Considering Taking a Work-from-home Position & Need Advice

I took all three of my babies to work with me. I loved it until they were mobile. I couldn't keep up with them, give them the attention they needed and get work done.... so away they went to grandmas house. :)
I now work from home, but they are all much older. I love being home now and 90% of the time it's okay, but 10% of the time it makes me crazy. However, mine are much older and pretty self-sufficient. A one year old is pretty demanding. I don't think i could do it.
Good luck!

I've worked part time from home since before my son was born (he is now 18 months old). My goal is always 20 hours a week, but I have worked over 40 hours at certain busy times, and lately closer to 25. Naps are really the only time I can get work done, except that my son doesn't like naps, and rarely takes them, he has always been this way. When my son is awake, he wants to be with me, and gets into everything. I guess if my home office was completely child proofed it would be ok, but there is no way it ever will be (with cords, files, etc). I end up taking him to an in home day care several times a week when my husband can't watch him (he works part time as well, we split baby watching duties), and last summer actually hired a friend's daughter to come every day and play with him and watch him while I worked.

My advice to you, if you can set up a space in your house where you can both be, him safely entertained playing, and you working without him being able to touch your keyboard or mouse (that is important), you will probably be able to get a little bit of work done even while he's not sleeping, but nap time really is the best time. Also, if you get phone calls, will they understand if you have a baby crying in the background? My clients are all pretty kid friendly, so they understand, but it doesn't happen often since I really plan calls around when he won't be at home, or when my husband is watching him. Another problem I have with working at home, since I can't work when my son is here and I am watching him, I end up working what seems like all of the time. Any spare minute I have goes to work, since I still have to get things done. My husband does not appreciate this, and I end up working evening and weekends. I have been working on this, and do set time aside where I don't check my email or work, but it is something you have to think about and work with, how can you keep a good work/life balance?

You've gotten a lot of great advice & have lots of things to think about...my 2 Cents...I've worked from home for over 13 years & we now have 3 kids (13, 11 & 8) & before they all went to school, I basically worked at night after they went to bed & at least all of Sat or Sun, depending how much work I had to do. Relying on being able to work while they are napping is spotty at BEST. Most days, it just won't happen! But I think if you figure out the COSTS of you working outside of your home...child care, gas, clothes & eating out, you may find that taking a title & pay cut is worth the benefits to your family. The idea of working for Health Insurance, that is great thing, it is SO expensive to pay on your own (we do!!) that might be the main reason to go try this.

If you can pay for a Mother's Helper or work in the evenings when your husband is home, it is a very wonderful situation to be in, IMO. Even better if you can pay for someone to clean, too!

Personally, I set up a daily schedule for us--trips to the zoo, sea world, library, parks, grocery store & errands in the mornings, planning to come home after we'd had our packed lunch. If they went to sleep o the drive home, I'd work in my office & set out my priorities & when my husband was home & dinner done, he'd read & play with them until bedtime & if I needed to keep working, then I'd work until 1 or 2 am. I also didn't do outside activities EVERY am, just 2 or 3 mornings, so that we didn't feel crazy. Once my oldest was old enough, 2 yrs--we started going to a local Mommy & Me program T-Th 8:30 to 11:30 & that really helped structure my days. It also got them into the "habit" of school. Mind you, $h*t happens & this was my IDEAL. Not my reality every day. Also, my work load would vary each week, & as long as I stayed discipled, it was the best of both worlds. Of course, I was NEVER that discipled with the house work, that is another story!!

My husband and I are both at home parents. I do work for an outside company and it would be very hard to balance caring for my children and completing the needed work. Not knowing the specifics of your situation it is hard for me to suggest if you could do it or not.

This sounds like something great that would be wonderful if it would work out! A boss you like is a huge plus- and if the job is something you are comfortable with, it would be great if you could make it work- even if you needed to get a sitter or something to come in for part of the day, just being at home with the kids while they grow is an awesome part of working from home. I can also help out from time to time if necessary.

I've been working from home w/ kids for 4 years, varying from 10-40+ hours a week. I love it. I had a lot of trial and error, and I found that anything more than 10-12 hours per week and I needed to find childcare. Realistically I can get in about 2 hours of work per day without it. I did more than that for awhile but I got burned out from having work hanging over my head every evening and weekend when my husband was home, just because we didn't have childcare during the week, a nap didn't happen, etc.

I've also had some challenges learning to be fully present with the kids. For example, my son would sit down and start coloring, and I'd seize the opportunity to dash off to send an email. I had trouble relaxing and going with the flow of the day with the kids, because there was always this churn/pressure of work calling and I was always waiting around for the opportunity to do it. And if they didn't nap one day, I'd be stressed! Also, meetings and phone calls can be tricky. Guaranteed if you schedule a conference call during naptime, that's the day they won't go to sleep. As for working during naps, that was always hit or miss for me. When the 2nd nap got dropped, I had to figure out a new strategy. I'd advise you to not rely on naptimes as your only time to do the work. Get *some* childcare, even if it's just one day a week of having a babysitter come over.

