office .. I have 2 kids, 5 & 2, and if I'm home they are very much used to me being around them or doing something together, working from home is not ideal

View on HN

My son is 5 and he knows what my door is for. He still comes in occasionally but it's pretty manageable. The 2 year old is a different matter, but soon we'll get daycares back so no biggie.

A door helps tremendously.

As a free instrument for them to bang on while screaming ‘Papa!’ At the top of their lungs?

If you think a door would stop 2 kids aged 2-5, I don't think you have lived in the same house with kids aged 2-5.

It may seem crazy to some, but kids aged 2-5 can actually learn things and be taught that when a parent is in their office, they are not to be bothered. I have a 2 and a 4 year old at home, and they know what my office is for.

That being said, their games in the other rooms of the house are occasionally pretty loud, but is it really worse than an open office?

Yes, we watched my nephew from birth to just over 3 years old for 16 hours a day while I worked. He learned that if the door was closed it meant I was busy. At times when I had on music he knew he could come in and sit and listen while I worked as long as he didn’t talk.

He grew up that way though, so YMMV of course.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com