OP, my friend's sister became a professional organizer after getting laid off from her job. It took her about a year or two to get her business off the ground, but she is doing pretty well now. She got some certifications or coursework, I assume through NAPO, and set up her website. I believe she offered to do some work pro-bono or at significantly reduced cost to get the advertisements. She networked and also found her niche-I think it's organizing with an eye towards being environmentally friendly and socially conscious. I think she's also worked with related businesses to share clients and advertising. It's a great field for a SAHM, if you have the skills for it. I would recommend looking at other professional organizers' website for ideas and credentials. Also call the NAPO and talk to someone there.

Good luck and ignore the negativity in some of the responses. We're all moms and dads here trying to do what's best for our families in our situations.

OP, it's possible that you should go back FT for a year or two to get skills back & then shoot for PT/WAHM stuff. If you go FT you can afford child care. Then you can leverage your salary/experience for the PT/WAHM job.

Yes, I am passionate about the environment, but more passionate about my kids.

This is going to be problematic in any job search, OP. The economy is still difficult. You want conditions many people want. Factor in your absence from the workforce and your attitude above, I would suggest your larger problem is your lack of pragmatic understanding of the job market and how to position yourself to be successful in that market.

You sound like someone looking for an "amusing" job or diversion. Odds are, that is not an accurate characterization of you. So you need to make sure that in your job search, you don't allow anyone to draw this conclusion.

People, go back and read the original post. all she asked was for some P-T/WAH job ideas. Plain and simple. She did not ask for an evaluation of all of her life choices, day care options, how she spends her time, why she doesn't volunteer anymore, etc. You guys are jumping all over her because she didn't include this or that in the original post. she didn't ask us to figure the whole thing out for her! She just asked for some job ideas. Not a big deal, and certain not even an uncommon or unrealistic inquiry.

OP, ad hoc childcare WILL be problematic if your depth chart is only 3-4 deep and you're only giving a few days' notice for when you'll need childcare -- ESPECIALLY if it's a volunteer thing.

You'll be making call after call, wondering if neighbor X is busy Friday or friend Y's kid is sick ... much easier, logistically, to pay someone to look after your kid every Thursday and Friday. (Of course, you'll have the usual nanny headaches, but such is life.)

Now if you have something that's guaranteed in your depth chart (e.g. friend Y and her nanny say it's ok to drop your kid off with the nanny for A dollars a day and B times a week), that mitigates it a LOT.

Also, OP, you didn't mention you "weren't in the immediate DC area" -- I'm guessing something like Leesburg/Frederick/Annapolis or even Winchester/Fredericksburg/Culpeper/Hagerstown. So that PP's wondering why you couldn't find another volunteering gig wasn't all that unreasonable.

OP here.

PP, I get what you are saying. I definitely realize that I will not make much money until I'm able to go full time. As far as the interview process, i'm already nervous about that. i've heard it can be very uncomfortable to be asked about your decision to stay home while your interviewer might be a working parent. I would certainly not want to offend anyone, but also would not want to pretend to regret staying home.

To the very Mean PP, i am glad you are being a bit nicer to me now, and thank you for that. I realize my original post was not very thorough, but I did actually state in the original post that I can't afford day care - not that I don't want it.

Well, the poster with the extra big bowl of bitch flakes this morning may be a bit over the top, but I do think that she has some valid points that need to be considered and OP, you may be asked to explain some of these things.

Now, I do think that it is possible for you to find a PT job in your field if you are willing to start at the bottom at a low salary. As far as telecommuting goes, I'm not familiar with your industry, but I know that in MY industry it is very common, but you generally have to prove yourself first for a year or two.

I stayed home with DD for 13 months before returning to work and I had some pretty tough interviews before finding my current position. I clearly remember one lady who was very condescending and harsh during her interview with me (I didn't get the job either, but it probably wouldn't have been a good fit anyway). Even in my current job, I was asked about childcare arrangements etc. and I get to work one day per week from home (after being here for 2 years now).

Good luck to you! I hope that you can find a job and if not, start taking some courses and you may even find your true passion. Hang' in there!!!

You didn't convey any of this in your origional post. You came across as "I want a part-time work at home job so I don't have to pay for daycare and that is flexible". And yes, pp's are right, I am f**king bored right now. Good luck OP. If you start out with low salary, you'll do better. Also, you'll do better if you can wait until your youngest is in full day school.

