Thousands of stay-at-home moms and dads dream of finding a way to work at home so that they can contribute to the family income—and thousands are successfully doing just that.

But just because thousands of people are doing it doesn’t mean it’s easy—especially when you have toddlers. Having a toddler running around while you’re trying to work makes you dream of the days when you first brought your newborn home and all they did was sleep.

Gone are the days when you could lay your baby down or put junior in a swing and he’d be blissfully happy for hours while you worked. Now, that quiet baby is running around, getting into things and simply will not stay where you put them.

Toddlers don’t understand “mommy’s on the phone with an important client so, please, please, please don’t bother me.” We wish they would understand, but in their little egocentric world, mommy is never too busy to pay attention. And, honestly, that is the way it should be, right?However, the reality is that you absolutely need to work. The reality also is that you just might find it is completely impossible to get anything done while your toddler is awake. It’s your new reality and it’s just something you’re going to have to get used to.

You will find yourself squeezing four hours worth of work during a two-hour nap. You’ll get more efficient, and you’ll probably get most of your work done. You may have to get up at the crack of dawn before your child gets up, or you may have to stay up until midnight.

As difficult as it is to work at home with toddler, keep in mind that it’s only temporary. In a few short years, they’ll be in school full-time and you’ll be back to a more normal schedule.In the meantime, if you really must get your work done during your child’s waking hours, hiring a mother’s helper just might save your sanity.