I’m so excited that Helene and Sarah chose this as the #TotalSocial topic for this week because I’ve actually had this post written for a while. I just haven’t hit that publish button. So here is my #9to5 :
I am a work at home mom. That means that I work from home while also keeping my 7 month old. I have worked many jobs and have had a part-time or full-time job since I was 12 years old. I worked from home for 2 1/2 years before having my baby. It was my full-time job. It still is. I just added a baby to the mix.
Are you a stay-at-home or work-at-home mom? I applaud you. A lot of women openly admit that they work to get a “break” from their children. Seriously, I’ve had multiple friends and family members say that to me. While I think that is so sad, I can also understand. Being a full time mom is so stressful. It is literally the only 24/7 job in the world. You are always on call.
Trying to work while also entertaining a baby is tough work. Can you imagine doing both at the same time? I do it every work day. In fact, about 90% of my weekends, I’m also having to work to make up for all that I didn’t get done during the week. I feel like a lot of people don’t understand what a WAHM does or what that means. A WAHM has a job that she works from the home while also raising her children. I’ve had a lot of people laugh at me and say I do “nothing.” HA, if only they knew.
Personally, I made the decision a long time ago to stay at home with my children. I feel a sense of responsibility for my child because I chose to bring him into this world. I wanted him. I prayed for him. I want to raise him and spend as much time as I can with him. Motherhood is about sacrifices, and I’ve had to make a lot, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.
I work as a web content manager for local lawyers and restaurants during the week, and if you missed my post a couple of weeks ago, I am now the BOM coordinator and social media expert for ALWB. Doing these along with my blog is a lot, but I enjoy every minute of it. Sure some weeks I could rip my hair out, but most of the time, I genuinely love working from home, raising my child and blogging about all of it.
Want a little bit more of a glimpse into what it’s like to be a WAHM?
I’m on a conference call while tending to a screaming child and wrestling with my mute button on my phone to try to sound like I’m not dealing with a screaming child while trying to conduct business in a professional manner.
I know the importance of a nap not necessarily because it’s good for my baby to sleep, but because it is my one opportunity to finally get some work done, uninterrupted.
I start working early with the intention of actually finishing on time only to realize it’s 3p.m. and I’m not only still in my PJs and showerless, but I’ve still got hours worth of work to finish. Sigh.
I have mastered the art of feeding my baby with one hand while talking on the phone and answering emails on the other.
I understand how hilarious it is when people say things like “oh, you don’t understand because you work from home” or “you have time to do this, I mean you just work from home.”
Do you work from home? Are you a WAHM?
wow! this is truly fascinating!! I can imagine that really is a lot to juggle but worth it to get to spend time with the kid!
I would love to be able to do this someday! Not sure it will ever be in the cards, but maybe a part time work at home mom 🙂
http://www.madeintheshadeblog.com
I was a stay at home mom for 6 years and went to college full time… it is definitely tough trying to get things done with toddlers running around.
Girl the next time someone makes a comment about you doing "nothing" you need to slap them! You have two full time jobs!!! How is that nothing?! Keep on working hard girlfriend!!
I am not a WAHM.. I recently became a SAHM, kind of. I quit 60-80 hour a week demanding job to work just 2 days a week, 12 hour shifts, the best part.. I pick my schedule. I can't imagine how hard it is to work at home with all that going on, but I'm sure it is rewarding. Random, but do you want to swap ads this month? I do passionfruit and have a free space, or if you want bigger than a 200×200 I can make you a code to be free for one of my bigger spaces.
I'm not a WAHM since I don't have kids yet, but when we do I have kids I plan on staying home with them. Right now I'm nannying (I get some blog time in during naps if the house hasn't been torn apart before nap) so I'll be used to taking care of a baby, but without getting paid to do it. I'd love to be able to find some work at home jobs when that time comes. Spending your day with a baby isn't easy so props to you for working at home while doing it!
it's so hard. I went back to work after having my daughter (from home) but just couldn't manage the irregular schedule and phone calls with clients. I quit when she was 4 months old. Kudos to everyone who does it!
