Out of House Working Momma's To ...

Is your career experience something people would pay you to do as a consultant? Can you do it on the side, in your own time?

I want to be a sahm too! Badly! But I'm primary breadwinner. My desire to spend more time with my kids gets trumped by my need to feed and clothe them! Jobs are too hard to come by. Especially jobs with good benefits. Retirement money is essential, especially now that Social Security is under attack. So, yeah, without those lucky lotto numbers, I've got years of the grind ahead of me too!

I don't know what you do but the first thing I would do is ask your boss for flex hours. On the days I have my kids I am home when they get off the bus. Translated to you it would mean two or three days a week you could be there for your kids when they needed you without losing the full time money.

I am a work at home mom and I work very PT because we do need a few bucks with a kid in college and one going next year. And I sometimes want my own money, too, and pay my own car ins. and that sort of thing. I have, however, pulled from a small inheritance to keep floating. My taxes really stink. I am not contributing to my retirement like I should. I am lucky that DH has a good job.

I finally went freelance after my work situation got so terrible I was physically ill thinking about it. I did look for other FT work, but nothing came through so I started to freelance. One downside of WAH is that I'm always "on". Yesterday I took SD to an appointment, back to school, picked her up from school, went to the bank, spent time with DD, did house stuff and worked. PTA? No. I have a friend whose daughter is in a co-op preschool. While they have many benefits, I don't have the required time to spare right now.

I also know that there are very few jobs that will give me the 4 weeks' vacation I earned at the old company (new owners thereof caps you at 3 now) and that was after 6 years. I interviewed one place that was 2 weeks, forever and ever, amen. When I return (and I plan to), it will be an adjustment.

Do you have leave banked so you can get time off here? Try to make the most of what you CAN do vs what you can't. Your 13 yr old can help you with her own laundry. I wailed when I was 12 and my aunt got the brilliant (for her) idea to make her girls do their own...because that gave MY mom the same idea! But it worked out. Our teens do/did their own and frankly it helps. SD is also supposed to fold towels since she uses so many of them.

Take a real look at not just the finances (he has a point about the pensions) but your time. What is eating your time so you can't do some of the things you want? Can that be changed?

You could try going to part time to start and once you have a budget figured out on a part time salary, take it from there. There are opportunities to work at home. I don't know what type of business you are in, but is there an opportunity to work at home a couple of days per week? Is there some aspect of the business you're in that you can do as an independent contractor from home? If you truly want to do this, you will be able to figure it out. Just keep your eyes and ears open for any opportunity that comes your way!

You can volunteer and help with the PTO and still work out of the house as a lot of it can be done in the evenings and weekends.

I go have lunch with my son 1 day a week. 30m of time with him and his friends. I take vacation days to attend field trips, or just go hang out at the school.

I send in supplies that the teacher needs. If she needs help with class projects, they get sent home and I send them back. I also email the teacher sometimes and ask important questions to my kid to catch him off guard so that he will know that if something happens I will find out.

My sis used to go in once a week on reading days to help the teacher when she was trying to assess the students.

You can be involved and still work out of the home.

I help many folks with college funds and with becoming a stay at home parent. I own 4 franchises on the internet. I don't know if it would be a good fit for you but I am doing a webinar tonight if you would like to watch it. This way you can learn about the concept of internet franchising right from the comfort of your home. Here is the link if you would like to join in. I know it's last minute but I still have a couple of openings on the webinar. Space is limited though. You will need to pre-register.

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/608010352

I do love spending time with my children but I also love my job,well like it a lot. It doesn't pay much, but I work with great people. I also like the adult conversation and how I'm much more appreciated at work than at home.

Have the kiddos help more around the house if they aren't.

I don't like doing dishes, laundry and cooking (only sometimes cooking) but that's my life and I don't want a messy house either. So do what I have to do and enjoy when I don't have to do the cleaning...