When I was young and newly married, it was my fantasy to be a stay at home mom and housewife, while my husband went off to work to bring home the bacon. My mom had done the same thing, as had my mother in law, so both my husband and I agreed that that was the kind of home life we wanted for our own family. And it worked... for a while. I spent my days playing with our oldest son, taking him for walks, making homemade baby food, cleaning the house to perfection, and cooking hot dinners that we'd all sit down to when daddy got home from work. Little did I know that in just a matter of a few years, I would find myself taking care of two children, cleaning the house, cooking hot meals... and working full time to support my own, one-parent household. That's right, like so many other marriages today, mine didn't make it. But that didn't mean I was ready to give up my dream of being a stay at home mom. I was determined to stay at home, and my dedication to this priority is what led to my freelance writing career. If you, too, are a single parent, wondering how you might benefit from working from home, consider the following:
Flexible scheduling. Most work from home opportunities allow you to set your own schedule. That means you can work in the morning, before the kids wake up, after you tuck the kids into bed at night, during the day while the kids are at school... basically, you can work when you don't have to care for your kids, and you can care for your kids when they need you.
Missed days. One complaint I hear from single mothers who work outside of the home is that any time they have to miss work due to child sickness, doctor's appointments, field trips or any other child-related circumstances, they are worried about paying consequences on the job. That's horrible and unfair, but it's a reality - and one you don't have to deal with when you set your own work schedule, from home.
Being around. The thing I like most about working from home is that I'm always here with my children. Sure, it can get stressful (okay, sometimes I feel like pulling my hair out), and I've had to set some clear ground rules and designate a private, mommy-only work area, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. At the end of the day, I go to bed knowing that I am spending most of my time with my children, and not at an office.
Of course, it wasn't easy, and it took a lot of trial and error to find my right fit, but the important thing is I stayed positive and was able to see the bigger picture: that all the hard work would eventually pay off. I know that if you are determined, persistent, and (most of all) patient, you can find a work from home opportunity that works for you, and that enables you to make the most of the time you have with your children, while they are still children.
