A few cool tips for parents who want to work flexibly from home
As you know as a parent, parenting is a full-time job in itself… actually it is a triple-time job, with no breaks, work on weekends… and, by the way, no cash compensation.
The Best Job There Is!
There is a much greater reward than any cash compensation could ever replace though… that is, the smiles, the kisses, the hugs, the love… seeing them grow and develop.. the list goes on and on.
But of course, we all need some cash to get by. So what can parents do to earn real money, and still not miss out on those wonderful moments with the kids?
An office job is one option… but… we’ve all seen the tired-eyed mom or dad show up at the office with burp-up stains on his or her shoulder… heck, I’ve been that guy in the office many times. Having a full-time office job with kids can really be tough. I remember a time when my son was still a baby… I would get home from the office at 6pm or so…already exhausted… have dinner, and put him to bed. I hardly got to see him, and those hours that I saw him, he was mostly tired and cranky.
Lucky enough for me, my job now is pretty flexible and I can work from home. I have shifted my hours to earlier hours in the day, so, I am still tired, but I finish early enough that I can spend time in the afternoon with my kids. If you ever get a chance to have a job with flexible hours like that, take it! It is really great to be able to spend more quality time with the kids.
If you are looking for ways to work flexibly from home, here are a few examples of the possibilities, to get your creative juices flowing:
-Find an employer who allows flexible work arrangements so that you can work from home (kind of like my employer). Best Buy is an example of an employer that is leading this movement.
-Do some freelancing – like website development or graphic design (there are a lot of websites where you can offer your freelancing services).
-If you are the crafty type, sell your crafts on sites like Etsy or eBay.
-If you are web-savvy, try out some online affiliate marketing, through sites like Clickbank, and/or set up some websites where you can sell your own products or services – check out the book: Get Rich Click!: The Ultimate Guide to Making Money on the Internet
All of these ideas can help you work flexibly from home, so you can choose your hours, work as little or as much as you want, and still bring in some money to help support your family. Of course, some will work better than others, and it will also depend on your talents and how much effort you are willing and able to put in, but choose what works best for you, your financial situation, your family, and your schedule.
Also, if you happen to be in the UK, check out WorkingMums.co.uk, for some good postings and ideas on part-time jobs , flexible jobs, work from home jobs, etc, for mums!
If you decide to make the move to working from home, I wish you all the best and guarantee you will enjoy it!
Return to Parenting – The Dad Jam Home
Popularity: 1% [?]
I worked in office premises for five years. From the last one year I am working from home and realized that I am now connecting more with my family members. Whenever I take a break, I lie down for a while to ensure that my back does not get hurt. I shall forward my experience and your tips to my other friends.
Leo´s last blog ..Una historia de la planta de tabaco
Thanks for your comment Leo, that is great to hear!
The key to working at home successfully is being as efficient as possible with each moment of the day. I watch my children for cues on how to proceed. If they are irritable in the morning and seem to be needing additional attention I will give it to them and save work for later. Once I find them playing well together, I jump at the chance to work, if even for a few minutes. Every little bit counts.
Gail´s last blog ..How to Keep a Man Interested
Good points Gail! Thanks for your comment!
I have been a freelancer for a long time now. I had had many employers and was lucky that some provided a schedule that allowed me to be flexible. With my experience and gathered knowledge, I am thinking of putting an online business myself. Thank you for the valuable info and the link.
Joseph´s last blog ..how to flirt with a girl
Thank you for your comment and for sharing your story Joseph!
This is very inspiring and great article..I am working from home and realized that I am now connecting more with my family members…I need to share all this tips to my freind..Thanks a lot for sharing..
Benjamin´s last blog ..How to Get Rid of Chest Fat
I watch my children for cues on how to proceed. If they are irritable in the morning and seem to be needing additional attention I will give it to them and save work for later. |
hunterX0506´s last blog ..dirt bike racing games
Have done both (office and at home) and definitely prefer at home. That said, there are infinitely more distractions and temptations at home. The fridge beckons, cool blogs (like this one) call for my attention, heck–even vacuuming sounds more appealing than working sometimes. So it’s really a matter of self-discipline and honouring the work hours as work hours with maybe a few fun breaks/diversions thrown in as rewards
Thanks for your comment Bliss Fish! I totally agree… it takes a lot of self-discipline to stay focused, and indeed, as a reward for all the hard work, a nap or snack here and there are definitely in order!