We tried different arrangements (nanny, daycare) and finally settled on bringing them to a small daycare/preshool nearby. Otherwise every time I left my office to pee or get a snack, I'd have two little ones clinging to my legs. :)

I found that the key for me to being able to really enjoy it is to set actual work hours and get childcare during at least part of those hours (hubby can cover the rest). It helps me be focused at work, and really present with the kids when my scheduled work hours are done.

Good luck! It sounds like this is a fantastic opportunity for you!

I've worked from home (part-time) for almost two years now. It requires a lot of communication between you and your boss, and you also need to see how your child behaves. Of course it's great to work during naptime, but around the time my child hit 13 months, she became very active, dropped down to one nap, and became mobile. I ended up asking one of my good mommy friends to come over with her daughters 3 x/ week for 3 hours each time to keep my daughter occupied and out of my hair; essentially becoming my part-time nanny and we agreed on a reasonable hourly rate. That arrangement has worked very well, and I have two good friends who are my backup sitters and accept a babysitting trade as payment.

My company is in NYC so I'm at my desk by 6:30 am; my kid wakes up between 7:30 and 8:30 am, and the nanny is here from 8:30 - 11:30. You learn to stay focused and be efficient.

In short, it's doable with some help and support.

My Husband and are both stay at home parents. We both work the same business. It is incredible. We have a 2 year old daughter and a 8 year old son. It is awesome to be home for our son when he gets off the bus, and be able to see the firsts and experience all of the wonders of our daughter. My son has been in a daycare since he was four, and we missed a lot of his development. We lost a little daughter to Leukemia when she was 19 months old 4 years ago. Being home is awesome, you just need to find a little balance, not a lot because being a parent there is no such thing as perfect balance. You need to be self-disciplined, and have a goal that you are so passionate about you are willing to keep going. Because if you don't get the job done, no will and you won't pay bills. If you are interested, send me a message and we can chat.
Good luck and let me know if I can help
H.

Hi L.,

It all depends on the details:
- Is your son quiet or very active? Does he prefers puzzles or drums?
- Can he play alone and keep himself happy or will he need you around at all time?
- How many hours will you need to complete your task every day? Will naptime be sufficient?
- What kind of job is it? (you can happily play with your son while filling envelops but talking with customers/emailing will require your full attention.
- Are the hours flexible (no need to call a customer at 2:00, just when your son decides to have a meltdown)
- Are you a very disciplined person? Can you focus or do you get easily distracted?
- Would you define yourself and your days as organized or messy?

Answering these type of questions for yourself will help you understand better if this is the right opportunity for you.

Here is my experience:
I've been working at home since about a year before my son was born, so nearly 4 years now.
The 2 first years, I was working full time for a European company. I had to be at my desk at the latest at 5am if I wanted to be able to communicate all what was needed with them (we had 7 hours difference). After 11am (6pm there), I was doing the "administrative" work that didn't need interaction with colleagues or customers. As long as my son was a baby, it worked very well. A great part of the work was done even before he would wake up and then, at 2pm I was done and could focus entirely on my son (until the evening when I would do 1-2 hours more). I carried my baby on a front sling when he was an infant and, after always had an eye on him. We completely baby-proofed the room I worked in, just in case.
When he turned 1, it got harder. He was more mobile and more demanding. I got all these sweet-sour feelings. When I was working, I was feeling guilty because I wasn't playing with him and when I was playing with him, I was feeling guilty because the work didn't get done! I was with him but at the same time my brain was at work.

Then, I got pregnant with my daughter and just informed my boss that I couldn't do full time anymore and I cut my hours to 20 hours/week.
As my son got more active and I was more tired (pregnant), these 20 hours were harder to complete than the previous 40 hours!

When my daughter was born, I quit my job (with the option to come back part-time) as I knew that managing the 2 of them would be too much. And, my baby daughter is much more active and social than my son. I know now for sure that, even with only her, I couldn't have done what I did with my son as a baby.

Now, I'm back to working from home - for our own business - but, this time with a nanny to take care of them while I work. So, it's like working outside, except that I get to have lunch with them and don't spend any minute in my commute.

Whatever you decide, good luck!

