Want to be SAHM but can't...ideas for telecommuting jobs?

[Anonymous]

Telecommuting is not a substitute for childcare. Period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Telecommuting is not a substitute for childcare. Period.

Agreed - but if you are in a field that's project/deliverable-based rather than clock-in clock-out, there may be more leeway to work out a care rotation with spouse/family/friends so you can get your work done when you've got someone there to help with CC. Telecommuting positions sometimes allow flexible hours. I think about how much of my "core" hours are truly get-down-to-work busy. I'm not the only one looking at DCUM during the day...

[Anonymous]

OP, your baby is so young and tiny - only two weeks! Don't worry about going to work right now. When my baby was two weeks, I was a hormonal mess and cried at the thought of returning to work. Thanks to that lovely hormonal cocktail, you want nothing more than to be attached to your baby all day. Totally normal!

That being said - in a couple months you may feel differently. By the time my maternity leave was over, I knew that returning to work was the right decision for me. Also, at your currenet job, people know you - it's easier to go back to your old job, where people presumably already have a good impression of you and will cut you some slack, than to start at a new job when you have to prove yourself at work, and then also deal with that terrible overnight bootcamp that newborns put you through. Go back to work, then think about jobs that can give you flexibility (or see if you can make your current position more flexible), and make a calculated decision based both on your career ambitions, and what you think is best for your family.

I work FT, work remotely two days a week and I think it's a pretty awesome balance. When I work at home, I have child care, but I am spared the commute time and can have breakfast and lunch with DD. Good luck and congratulations on the new baby!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is why you consider this when you are 20. Should a woman change her mind and decide she wants to be at home, she should not feel pressured or in a state of panic. How many women have to go through this before the light goes off. Ding. Maybe I should plan a career based on the fact that I might want kids. Ding, maybe deciding what to do at the last minute won't work. Ding, even if I never have kids I will still be able to support myself.

This is not to be rude to you OP. It is because I post the same thing all the time and people act like its a bizarre concept. You don't ask this 2 weeks before you go back to work. You figure out a plan years before you have kids.

And this is helpful, how? You seem like the type of person who says, "I told you so!"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, your baby is so young and tiny - only two weeks! Don't worry about going to work right now. When my baby was two weeks, I was a hormonal mess and cried at the thought of returning to work. Thanks to that lovely hormonal cocktail, you want nothing more than to be attached to your baby all day. Totally normal!

That being said - in a couple months you may feel differently. By the time my maternity leave was over, I knew that returning to work was the right decision for me. Also, at your currenet job, people know you - it's easier to go back to your old job, where people presumably already have a good impression of you and will cut you some slack, than to start at a new job when you have to prove yourself at work, and then also deal with that terrible overnight bootcamp that newborns put you through. Go back to work, then think about jobs that can give you flexibility (or see if you can make your current position more flexible), and make a calculated decision based both on your career ambitions, and what you think is best for your family.

I work FT, work remotely two days a week and I think it's a pretty awesome balance. When I work at home, I have child care, but I am spared the commute time and can have breakfast and lunch with DD. Good luck and congratulations on the new baby!

I second this. This is very very good advice.

[Anonymous]

My office is not telecommuting friendly, given employees who have taken advantage of the system in the past. However, given my tenure at the company, as well as the way I approached a part-time telecommuting situation with my boss (with proper justification as to how it helps the company, instead of just myself), I was able to secure two days a week at home for six months upon my return from maternity leave. Will have full-time childcare, but I will not have a 60 minute commute, so its a good trade-off.

[Anonymous]

what exactly was the OP supposed to figure out at age 20? what careers in the future would be family friendly, what technology would be available that would change the job landscape, or that she only have been dating/marrying men for money so that SHE could have options. Not helpful.
I feel you OP. But other folks have good advice. How you feel at 2 weeks might be very different at 10 or 12 weeks. I was ready to come back. Can you ease back in? I was able to do 4 day work weeks for the first 3 months back (did take a 20% paycut but still worth it). Just know that EVERY mom on this board is trying to find the right balance. There is not a WOHM that hasn't wished for days to be at home and vice versa for SAHM who wish sometimes they were heading into the office. Try to focus just on your baby and getting yourself back to normal post partum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, your baby is so young and tiny - only two weeks! Don't worry about going to work right now. When my baby was two weeks, I was a hormonal mess and cried at the thought of returning to work. Thanks to that lovely hormonal cocktail, you want nothing more than to be attached to your baby all day. Totally normal!

