I am a social being, so working from home inherently doesn't work with me. I like being at work. I like being around people.
Before children, I could work from home just fine if I had something to do that needed heavy concentration. I wasn't bothered by other people and I could just pound out whatever I needed to do. I didn't like it, but I could do it. But that's not the only thing about wfh I didn't like. At the end of the day, there was no "woohoo! I'm going home!" feeling. True, there was no commute or other things like that, but the transition from work/home is just too blurred.
After I had Ella, I was saddled with new mommy guilt about the whole daycare thing and I got approved to work from home Tuesdays and Thursdays. It wasn't that hard at first, but once she started getting bigger and being awake more, it proved to be more and more difficult. The guilt transferred to not working as much as I should and on some days, I would be online for 10-12 hours just to get my 8 hours in.
I had only been back from maternity leave for 3 months when I found myself pregnant again. I continued to work from home on Tues/Thurs throughout the pregnancy. It was horrible! I'm sure there are mommies out there who would love to work from home so they could spend time with their children, but I needed more than one day at a time away from it. I needed a place I wasn't "mommy" and that was work. So as soon as maternity leave was over from Allison's birth, I got the kids into daycare full time. It's a lot of money, but omg. SO worth it.
And here I am now, finding myself back in the working from home thing again. It's not hard, as the girls are really good at entertaining themselves with little input from me, but still, I'd rather be in the office. It's not like I'm having quality time with them when I am home!
I only work from home on Mondays. I only have 9 more mondays until my due date and then I'll be home for 12 weeks. I'm going to keep the girls in daycare 4 days a week, giving me time to recover with a newborn, yet one day a week will be all of us home at one time so the girls can bond with their new brother. Then there will be 6 months before Ella will go to school, so I'll still have all 3 kids each monday because I can't afford full time for all 3. Thankfully my mother will watch the kids on as many Mondays as possible and I can go into the office. Once Ella is in kindergarten, I will budget as much as possible to get Allison and Karl into school full time for the year before Allison will be in kindergarten.
I wonder how much of a wussy I am because I'm complaining about this. It's simply not in me. I couldn't be a stay at home mom and I can't work from home with children in the house. Which, isn't even allowed to be honest. To work from home at my company, you cannot be the sole provider for children at the same time - which I totally get.
Anyone else out there in a working from home situation when you have the kids with you? How do you make it work?
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I worked from home with Matthew at home until he was 14 months old. But I only worked part time, and there's a huge difference in doing that versus trying to work full time. I don't know how people do it full time. I could barely manage 20 hours a week. Part of that was due to my self-imposed rule of only working when he napped, but I didn't think it was fair to him or the company to work when he was awake. I didn't feel I could be mommy & employee at the same time. I think as children get older it gets easier because they can entertain themselves if you *have* to get something done, but full time...I couldn't do it. One day a week seems fair, especially since you will try to have your mom help out as much as possible. I know you work hard and give both your job & your kids plenty of attention so try not to worry too much about it. It'll work.
This is giving me something to mull over. The new job I just got allows the option of working from home after I've been there 6 months. I know that my son will have to be in day care- there is no way to work and take care of him too. I'm wondering more if I will be able to get my work down without procrastinating when I'm in my home environment. I'd also like to be promoted if the opportunity arises, and wonder if being at home and not visible will lessen my chances of such a thing.
Could you do 4x10 hr days for those 6 months until Ella starts school? Oh wait - lol - I forgot what company you work for ;) It might be an option though, so you don't have to overwhelm yourself with 3 kiddos at home and trying to get in a full day of work.
I work from home, but I own my business, and it's as busy as I want it to be. I catch up on emails in the early AM, before the kids get up, and catch up on phone calls during nap time. It all depends on what works for you. I've made it work, because that's what I *have* to do, to get this business to the point where it can, eventually, be a full-time job. It usually ends with me sewing at midnight, before shows though, LOL.
What works for one, doesn't work for all. You know your limits better than anyone, and if you have found that you work better, and are happier in an office, than so be it. Kids do better with happy mommas, than they do with grumpy mommas.
Congrats, BTW, I'm a long-time lurker!
There are days when I wish I didn't work, but in reality, I'd go crazy. I couldn't work from home simply because I wouldn't get anything done!! I could never be a complete SAHM. I need my social interaction. I'd love to work part time, that would allow me to hang with the kids, clean, and do all those other errands and projects.
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