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Why Being A Work-From-Home Parent Is The Best of Both Worlds

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Over the weekend, I came across an article stating that being a work-from-home parent is the worst of both worlds. Sure, working from home is difficult, but I wouldn’t say it’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to me.

I won’t deny everything the writer said in the article. It’s true, sometimes I also have to ask the minis to give me some time to work. But that’s just sometimes. “Sometimes” being the end of the month wherein I have to submit reports. Most of the time, though, I have my work schedule planned out so that I work while they are asleep or while The Princess is in school and The Little Man is busy with his worksheets.

I’m disappointed that the writer made it sound like working from home is hell because it’s not. It’s really a matter of knowing how much work load you can accommodate and managing your time wisely. If you find yourself telling your kids to leave you alone or skipping parents’ conferences because of your work-from-home job, then you better re-evaluate your priorities.

READ: I Was Offered A Regular Job And I Didn’t Take It – What Was I Thinking?!

Maybe you took on too much work load? Maybe you’re not managing your time well? Or maybe you’re not asking your partner for help?

Mind you, although I have a 30-hour work week, I still manage to cook for my family, prepare The Princess for school (then drive her there and pick her up after!), play with the minis in the afternoon, and have an in-house movie date with the hubby at night. I am able to do these because I know my top priority – and that’s my family.

They are, anyway, why I decided to work from home.

Since I am well aware that family is priority, I learned to create a work schedule that will allow me to be with them. So although I could take up to 60 hours worth of work per week, I made a promise to myself that my weekly cap is 40 hours (flexi time). It has really helped, too, that I have become extra picky with clients I work with.

I once worked with a client who treated me like a slave (as in over, over, overtime to the highest level without extra pay) so I’ve avoided those kinds like the plague! Now, I only work with clients who treat me like a human being (not a robot), respect my time, and appreciate the work I render.

So yes. For me, working from home is the best decision I’ve made for my family and I. Why? Because it gives me a chance to contribute to the family income while still being able to spend most of my time with my husband and kids.

What do you think about working-from-home? Is it the best or worst of both worlds? Let me know!

Kimberley Reyes

Kimberley Reyes is an Online Business Manager for entrepreneurs who are ready to get off the hamster wheel and step into their CEO shoes. On top of helping her clients get organized and scale their businesses, she is also happily busy raising her five kids with her firefighter husband.

This Post Has 12 Comments

  1. Chelle

    Hello Everyone! I’ve been working from home as an online ESL teacher since my youngest daughter was 2 months old. I’m glad that I’m there for my son too who goes to kindergarten. I send him off to school, pick him up, teach him after school, play with him, and I’m able to pay for his tuition too. It’s sad because sometimes I have to put them off because I have to teach in a quiet environment. They end up crying and I have to ignore them. I also get bugged by the looks I get that I’m just lazing around and putting my education to waste. I also feel intense pressure from my mom who wants me to work from 8am-5pm instead doing regular office work. My working hours are 5-10pm or 11 sometimes, and 4am-9am but I work on flexi-time so I get to choose my working hours. The pay is good since I transferred to a company that pays 140/hr. I thought that if I work at the office, I might as well work 3 hrs online and I would get paid the same thing. When I came across this article, I thought maybe I should minimize my working hours or hire help because my little one is becoming a noisy and active one already. What does everyone think? Work from home? Work outside? Or both?

    1. Kimberley Reyes

      Hi Chelle, my kids are 4 years old and 2 years old. I am yaya-less, work-at-home mom. Although my work does not involve calls, I do prefer a quiet environment when I work. Hiring a yaya is out of the question because I really don’t want a stranger in the home (and I realized that having a helper only stresses me out more than it helps). What I do is I work around the schedule of my kids. What does that mean? My 4-year old already goes to school. She and my husband leaves the house by 6:30 a.m. During that time, my 2-year old is still asleep. So that’s when I start to work. I pause from work when my son wakes up at around 8:30 or 9 a.m. I feed him and bathe him then I let him play with his blocks or crayons until I’m done with work, which is around 10:30 a.m. He’s not super quiet, but at least he’s preoccupied so I still get to work.

      My daughter arrives at around 11:30. We have lunch together, I clean the kids up, then I let them take their afternoon nap. That’s when I resume work. After nap time, I end my work, go to the pool with them, then we prepare dinner together.