That being said - in a couple months you may feel differently. By the time my maternity leave was over, I knew that returning to work was the right decision for me. Also, at your currenet job, people know you - it's easier to go back to your old job, where people presumably already have a good impression of you and will cut you some slack, than to start at a new job when you have to prove yourself at work, and then also deal with that terrible overnight bootcamp that newborns put you through. Go back to work, then think about jobs that can give you flexibility (or see if you can make your current position more flexible), and make a calculated decision based both on your career ambitions, and what you think is best for your family.

I work FT, work remotely two days a week and I think it's a pretty awesome balance. When I work at home, I have child care, but I am spared the commute time and can have breakfast and lunch with DD. Good luck and congratulations on the new baby!

I second this. This is very very good advice.

+1. Hormones have you more or less addicted to your newborn at this stage, in my opinion. You think he needs you there all day long, when in reality it's just you wanting to be around him all day long, at least in my experience.

[Anonymous]

As someone who telecommutes daily I can assure you that you cannot WAH & take care of your child. Conference calls & demanding child do not mix. As your child gets old they will not let you work they want you to focus on them. I have to send DS to daycare everyday in order to meet my work needs and I don't do anything that is too labor intensive.
WAH sounds very sexy but it is very hard. You have to remain focused with house distractions, it's very lonely (no one to office water cooler gab with). There are days I literally go to Target on my lunch break just for the human interaction.

Anyway, my point is you've likely over glamorized WAH and you simply wouldn't be happy with it because your main reason for wanting it would be something you couldn't have in the end (a way to stay at home with your child & remain the breadwinner )

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone who telecommutes daily I can assure you that you cannot WAH & take care of your child. Conference calls & demanding child do not mix. As your child gets old they will not let you work they want you to focus on them. I have to send DS to daycare everyday in order to meet my work needs and I don't do anything that is too labor intensive.
WAH sounds very sexy but it is very hard. You have to remain focused with house distractions, it's very lonely (no one to office water cooler gab with). There are days I literally go to Target on my lunch break just for the human interaction.

Anyway, my point is you've likely over glamorized WAH and you simply wouldn't be happy with it because your main reason for wanting it would be something you couldn't have in the end (a way to stay at home with your child & remain the breadwinner )

+1

I am a full-time WAH (100%) Fed. I always had childcare.

The benefit is no commute and more FaceTime with kids. I work 7-3:30 so I pick up elem. kids everyday after school.

[Anonymous]

I WAH when my child was a baby. Part-time. I had a sitter there, and as my baby got older, like 1 yr old, I was hiding from him in another part of the house, since if he saw me, he wanted me, had to separate from me all over again. I can remember having the sitter take him to his room so I could "sneak" into the kitchen. Just wanted to give a concrete example of how it can be.

[Anonymous]

I have worked from home as a freelancer for 6 years as the main income earner. I have 2 young children and manage fine. It depends on your line of work and if you are willing to work during naptime and bedtime.

[Anonymous]

Maybe your husband should focus on getting a job that would make him the breadwinner. What's he doing to help you find a solution?

[Anonymous]

I do college admissions consulting on the side. It's easily a six figure income if you want it to be. I mostly do it cause I enjoy it, but the extra income doesn't hurt either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I WAH when my child was a baby. Part-time. I had a sitter there, and as my baby got older, like 1 yr old, I was hiding from him in another part of the house, since if he saw me, he wanted me, had to separate from me all over again. I can remember having the sitter take him to his room so I could "sneak" into the kitchen. Just wanted to give a concrete example of how it can be.

I WFH once a week and I second this. I have to hide from my kids to get anything done. It's not easy.