Since I went AWOL from the corporate world last fall, I’ve been operating my home-based freelance writing business with the help of part-time child care. Basically, I had three hours each weekday morning to get my work done. I optimistically hoped I’d get more done during afternoon naps or after the kids went to bed at night. Ha! Rarely happened. I still had a household to run, and it was constantly staring me in the face.
Fast-forward a few months, and my workload was most definitely FULL-TIME. Three hours a day = not cutting it. I finally made the call — for the success of my business and my own sanity — to move to full-time child care last week.
It’s a bit of a complicated juggle (as many childcare arrangements are). My husband drops Cassie off at preschool in the morning, along with baby James to our sitter Karen (who drops her son off at preschool and then takes James home with her). Cassie goes home with Karen when school ends at noon, and both kids stay at her house until I pick them up after 5. But some days (depending on how many kids are with her that day), I go to Karen’s to watch the kids while she picks up our two preschoolers and brings them home.
Sounds exhausting, but it’s totally worth the effort. Cassie’s school rocks, and Karen rocks. I value quality education and childcare over convenience or cost savings, any day of the week.
Meanwhile, I’ve been cranking, people. And I love it! I often work in sweats, comfy on the couch with my laptop and a hot cup of coffee. I take calls, respond to emails, Tweet and Facebook like a madwoman (hey, I’m getting paid for it!) and write, write, write. It’s so much fun to have enough time to work (barely), and still have more time with the kids (more than I had when I was working in an office, anyway).
I’m proud that I was able to build my business up so quickly, enough that I can afford the high price of full-time childcare/Montessori preschool and still have money leftover. Infinite possibilities, I tell ya!
Gotta run — time to head to Karen’s and watch the kids during preschool pickup. Such is the life of a WAHM!
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10 thoughts on “Full Time Again – and It Feels Good”
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That is awesome Susan. Congrats on the success. You def. deserve it!
That shounds awesome! Let me know if you need a WAH secretary to manage your day to day! 😉
It seems you are loving it. What kind of home business do you run at home?
I'm about to lose my full time job and I'm looking for options.
Congrats! You're livin the dream, man. Livin the dream. And obviously your home-business building is a reflection on the great work and networking you did for "the man".
I know that feeling have having to actually suck it up and admit that I can't do a full time job in part time hours. Child care is a must in that situation. Glad you found something that works, and free from guilt, of course.
Congratulations hon! I worked from home for 8 years and LOVED it. Looming school tuition drove me back into the rat race, but I know that some day I will likely pursue that option again. So happy that it is ramping up so quickly for you!
Isn't it great? With my oldest in all-day kindergarten, that basically gives me a full day to work each day, and if things are really crazy, she goes home with a friend and plays there until 5-ish. Now that we have the baby, I work it out every week how often to send her to the sitter. If work is busy, she goes more often. If things are slower, I'll keep her home and work during naps. And it's GREAT when someone has to go to the doctor or there's a snow day.
Sometimes the flexibility has drawbacks – I find myself working nights and weekends a lot if I've chosen to have more day time with the kids. Basically, working from home with kids means you're either working or taking care of children. But I love that I can be there for them more, take them to school, etc. AND make more money than I did working in an office.
Ok, i am confused. I thought you quit working at a job full-time to be able to spend more time with your kids? How is this arrangement any different? It seems you don't get any more time with them than a full-time, working-in-an-office mom?
Thanks to all for your kind words of congrats. I really am happy, and it's nice to know you're happy for me.
To Anon, as I said back in Sept., "I don't want to go into the reasons I left the job. Let's just say it's the best thing for me." It wasn't "to spend more time with my family," as male politicians always like to say when they leave office for most likely other (political) reasons.
Sure, I want to spend more time with my kids — and even with FT child care, I DO compared to when I worked in an office. I think I'm at a good place for me and my family, time-wise and money-wise, and in my mind that's what is most important.
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Lucy
http://businesseshome.net