I have 4 kids ages 3, 6, 10, 12 and I work full time. I have to work but would really like to work from home. I need a flexible schedule so that I can spend more time with my kids and still make decent money. Any suggestions? Does anyone else have a work from home job that pays fairly well?
I want to add: The plan is to work while my kids are at school and have my afternoons pretty much free. My husband does not go to work until 3:00 so he would have kid duty the first part of the day during the summer. I know that it is impossible to work with the kids there
I work from home full time, have a flexible schedule, and make good money. BUT... I do not watch my kids at the same time. They go to camp in the summer and school during the year. If you're looking for someone to pay you a decent salary to do work whenever you have time, but still have the flexibility to play with your kids over the summer... I don't think that job is out there. If it was, we'd all be doing it!
If it were really easy, everyone would be doing it, right? :)
Anyway, I think the best bet is probably to see if your current job might become more flexible, with the ability to work from home a few days/evening per week....
Or look for a position using the skills you have with a more flexible schedule and/or a home office.
Not sure what you do, but the concept will usually apply....
I know people that work at home as Admin assets very regularly.
Good luck.
This type of question gets posted often. Get ready because all the MLM/direct sales and pyramid deals will attempt to recruit you to make tons of money with their awesome products.
Of course, if you are a high pressure sales person who does not mind running your friends, family and neighbors away from you because of your sales pitches and recruiting then maybe it is for you.
Reality.... no one will pay you to stay home and be with your children. Working at home is WORK.
We run our company from home. There is no way I could do my job with children under foot. It is critical that I have 100% efficiency or I could cost us thousands of dollars. Most companies require you to have child care if you work from home because no one wants to be on a business phone call with children and pet noise in the background.
Most companies will not allow telecommuting unless you are already established as a good employee. You must be self driven, motivated and disciplined and get the job done. If you have been with your company for some time, approach them to see if there is a way your could have some flexibility with your hours and do some of your work at home.
If you do not have flexibility with your company. Think outside the box. What are you good at, what do you love? Go from there.
We never dreamed we'd be doing this out of our home. My hubby was in outside sales 20 yrs and the opportunity came up about 4 yrs ago for us to just do it ourselves because I had always been his travel agent, etc. Now I am the financial person of the company, run all payroll, deal with IRS,etc and he continues what he does best.. negotiate and sell.
Are you qualified to substitute teach? I also substitute teach and have over 10 yrs.
We are very much numbers people and planners. We believe in multiple income streams and making things work.
Good luck to you in finding something that fits for you.
To make decent money, you'll need to either pursue telecommuting with your current job (you really need to prove yourself before being able to work from home, so it's not realistic out the gate at a new job) or start your own business.
I work from home as a freelance public relations writer. I do have flexibility, but I don't work when my kids are home. They are in camp during the summer and I work when they're in school during the school year. It's impossible to do professional work while watching children simultaneously.
I work at home. I have one child, who is now 12 years old. She is old enough to (somewhat) take care of herself during the summer, but I still have to make sure that I dedicate enough free time to go and do things with her because, let's face it, 12 years old is still young enough that she gets bored quite easily.
Therefore, I have it factored in that I work very, very hard during the school year and I tailor off during the summer months, when she's home on school break (and my authors also reduce their workloads, as they have their own children home during the summer). However, I freelance for a reason; I can do this. If you're actually working a 40+hr/week job for a company at home, you won't be allowed this luxury.
I've been working at home since my daughter started Kindergarten. I started my own freelance editorial business. I was lucky; I've belonged to a professional writing organization since 1993 and my English scores have always been As or better. I understand fiction writing, can critique it, and have excellent English grammar skills. I was lucky and landed an acquiring editor job with an e-publisher. I also proofread for a small independent publisher. I also get a few other small jobs, but really, I have to watch how much work I take on so I can balance it with childcare as well as household work/errands/etc.
Last year, I made the most money ever: $8500. That's not a lot, is it? Could I make more? Heavens, yes! If my child was old enough so that she doesn't constantly need me, I could solicit more editorial side jobs. However, she has a Sensory issue/is special needs and so is quite needy.
I work, so that I have work experience and so that we have some extra income coming in. We do not live off my income; it supplements our lifestyle. You never know when you might have to reenter the job market, and this way, I can show/prove that I have been working since I've been home with my daughter, which has now been 7 years. Not saying being an at-home mother isn't a job and isn't a full-time job--it is, because I do it--but having actual work experience/having worked for other companies while I've been at home will hopefully give me a leg-up if I ever need to look for a job outside the home.
If you need to make lots of money, then you're going to seriously have to think about what it is you can do from home that will allow you to make that much money and still be able to take care of your children. Those jobs are, alas, very seldom. I see having four children at those ages to be a major handicap in finding something that pays well, unless you're going to be able to put them into daycare--and that's probably not why you want to work at home, as you'd prefer to be home with them. I also see serious money meaning 40 hrs/week, if not more. You should know that I in no way, shape, or form, am at all adequately compensated for the time I spend editing, and I definitely get NO pay for all of my office/administration time. That, I eat. I do not expect to make megabucks, working at home, nor have I ever thought that I would.
At the end of 2012, I will have edited and released/published 18 e-books--not to mention I'll probably have proofed about 6 other books, and I also work for a college professor, who is currently writing his dissertation in book form. And even with all that work, the pay doesn't match up with the time expended. But the ability to remain home/be here for my daughter--THAT is why I do this. When she's graduated from high school, then I can aggressively pursue more jobs and work 40+ hr weeks. Right now, that isn't feasible.
