I
cannot tell you how many people have called me, written to me and stopped me
in social situations to ask about finding work as a home-based working mom.
Easy as pie?
"This is the hardest job in the world" I often reply,
"but, well worth every minute of it!"
I had a discussion with a single mother recently, and she informed me
that she had felt guilty for nearly 10 years while she worked outside of the
home and left her daughter in daycare. After having a second child and going
through a divorce, she said the past two years have truly opened her eyes to
the realization that she is now (and always has been) doing what is best for
herself and her children by working and following a career path.
This discussion made me really think about my home-based expectations and
the reality of my decisions.
Six years ago I was pregnant with my first child. I quit working a couple
of months before she was due to take some time for myself. Without a thought
or a plan, I became a home-based working mom in a matter of weeks when my
previous employer asked for my assistance. Since then, business has boomed
and I have made a transformation from a mom who took on odd word processing
jobs to a thriving business owner. I never had any expectations of this
home-based lifestyle. I never looked at the reality of my decision because I
was having too much fun!
Is this the same for other moms?
Many women struggle with the kids verses career aspects of motherhood and
find that a home-based lifestyle would solve many work-related problems.
When a work from home goal is set and put into action, the expectations
verses the reality may surprise you:
"I expected to learn a little bit." Says Janet Drez, author of
Putting the Pieces Together ( http://www.aperfectsolution.com
). "Reality
is that I have grown and been stretched in more ways than I could ever have
imagined. I am not the same person I was when I started. I'm a much more
confident and outgoing woman, my faith has grown, I've become a better time
manager, more flexible, and more spontaneous than I ever would have
been." Additionally, Janet says "Sometimes the expectation versus
reality isn't always negative!"
What about the freedom that accompanies working from home? Joyce Scott,
CEO of SuperbSpeakers.com ( http://www.superbspeakers.com
) states "The great thing is that I love to have meetings over a meal I
made at home (and) take walks in nearby parks while discussing business with
clients and suppliers." She also takes the time to share her business
with her children, "…and I enjoy the fact that my sons visit me and
learn more about my business so they (can) help me."
The final consideration is the financial aspects of quitting a job in
lieu of working from home. "Many outsiders may assume that those of us
who work from home are probably giving up a lot, particularly in the
earnings department, and this couldn't be farther from the truth! I make an
excellent living as a freelance writer from home and I have the job
flexibility to be available for my three-year-old son." States writer
Amy Bowles (amybowles@aol.com).
Is it really possible that so many women have conquered the kids vs.
career questions and the reality of this decision has exceeded their
expectations?
I believe we can conclude that the answer to that question is a definite
YES. It is never as easy as pie to quit a job and open your own business.
The struggles along the way can make or break you. But, as moms, we have a
quest to give the very best that we can to our children. I believe we also
have the same desire to nurture our businesses in the same manner. Being
home-based is the best lifestyle for me and my children and for scores of
other moms. Facing the reality of our home-based expectations, and finding
success as a sometimes-surprising result makes a home-based decision the ice
cream on the pie!