I'm a work-at-home-student. I'm a Mary Kay consultant and when I graduate, I'll do it full time, so I'll be a stay at home, working mom then!
I can't imagine how hard it must be to be a WAHM. You never get a break!
You are awesome!! I've always dreamed of doing something similar, but it still sounds like a lot of work! 🙂
I applaud you! I work at home (via my blog, and that's a fact!) and I know how hard it is to get work done with a child at home. 🙂
I work as a translation editor and honestly I've never had to anything as hard as working at the same time as having a baby! I remember when she was two weeks old staying up until 2am to work… not fun! And then people are like oh you just watch day time tv all the time right? Uhhh sure.
I'm not a mom yet but I am working from home this summer (I'm a teacher) and it is so difficult to stay on task at home! Congrats on managing it with a baby!!
I've been working at home since 2008, but in 2010 is when I really ramped it up. That's also when I became pregnant with baby #2, who was quickly followed by baby #3. It's been an interesting past 4 years as I've balanced two new babies and running my own business.
Ever since I became a nanny, I FULLY understand how having children is a 24/7 job. Major credit to you for taking on work on top of that job!
I am in the process of switching careers and my new one would be working from home. I really like that you told your story – thanks for sharing!
High five to you for being a work at home mom. You rock! It takes a lot! I think stay at home and work at home moms are a secret breed of superheroes!
StarrJoy16.blogspot.com
I'm currently a SAHM with a 9 month old and 4 year old. September I'll go back to work. I have a hard enough time just trying to keep them entertained and find enough time to have a hot cup of coffee and get some blogging done, I can't imagine how difficult it is to do all that! You go mama!!
YES! I actually have a post I wrote just like this a couple of years ago!! I've been meaning to sort of re-write it though, as things have changed a little. But man, being a WAHM is super tough. There are definitely pros & cons, though.
I'm going to be a WAHM soon and really looking forward to the flexibility that brings whilst still being able to spend time with my baby.
I want to be a work at home something… was it hard to find a remote job?
I'm a stay at home mom and it's exhausting! I can't even imagine being a working at home mom! Unless the blog business counts…. Either way, it's exhausting! Mom hugs!
It's tough. Trying to get anything done with kids in the mix is just crazy. I know the feeling. I'm at home with two kids and growing a business and blog. There are a lot of late nights because I only work while they sleep. Crazy stuff. I love having this front row seat to them growing up.
Right now I'm a WAHP — a work at home person. I run my own business out of my house/studio, plus my blog. It's hard work — I work crazy hours like moms…except NO CHILDREN so it's infinitely easier. We're planning on starting a family later this year — I can't imagine how tough, but rewarding, it's going to be!
You're awesome! I definitely believe a WAHM works super hard to be on top of everything!
I don't know how you do it without losing your mind 😉 Kudos to you!
i'm not a mom, but i do work at home some days and i can never decide if i'm more or less productive when i do! haha
I have been working at home since I became a mom ten years ago! I feel your pain! What we do is never respected. People say we are lucky and think somehow that we have it easy. Don't get e wrong, I would not trade it for the world but it is anything but easy. I thought about going out to work the last few years and it was, as you said, to get a break. My youngest finally entered full time kidnergarten this year so I thought I'd actually have all day to work, but then something came up with my oldest and I decided the best thing for her was the homeschool her. So now I am in the same boat- trying to work after or between homeschooling, being up til 3am and never sleeping LOL. Again I would not trade it. Kids grow up quick. I want to be the one to raise them and I feel responsible for them, their education and development. But it is not easy to do. Thanks for speaking for all of us in this post.
You guys work harder than most of us 9-5 people and well do to you all. It's not easy that much I know, I think people out there have a preconception that if you work from home then you don't do as much work as someone who does 9-5 but that's not true, you may have some freedom once baby(ies) are asleep and you're on top of your other work but that is not everyday thing.