      The key here is scheduling. I don’t think it’s necessary to hire help (at least for me, it’s been this way for three years already). The important thing is to establish a routine and follow that routine day in and day out. This way, the kids know when it’s okay to play with mommy and when it’s time for independent play.

      Hope this helps!

      1. Chelle

        I wish it could be like that for me Kim. My kids are 5 years old and 10 months old. My daughter is teething and I’m breastfeeding. I used to be able to work while they nap or sleep but now my son goes to afternoon school and there’s no work really in the afternoon. My kids rise when I do (4am if I work at 4am and 6am if I sleep in) and they keep waking up at night unless I’m in bed with them. This has jeopardized my work so that I was afraid to open anymore slots to teach. I’m trying to look for other online work that would fit my growing kids getting more rambunctious everyday. I don’t like having a yaya around too. It does stress me out as well.

        1. Kimberley Reyes

          It was like that for me last year. My preschooler was scheduled in the afternoon and her younger brother was breastfeeding. I didn’t take on a lot of projects back then (only projects that allowed me to work on a super flexi sched). What we did the following year is we transferred our preschooler to morning classes instead of afternoon to give me enough time to work in the morning. Our son weaned already so it’s much easier now. All I can say is, it’ll get better and easier in no time! I remember having a similar conversation with a mom in school. We were both so stressed out last year because of our crazy schedule (she has a preschooler and twin boys naman). But we realized now that, after just one year, things got better. The kids are more manageable so we now have more time for other things aside from taking care of the kids. 🙂 Hang in there!

          1. Chelle

            Thanks Kim, that’s a relief. I just keep reminding myself of the reasons why I chose to work from home anyway, that is to be with my kids in these cherished moments which fly by so fast and faster if I work outside the home. I’m thankful I’m here for them that they need me. Everything else is not of equal importance, I know we can survive.

  2. cherylazarraga

    Hello there. Do you know any companies who have work from home jobs? ID love to quit my job and prefer to stay at home for the kids since I don’t have a nanny right now. Work from Home is my best option so at least we still have extra income.

    1. Kim Reyes

      Hi Cherry. I started out through oDesk. Then when I acquired enough feedback, I decided to try to look for clients independently. Try it out. 🙂

  3. Maan

    Love this! I’m a full-time WAHM, too, and I love it! I don’t like looking at the “worst” of both worlds, although it’s true. I like looking at having the best of both worlds, which is, most of the time, truer. I agree that the problem with some is their lack of management skills haha 😀

  4. But she’s sending them off to a daycare…how is that choosing a home-based job for the kids?

  5. joy

    wow! intense naman ng article nya 🙁 i read it and i feel sorry for her as well 🙁 but what can you expect from someone who has written a book entitled “I Heart My Little A-Holes”? A-holes talaga? :/

    I am also a WAHM – yes, I can relate to her post as well about wanting some time to meet the deadlines but having a difficulty because my kids are demanding my time – pero i would never ever give this up for a day job. I also believe she’s wrong – she did not choose to be a WAHM to be with them because she shuts them out, anyway.

    I agree with you, Kim. It is possible she took too much work load – perhaps to have enough money to buy the little barbies she talks about. Pero it is sad that she feels that way, na the kids are just terrible monsters for wanting to hog her time from a client but she feels guilty about it. It’s just crazy.

    I love being a work-at-home-mom. It’s not a hell of a job. It is the most amazing job I could ever think of having. Yes, I didn’t earn a degree and come a registered chemist just to become this – but I am not complaining at all 🙂 I feel so sorry for this mom…when her kids grow up, there’s this big chance they hate her for what she’s doing to them now. 🙁

    1. Kim Reyes

      Diba? It’s like she’s working from home for all the wrong reasons. It’s sad– for her and her children. 🙁

      1. joy

        yeah…it’s so sad…different din kasi ang mindset nya – tsaka I think hindi writing yung sa kanya, maybe virtual assistant or something kasi laging may calls ni client – pero, sad pa din 🙁 her kids are growing up with her in the house but without her in the house…parang i get her point na she feels guilty about it pero for me naman, it’s about choices and priorities 🙂

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