[scruple]

> Routine trips to the grocery store, helping with the homeschooling, and brief tickle sessions help to not be isolated in my case.

Doesn't that sort of betray your point that you're "at work" and not "at home?" I'm asking earnestly. I'm about to have twins and I work full-time from home, for the past 3 years and with no intention of going back to an office or to a co-working space.

I am trying now to get all of these sorts of ground rules decided on, and listed out, so that they can be established shortly after the children arrive.

My wife and most of my family already understand the "at work" vs. "at home" distinction and do their best to respect it on the rare occasions that they're around the house during a work day.

[basilgohar]

As a father of 5, I see these as the exceptions that prove the rule. Aside from these moments, there are few interruptions, so he gets to pick them or manages them, just as those of us at the office also know when an impromptu visit to the store or call with family will not disrupts our work or that of others on our team. We're not robots, after all, we need to be human/parents/children once in a while during our 8 hours service.

[bendotero]

This right here. On the occasion I go out of town to meet up with coworkers, we break to play foosball or just take a 10 minute walk outside. That doesn't mean that all we do is break. Same thing goes for family at home. With clear communication even my 2 and 3 year olds get it. Daddy is working and every once in a while he comes out to see how everyone is doing, talk for a few minutes and then back at it.

[scruple]

I've grown very accustomed to being the only person in the house during normal working hours. This is a really keen insight and puts it in to perspective for me. Thanks for that.