Having done this, my best advise is to hire a local teenager or college student or grandma-type, who wants to make a bit of extra money, to play with your son after the nap and before dinner time. This gives you the morning to play with him and take him to classes and other activities you want to do with him and you give him his nap and have the sitter arrive when he usually wakes up and plays with him, takes him for a walk, interact, wear him out and be responsible but you are immediately around if you are really, really needed. The challenge is that he can't see you because then he knows that you are there and will want to be with you. The other option is work at night after he is asleep. That's harder because you are tired too and not at peek performance. Doing this is possible and, a good boss is hard to find, but it does take a lot of coordination and organization to prepare yourself and your baby to be apart. Also remember that as he grows his needs will change, like he'll go from 2 naps to 1, and then your sitter needs will need to be adjusted too. A trick is to be sure to check if more money is coming in then going out. It is all doable, but it is a learned skill, balancing a career and a baby. Good luck.

********* JUST ADDED********
P.S. Think creatively about how you want to be paid. Maybe health insurance for a lower salary or you can ask if your childcare bills can be a benefit with a budget, which would allow you to not get taxed on money that is immediately going out, this can also alter your tax bracket which can effect your annual taxes needing to be paid saving you money in the long run.

I have an 8 month old and work from home and am glad to share my experience. I work 12 - 20 hours a week. 20 hours a week is a little intense. My pay doesn't add much to the pot, but some. I think it can be helpful to allot your earnings to something in particular (savings, utilities, or your own pocket money), otherwise it can feel like it doesn't really help the budget.

I actually get a lot of work done when my little one is playing. I always feel like naptime is too short and I am on edge just waiting for her to wake up :) I also get some work done when my husband comes home. I have my materials in a tote that I bring to where ever I'll be working (the yard, the nursery, living room, etc). I can also see how a desk or a mother's helper (ie: canceling out your pay!) would be helpful.

I also go into my workplace a couple times a week. I love getting out and talking to people and my daughter likes this extra community of people who are always happy to see her. I also have a really good email relationship with my supervisor, which helps a LOT.

I still haven't found a way to make things completely stress-free with the work, but really appreciate the variety it adds to my life.

Good luck!

Hi L., one thing to think about - eventually he will stop taking 2 naps a day, and as he gets more active and "into things," you will have to spend a lot of time following him around, playing, etc. Would it be possible for you to get a sitter occasionally if really needed (so you could get work done)? Is your work deadline-dependent? Could you work late at night if needed?
I worked at home for a bit a while back and it took tremendous discipline on my part (which I don't have) and my entire house turned into my workplace, so I could never get away (we didn't have space for a "home office"). I personally didn't love it but it might have been the type of work I was trying to do from home.

I have a home business. Before 18 months its really hard to get anything done unless they are napping. If its work you can do on your own time, including when your baby goes down at night, it possible. But if you need to take phone calls and work on other peoples time lines and deadlines would be very hard. But its worth a try if the alternative is working away from home.

I haved worked from home for the last 5 years. My twins just turned 2. Depending on the type of work, you may find it necessary to have a child care person with your son so that you can work. I tried to work without help and my 8 hour day took 12 or more hours to complete. Don't forget that over time, you will probably drop a nap too... The days I have to work without child care help, I feel like I'm both a sub-par mom and sub-par employee so my two cents would be to get a mothers helper for the times you need to work and your son is awake...

My sister worked from home and she was still stressed. She had to wind up getting a babysitter to be there to let her work. I don't mean to be a downer but that has been her experience. Your son will want to be with you and not understand that you are working. Another case, my husband works from home but we also have a babysitter that we drop him off to and he goes to school. My son is 4 years old. When he's had to stay home because of sickness my husband tells me our son won't leave him alone for a minute. If you decide to take this road, be clear on all of the possibilities.

Like any other job situation, working from home has its pros and cons. I love the flexibility it provides and you will too. Plus no commute! However, even if your son reliably naps now, sooner or later his nap sked will change. Start looking around for a babysitter or nanny, or find a friend/s willing to trade child care for free. Eventually if you're working from home you will need child care help because you CANNOT get quality work done if your child is awake in the house with you. For years my stay-at-home work went great because my firstborn napped 3 hours every afternoon. When that got shorter, and eventually disappeared, and I had a second child, I hired a local teen to come for a few hours a couple of times a week so I knew I would at least have that many uninterrupted hours to devote to work. This will not be a major financial burden if you're also able to do some of your work at night or on weekends when your hubby is home or your child is asleep. Also make sure you have a workspace in your house that is out of sight of your child and will be fairly quiet, where you won't hear a lot of the kid noise (and neither will your client when you're on the phone.) Figure out what your schedule allows, have a plan B for when you need the child care and good luck!

Make sure you calculate how much time per day you could actually get work done. Then that is your work schedule. Maybe it's only 20 hours/week. Maybe it's less. 20 hours is a pretty big amount in my opinion.

I worked from home as a way to come back from maternity leave slower (it was great). When my daughter was around 3 months old and would sleep a lot (especially in a baby wrap), I could work at the computer with no problem. Not too long later she got active enough to make it difficult. Now if I have to stay home with her I basically let everyone know I'll only have a chance to occasionally check email and that's it. I want to give her my attention when we're together, so working and "watching" at the same time are not possible.

