Many mom s stay at home with their children while working from home. It may seem like a tough juggling act, but as with any type of job there are pros and cons. It is important that you look at both to make the right decision for your family and you.
The Pros
There are many pros to being a stay-at-home mother while working from home. Listed below are some of the pros that I have experienced myself this past year as well as have researched from the Internet and talking with other moms:
- Flexibility
- Able to take care of children while working
- Free childcare since you are the childcare provider
- Financial benefits
- Possible other benefits (i.e. health coverage, etc.)
- Have more child and mother time
- Less expenses related to the job (vs. working outside the home)
- Do not have to worry about sick days (for your child or you)
The Cons
It is important to not only consider the pros of working from home, but also take into consideration the cons as listed below:
- Must be organized
- Have to be able to complete deadlines and other job requirements on your own
- Develop your own schedule (may not be good if you are a procrastinator)
- Figure how to take care of your children while working (i.e. Will you have a set time and place to work at home?)
- May make less money
- May not receive extra benefits
- Less adult interaction
- Less direct interaction between you and your employer as well as co-workers (contact via email and phone calls vs. direct face-to-face)
After your family and you have taken the time to look at both the pros and cons of working from home, I am sure that you will make the right decision. When you have made the final decision
make sure to share how it will impact each family member (especially if you have older children). I have learned this little lesson myself. If you get your children's input, this will help with the transition from working outside of the home to working from home.
