Help me figure out how to make this work

amother

Mon, Jul 12 2010, 2:13 pm

I've been looking for a WAH job for a while and BH just found one.

However, its a day-time sales job. I really need to take this job for parnossa reasons, so I would like to make it work, but I need some guidance on how to do so.

I have a very active 15 month old toddler at home and I'm about 2 months preg. I'm not feeling good, and I'm very nauseous:( and I'm very occupied with my toddler. I chose to be a SAHM to be with my DS, but I feel that by working I'm going to be feeling very overwhelmed with his antics and him running around, talking loudly when I'm on the phone, making a mess etc, and therefore lose my temper, get frustrated etc....

I'yh if things go well, I will hire a cleaning lady a few times a week to do the big things so that I don't have to worry about that. But, I'll still have to do the everyday sweeping, dishes, beds etc.

As for sending my ds to a playgroup, I really don't feel he's ready for it yet (and I dont think I'm ready for it yet either:-/) so he will prob have to be home with me.

So, any ideas on how to make this work? What do the rest of you do, with babies and kids at home while you're working?

Thanks everyone!!!

ora_43

Mon, Jul 12 2010, 2:26 pm

Is it a job where you'll have to clock in and out, or can you set your own hours? Will you need quiet in order to make calls?

If it's OK to have some background noise, I'd say the ideal would be having a babysitter come to you. Maybe you could have someone in the morning, then put your toddler down for a nap in the early afternoon and finish work while he sleeps? (does he nap?)

I've kept babies home with me while I work without a babysitter, but never at 15 months if it was for longer than an hour or two. At that point it's really not possible to give enough attention to the child and to work, in my experience.

TwinsMommy

Mon, Jul 12 2010, 2:42 pm

I've been working at home the whole life of my 3 and a half year old twins.

At the beginning I got lots of work done while they did tummy time and batted at toys.... a little later I could put them in a gated area in my home office with lots of toys and still get lots done... but around 9-10 months is when I stopped being able to work at all while they were home and awake. From then through now--- if they're home and awake, I'm on them, not working. Or I had a sitter come in.

Luckily at 15 months you get naptime, after bedtime, and you can have a sitter for the rest.

I work 20 ish hours a week.

As far as "everyday sweeping, dishes beds, etc" go...... being a work at home mom for me means my kids come first and my work comes second--- EVERYTHING else comes a very distant third. For me it's more important to work out and keep up with laundry than to sweep or make beds. I cannot TELL you the last time I made the bed. My husband and I have a deal that if I do laundry, he does dishes. It means the dishes get done every other day rather than every day and I've learned to let go of caring.

If I want a clean house, I have to give up on my kids or on work and both are more important to me. I figure when my kids are out of the house, my house will be clean and I'll be lonely. Smile

Hashemlovesme

Mon, Jul 12 2010, 4:58 pm

I work part time (20 plus hours a week) Sun through Thurs, have a 20 month old & am in my 7th month. I don't even bother trying to work while dd is around. My hours are flexible so I try to do about 1 1/2 hrs in the morning while she is napping (if I'm up to it, otherwise I take a nap) & can (sometimes) do some dishes & laundry while she's up. I have a babysitter take her out for a few hrs in the afternoon & work then. I find that SHE really enjoys & needs that outside stimulation that she can't get @ home w/ me (even if I do take her to the park). I can work @ night as well, though I don't usually have the energy.

@ a dif pt I had to work 4 set hours each day & had her @ a sitter during that time.

amother

Mon, Jul 12 2010, 8:35 pm

TwinsMommy wrote:

As far as "everyday sweeping, dishes beds, etc" go...... being a work at home mom for me means my kids come first and my work comes second--- EVERYTHING else comes a very distant third. For me it's more important to work out and keep up with laundry than to sweep or make beds. I cannot TELL you the last time I made the bed. My husband and I have a deal that if I do laundry, he does dishes. It means the dishes get done every other day rather than every day and I've learned to let go of caring.

If I want a clean house, I have to give up on my kids or on work and both are more important to me. I figure when my kids are out of the house, my house will be clean and I'll be lonely. Smile

TwinsMommy - This sounds just like me! (Except that I don't have twins.) I'm now working at home with two kids, a 2 yr old toddler and a 2 month old infant. I can only work for VERY short amounts of time when my toddler is up, just a few minutes here and there when he's playing intently with his toys. I most definitely could not be on a sales call when he's up; all of my work is online, not over the phone.

For the summer when you're starting, can you hire a mother's helper for an hour or two a day? Other than that, work during your child's naptime and after bedtime. That does mean, though, that all chores and everything else has to be done when your child is up. Harder than it sounds. (Did you ever try washing the kitchen floor with an active toddler?)

If you have a yard, you can invest in a water table or something similar and see if that keeps her busy for a while when you're on the phone, but of course you'll have to be supervising her closely.

Good luck!