Fixing me with a steady gaze, he firmly stated, "Read to me." My first reaction was SOP for child demands as written in official Parents' Manual. "I can't read to you now, Nicky. Daddy's working." He is a highly intelligent and perceptive young fellow who could plainly see that his father was poking at computer keyboard (as he has done) while wearing old jean shorts and sipping lemonade. It was perfectly obvious to him that I was not working. He then replied with SOP for Parent Refusal of Demand as written in official Children's Manual.

He raised volume. "Read to ME!" By this time, my poking had stopped and my lemonade was becoming warm and watery. As exchange escalated (parental authority - stubborn demand - parental bargaining - stubborn demand - parental pleading - stubborn demand...), true underlying objective was achieved. My productivity had been shot to pieces. After this episode had concluded ( you know, that Dr. Seuss was a very succinct expository writer), I realized how ill-prepared I'd been by corporate world for such encounters. When my oldest boy was little, I worked in an office in a big city an hour's commute away. Working at home has proven to be very different in many respects than working away from home.

I wonder if there are any professional journals about this sort of thing?

With two boys, a dog, a cat, a wife and a household to keep together to boot, Dan Reinhold is editor of WAHumor to hang on to his sanity by showing how insane work-at-home community can be. Work at home? You deserve a laugh!

Subscribe at WAHumor-subscribe@topica.com Send something WAHumorous to WAHumor@yahoo.com Do both and enter our monthly drawing!

"Dad, Dad!! I found four new clubs and two more sports to join!!!"

"Barroo! Woof! Barrroooooo!!!!" (Beagle-ese, in case you're not fluent).

And on, and on, and...

BUT...when you work at home, you can control your bosses (somewhat) by letting them all know schedule YOU need and insisting they abide by it. If you don't, you'll have one less boss...yourself.

Oh, excuse me...The cat is having litter box issues.

Dan Reinhold is editor of WAHumor, humor newsletter for all who Work At Home. Subscribe at WAHumor-subscribe@topica.com Send something WAHumorous to WAHumor@yahoo.com Do both and you may win our monthly drawing!

This article may be reprinted only in its entirety and with resource box intact. A courtesy copy of your publication would be nice, too!