Anonymous wrote:and OP, you did mention you couldn't or didn't want to use daycare which did rub me the wrong way. We'd all not want to use daycare if we could swing it work-wise. Then you mention your wonderful support network that you can call on at the drop of a hat, and it's like "Well, then go use them" yet this same network wouldn't kick into gear for you to do an ad hoc volenteer thing? That makes no sense.

Good grief. I have been out of the work force for a very long time. When I go back part time, I expect to start out making VERY little money. We simply could not afford day care at that point. I am not against day care. I know many, many wonderful families who have done a tremendous job raising their children while both parents have always worked full time, and the kids went to day care. I'm not turning my nose up at day care. Just can't afford it. Period.

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it's very easy to plan to have Little Johnny at my house from whenever to whenever Mon-Fri because I can build him into whatever's going on. Much harder if you say "I have to work on Saturday, do you mind looking after Little Johnny" when I may be doing something he wouldn't enjoy or I simply don't want to have your kid tag along. And your DH is just as much a parent as you are. You didn't say he was an a-hole, where was he during an occational environmental thing? I'm kind of wondering if the cute guy at your organization left and you met another cute guy that you now want to spend time with?

Absolutely barking mad drivel!!

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it's very easy to plan to have Little Johnny at my house from whenever to whenever Mon-Fri because I can build him into whatever's going on. Much harder if you say "I have to work on Saturday, do you mind looking after Little Johnny" when I may be doing something he wouldn't enjoy or I simply don't want to have your kid tag along. And your DH is just as much a parent as you are. You didn't say he was an a-hole, where was he during an occational environmental thing? I'm kind of wondering if the cute guy at your organization left and you met another cute guy that you now want to spend time with?

Nobody is this stupid, and this person can't be for real. Just someone bored out of her mind, apparently, so she wants to spend her day lashing out at an anonymous stranger for no apparent reason. What kind of idiot thinks it's less of a burden to ask someone to babysit every day then the occasional afternoon? And I'm assuming that OP's DH is at work during the day and therefore is not available to watch the kids while she volunteers. But hey, your cute guy theory makes sense too (sarcasm).

and OP, you did mention you couldn't or didn't want to use daycare which did rub me the wrong way. We'd all not want to use daycare if we could swing it work-wise. Then you mention your wonderful support network that you can call on at the drop of a hat, and it's like "Well, then go use them" yet this same network wouldn't kick into gear for you to do an ad hoc volenteer thing? That makes no sense.

Yes, it's very easy to plan to have Little Johnny at my house from whenever to whenever Mon-Fri because I can build him into whatever's going on. Much harder if you say "I have to work on Saturday, do you mind looking after Little Johnny" when I may be doing something he wouldn't enjoy or I simply don't want to have your kid tag along. And your DH is just as much a parent as you are. You didn't say he was an a-hole, where was he during an occational environmental thing? I'm kind of wondering if the cute guy at your organization left and you met another cute guy that you now want to spend time with?

Anonymous wrote:OP, why so defensive? It's far easier to plan logestically that I'll be watching your kid every afternoon, then it is for the occational job. Also, your organization isn't the only environmental game in town. Couldn't you have found another one? Also, you do mention having a "very good support network" which will somehow kick itself into high gear for an occational work committment, yet that same network wouldn't help you when you wanted to get involved with a cause you love. Doesn't sound all that supportive if you ask me.. And no, OP, you don't owe any of us any answers, but you did seek out this board of your own volition. Don't be surprised when people ask hard questions.

Actually, it is the only environmental organization in my town. I'm not in the immediate DC area. As I said several times, I have spent the past few years committed to volunteering with my kids' activities and schools. Yes, I am passionate about the environment, but more passionate about my kids.

You really think it would be easier on a neighbor to be asked to babysit and pick up my kids every single day then an occasional afternoon? Besides, I do not even WANT a full time job right now.

I did seek out this board and do owe answers to the kind people who have asked for more info because they are trying to help and give me advice. I certainly did not expect to end up defending my entire lifestyle.

Anonymous wrote:OP, why so defensive? It's far easier to plan logestically that I'll be watching your kid every afternoon, then it is for the occational job. Also, your organization isn't the only environmental game in town. Couldn't you have found another one? Also, you do mention having a "very good support network" which will somehow kick itself into high gear for an occational work committment, yet that same network wouldn't help you when you wanted to get involved with a cause you love. Doesn't sound all that supportive if you ask me.. And no, OP, you don't owe any of us any answers, but you did seek out this board of your own volition. Don't be surprised when people ask hard questions.

Gracious, someone had an extra big bowl of BitchFlakes this morning.