Freelancing and being a mom
This morning I called my sister, as I do almost every morning. Her two boys, 2 and 5, were watching Ninja Turtles. “Do you have poo-poos?” Sarah asked the little one. “Bring me your diaper and let’s get you changed.”
“Sarah, I should go,” I said.
“Oh, you don’t have to go. I can handle a dirty diaper and a call at the same time.”
Yes, she can. She’s done it dozens of times with me since she became a mom. But could she stop a child from chasing the dog with a T-rex toy while finishing a newsletter series for a telephony company?
Beats me. I know I couldn’t do it. I just read an article this morning about women leaving the workforce because of the economy. According to the article, the percentage of working women ages 25 to 54 was 74.9 percent in 2000. The number fell to 72.7 percent in June.
One would think that the number of freelancers or small businesses would grow when the mothers moved home. Mothers are smart, organized, innovative and great at multitasking. I bet many of them will be finding ways to make money from home.
But I don’t know how they do it. This morning I had to walk up to the grocery store to buy milk and fruit, then I stressed out because I had to make coffee, cook oatmeal and do a little research before my first teleconference, which is in 4 minutes. How would I do all that if I had two little ones at my feet?
I admire moms who can work from home. And I’m very glad I’m not one. 
The cat is enough.
Posts
Sara Best on 22 Jul 2008 at 9:16 am #
Mine are 6 and 3 and I send them to daycare during the day so that I can work.
It drives me crazy when people ask what I do for a living and I say that I’m a freelance writer. The next question is always, wow, that must be hard with the kids running around all day and when I explain that they’re in daycare I always get that “Ah” response colored by the “so you’re like the worst mother in the world” tone.
I can see that they’re thinking that obviously freelance writing isn’t a real job and that we all know I just sit home all day watching TV and playing on the computer and yet I still ship my kids off to daycare for someone else to raise.
It really drives me nuts. Mothers who work outside of the home are allowed to send their kids to daycare without reproach. Why not me?
Sorry for the rant but your post touched a nerve
Cheryl Greene on 22 Jul 2008 at 1:24 pm #
I’ve worked from home since Austin (now 13) was a baby. At first I was embarrassed by the fact that I didn’t work in a “real office”, but I’ve grown to appreciate the freedom it offers me to work according to “my own style”.
When Austin was very young, I often had help come in to take care of him while I worked or I used a daycare. Now he’s pretty independent. He (and the other kids) are very good about watching noise levels whenever I’m on the phone.
I love working from home. It allows me to be my own boss, do work that is very fulfilling to me, AND have the flexibility to be involved with my kids at key times.
Power to working (from home) moms!
Anonymous Mom on 22 Jul 2008 at 2:25 pm #
Telephone headsets are a working-from-home mom’s best friend! Ever been on a long boring teleconference, waiting for the section of the conversation where your input is needed? Tempted to read email instead of listening? Then you hear, excuse me? Is [insert your name here] still on the call?
This has happened to me. And while email is an important thing to get done, my mind tends to leave the call. Not so with dishes, laundry, or making the bed. I’ve found that a good headset with a mute button allows me to listen AND get something done.
It’s also great to have mute and hands free for putting the dog out, wiping a dripping nose, and making a fresh pot of coffee
steph on 22 Jul 2008 at 6:33 pm #
Oh, I can’t tell you how WITH YOU I am on this one!!
steph on 22 Jul 2008 at 6:35 pm #
I’m also a bit surprised that more moms are staying home. I mean, I would want to, but just as a married woman with no kids, I can barely afford to stay home, and I mean, we’re living off credit between my erratic and often late paycheques.
steph on 22 Jul 2008 at 6:36 pm #
(Damn those student loans!!)
Ellynn on 24 Jul 2008 at 12:02 pm #
As a mother of 3, I had to quit my job because I couldn’t afford to work. After daycare, travel expenses, and general work expenses, I was bringing home $50 a week. That was it. I was essentially paying someone else to raise my kids for the pure privilege of a full time job. So I quit my (rather well-paying) job, and now I go to school in the day time, hubby works at night, and I waitress part-time on the weekends for a little extra dough. I make way less as a waitress technically, but I bring home a lot more of it and my kids are never in daycare. It just made more sense to us.