Information and Links
Join the fray by commenting, tracking what others have to say, or linking to it from your blog.
Do Telecommuters Need a Babysitter?
I applaud every WAHM who can actually work from home and care for their children at the same time. There was a time when I juggled kids and a freelance career. I don’t have any children, but I worked in my mother’s home daycare for several years. It takes time to grow a freelance business, so I multi-tasked as a childcare provider and writer. It was hard, but I did it. Of course, my mother and sister were also in the house, wherein I could disappear in 30 minute increments to complete writing assignments.
Still, the laughter, crying, and constant movement was a huge distraction. A mini crisis occurred every time I got into a writing zone and I would have to abruptly stop my thought and care for the children. Staying on schedule was impossible. I would plan to write ten articles a day, but I was fortunate to complete four or five.
How do work at home moms do it?
I realize it depends largely on the child. Some children know how to entertain themselves, wherein WAHMs can complete their assignments with few disruptions. Then again, some children require a lot of attention. They want mommy to play, watch television, or read a book - which is okay. This is the reason why many women choose to work at home. Rather than devote 30 or more hours to outside employment, they prefer self-employment and quality time with their children.
Even so, mothers need time to work. Sure, you can always wake-up early or go to bed late. I know a few WAHMs who begin their day as early as 4 a.m. If you can live with this type of schedule - more power to you! However, most people can’t function at this hour - at least I can’t.
I know that hiring a babysitter kind of defeats your purpose. The idea is to be with your children so that they don’t need a childcare provider. Yet, some telecommuters can’t balance work and children. Sometimes, all it takes is two or three hours of no interruptions. You don’t have to enroll them in daycare. Hire a college student or trade-off babysitting services with another WAHM. Afterwards, you can spend the rest of the day with your kids and enjoy a full eight hours sleep.
Technorati Tags: work at home, telecommuters, WAHM, freelance, writer, children, mother
I was a babysitter for a stay at home mom who just needed a little break every now and again to do housework and errands. She was a bit over her head both of whom needed a lot of attention. The children barely noticed the change in routine, because I just played with them for a couple hours. I highly recommend a babysitter, because it took a load off this mom’s shoulders and allowed her to have more QUALITY time with her children.