Comments on: Tough Mommies Work at Home

By: Darah Zeledon

Darah Zeledon — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 00:16:24 +0000

Hi Rebecca,

I just found thi site last nite at 2am, thanks to my self-induced caffeine-fueled sleep deprivation. It is the most professional and serious site I have seen for writers. I just got off the phone with a friend talking to her about my woes- being a WAHM with 5 kids under 9, home with me, all summer long while my hubby travels the globe in search of respectable work.

My time management, this ethereal thing they call balance, and boundary-setting are all still concepts I have yet to achieve. I find myself working way into the wee hours only to be awoken a few hours later by bed-wetters, nightmare suffers and milk-drinkers. My biggest issue now is needing help developing a “schedule,” sticking to it, and using my limited time wisely in the pursuit of verifiable paid gigs. I think we could have a lot to talk about!

Good to know there are other passionate writers out there that even in the face of reason and sheer exhaustion, just CANNOT STOP!

By: Diana

Diana — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:09:06 +0000

Hey! When do moms get to watch movies (that don’t involve talking cars or soprano princesses), eat ice cream (without a toddler on your lap sticking her fingers in it) and wear a Snuggie????? How long do I have to wait?? I totally appreciated your balanced outlook on the life of a mom/writer. Just entering the freelance world myself with three kids and a part-time, outside-of-the-home job, I was thrilled to read that it can be done. And still with a sense of humour (big plus). Thanks for this encouraging post.

By: Abby

Abby — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:37:23 +0000

Wow, this piece resonated with me! I am also a WAHM w/ 2 little boys. I have worked in my car, at coffee shops, in the school pick-up line, you name it. I, too, experienced a loss of daytime work hours when I had my 2nd baby & my 1st stopped napping. But like you said, you simply adjust, plug away & make it work. I still remember my hubs’ friend saying to me shortly after my 1st was born, “So, you writing much these days? I mean, babies sleep all the time, right?” In my DREAMS!

By: Writing Roundup, December 4 « Uncategorized « Jen's Writing Journey

Writing Roundup, December 4 « Uncategorized « Jen's Writing Journey — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:35:00 +0000

[...] Tough Mommies Work at Home Do you dream of an easy life of working at home as a freelance writer? According to this post, easy may never be part of your vocabulary. [...]

By: Stacey

Stacey — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:08:54 +0000

I just stumbled across this article today and it sums up everything so perfectly for me! I thought after my son was born, I could easily work at home and take care of him. And I can do both…but not at the same time! It has been an eye opener for sure! I haven’t found the perfect groove yet but I’m working on it!

By: Wendy

Wendy — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:39:21 +0000

I really appreciate the angle you used for this work at home type article. I get so tired of the ones that over use the label “work-at-home mom” and make it sound as if it was their career. When someone asks them what they do for a living, they say that they’re a “work at home mom”.

Sure, being a mom and working from home is a tough job, but it’s not your means of making a living. Unfortunately, the work at home industry is often seen as a negotiation tool to taking on lower paying jobs. “It’s okay to take on $5 an article jobs, because I get to work from home.” That bugs me. Your career is being a writer, web designer or whatever. You just happen to do it from a home office.

Thank you for not taking that route in your article.

By: Amanda Evans

Amanda Evans — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 08:49:51 +0000

Rebecca,

Your words ring so true and I can relate to almost everything you have said. I do however get a couple of hours during the day to get some work done when my children are in school. My children are 6 and 3 and my 3 year old has pre-school 3 days a week so a little bit of time for me. Evenings are all about writing and I have to say it is a tough life, probably more so for my husband who get neglected once the children go to bed as I am busy writing. We have come to an agreement though that Friday night is our night, mind you I do tend to slip in a few emails when he’s not looking. Yes work at home moms do have a tough life but you can guarantee that none of us would change it for anything. Getting to watch your children grow is one of the most rewarding things ever and if we had to work 9-5 we would miss out on too much.

By: Allena

Allena — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 20:28:06 +0000

I think I’ve said this before, but all the writing mommas with young ones just need to hang in there! My children – 6 and 9- are finnnnallllyy in school all day, not to mention the fact that they feed, toilet, and entertain themselves and the only all-nighters I pull are the ones I choose to pull for my writing. Life gets soooo much easier, so if it’s rough, but you really want to write, DON’T give up! Stick out out!

By: Carol Tice

Carol Tice — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:23:09 +0000

So right on, Jennifer — I came home from the C-section and started typing scripts for people right away! I actually found those first 6 months are a great time to get a lot of work done…before the baby becomes mobile. From there on it gets more challenging!

I just fall down laughing when people say to me oh, you’re so lucky you can work at home and be with your kids. Hilarious! My kids are at Boys & Girls Club or school or with a sitter while I’m writing…or they’re standing here demanding I stop writing and print them out some coloring pages.

Being a WAHM does have many advantages — no commute time before I get to see my kids, for instance. Being able to arrange my schedule to come teach about Hanukkah in their classrooms, like I’ll be doing in a couple weeks. But also many challenges!

Carol Tice
http://www.caroltice.com
http://Twitter.com/TiceWrites

By: Salma

Salma — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:39:30 +0000

oh gosh rebecca, i so know where you’re coming from. Its nearly midnight where I am and after spending the entire day with my toddler I am sitting here writing – i have 6 more articles to get through for the night before I can call it a day and every bone in my back hurts right now. But I have the satisfaction of knowing that my child was taken care of and loved and hugged and listed to and read to and is snuggled in bed happy. I wouldn’t trade that for anything! Its a tough life but it has its own unique rewards :)