Work At Home Mother's Babysitter

I have been a work at home mom (which I feel is a very redundant title) for the last 4 years and I love it. But I have had trouble with the kids eating while I am working and their Dad is not yet home. Most of the time they are really great at watching television and playing quietly but the television is upstairs, just outside the kitchen, in the living room. My office is downstairs.

The little ones will pour themselves bowls of cereal, make themselves sandwiches and even toast. All the while my older children are totally engrossed in what ever television show they are watching. So I have devised a plan. I have the tv mounted on the wall furthest away from the door to the kitchen. I have mounted nursery camera's facing the television (not only can I see the children, I also always know what they are watching) and I can see when the little ones get up and head for the kitchen giving me time to stop them. So far so good, this has been working. But the best deterrent has been always having an appropriate snack out that they can eat with out worry. I will usually put out celery or carrot sticks and ranch dressing, peanut butter cracker sandwiches or fruit slices. Things that they can not make too large a mess with, that are healthy and won't ruin their dinner too terribly.