Another mom had a good point that when he stops taking naps you lose that work time.

When you talk to your boss make sure to find out how much work s/he would need you to do, and how flexible the hours can be. Look back on how long it took you to do that much work before, and realize that at home you would be interrupted a lot. Would your boss be willing to have you work only 20 hours/week? Would sporadic hours be ok? Be sure to ask.

Good luck!

I'll be honest -- it can be tough working from home with full-time childcare responsibilities, too. My husband and I run two businesses from home, and we are constantly on the go and almost always feeling like there's more that we want to do for our businesses than we have time for.

A lot of times I feel like I am just waiting for my little guy to fall asleep so I can get something done, then it feels like he is waking up too soon before I have accomplished all I want. When I stop and think about that, it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I want to be excited to see him and play with him when he wakes up, not cringe because I still have more emails to write! So as you can see, it can be a very tough balance. It takes a lot of planning and organization, and without that you can fall into the trap of feeling like you do neither parenting or your job very well.

I do think your situation, with "less responsibility," will help out. Obviously as business owners, we have to wear all different types of hats, so our situation may be unique compared to yours. My biggest piece of advice would be to start out slowly if possible to make sure that you don't overextend yourself. Good luck! The rewards of being there to watch your child grow up are great.

I enter "Timeslips" for an Attorney which creates their billing and I also sell Avon. I usually do Timeslips when my husband is home, during naps, or after everyone is in bed. I meet with people with my Avon and it gives me a chance to have adult talk (if you know what I mean) and make extra money.
I have three kids ages 8, 3 and 1. My 8 year old is in school and we are going to start my 3 year old in preschool soon.
You can do it. Its good to have something else you are doing to add a change and it's great if you can do something from home so you can be there for your son and make extra money. It's the best of both world's in my opinion.
I hope this helps and not to promote Avon for personal purposes, I'm glad I'm doing it. If you have any questions on Avon let me know.
K.

Hi :) This sounds like a wide open door! Wow. And you would just need to work out the details of how to fit it to your baby. You could try google calendar and print out the sheet for the day or the week and estimate how much time for things (I love to write things on a schedule, sometimes then rearrange them). Have fun! God bless.

Hello! I have 2 kids that are 16 months apart, when they were little I had to work from home as my husband was a college student. It was not easy, but I am really glad I did it. They are 12 and 13 now.
I have my own buisness, but I would ask your boss what kind of deadlines to expect, and if he cares when you do the work. I worked at nap times and also at night, but your position may require you to do all of your work during buisness hours.
If the latter is the case, you may consider having a babysitter come into your home during the morning hours say 9-12 a coouple of days a week to entertain your son while you work. Your son will be easing into one nap soon, so the afternoon would take care of itself. I didnt do this, we couldnt afford it, but it would have made my life alot easier. Good luck, and good for you that you are choosing to be at home! J.

It highly depends on when you can do your work and what kind of work you do. I worked from home for the past year and a half (I have a 1 yr old and a 5 yr old). My job was primarily paperless and done on the computer (reviewing documents, sending emails, data entry, etc.)

I had to be available during the day, but could do most of my work whenever I had time.

It is a trade off. It feels great to be at home with your child, but it is less "quality" time becuase your focus may be on work. If you do anything technical, it is best done during naptime otherwise your work may suffer.

i worked full-time from home from 2003 to 2008, and from 2004 with twins. You won't be able to do 8 to 5. So, i usually got up around 5 am worked until my kids woke up. Then spent time with them until naptime, worked some more during naptime. Then when my husband would return from work I would work until midnight. I got 5 hrs sleep first few years of my kids' lives but it was worth it. I made up for lost hours on weekends when hubby would take over. When kids turned 3 it became much easier for me. I would be able to work 4 hrs straight between meals, but also break away to play with them or attend to them. I learned to never use kids as an excuse for unfinished work. i never had unfinished work. If something was due and it was still unfinished i just did not sleep that night. I quit that job because of one of my daughters health problems that arouse after those years, and emotionally i couldn't do it anymore.
Not that things are back to normal here I will be looking to doing the same thing.
it is very doable, as long as you plan around your kids' schedule.
good luck

I worked from home for 2 years and I loved it, I miss being able to. It takes a lot of discipline and organizing but totally worth it.
I wouldn't set a goal of full time unless you can work in the evenings.
Invite a babysitter (someone you can pay $5 and hour for a couple of hours a week) to come play.
Set aside a specific place to work-having to move stuff to eat dinner or having cereal spilled on work papers is not a good plan.

Your hubby is going to have to pick up the slack. Explain that you are now holding two full time jobs and he needs to help with the cleaning, cooking, and child watching in order for you to pull it off.
Good luck!