Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Stay at home jobs

150 replies

Whatismynameagain · 04/10/2021 13:34

Im currently on maternity leave and I want to know what jobs are available for stay at home mothers.

OP posts:
ReeseWitherfork · 04/10/2021 13:37

You mean jobs that work from home right? Really tricky to advise because every company will be different. You'll be restricted to office work really and it all depends if companies are willing to let you work from home. What qualifications/experience do you have?

Hoppinggreen · 04/10/2021 13:37

Presumably you will be using childcare while working even if you are based at home?
If not then you need to look for jobs where you can take your child with you (not many of those)
What skills and experience do you have?

worrybutterfly · 04/10/2021 13:52

Do you have a trade/skill?

I'm assuming you want to avoid or reduce childcare costs. I work in tech and continued with my previous job but consulted myself out to companies in the U.S.

Because of the location and time difference I'm working from home and my core hours are between 2-10pm. They can be covered by a mix of afternoon slots at nursery, my DH after work, and bedtime. So definitely not a 9-5 wfh job.

The days I work are very full on. I definitely couldn't do it for more than 24 hours a week.

Original poster
Whatismynameagain · 04/10/2021 14:05

I currently work in retail but now I've got my baby Id ideally want to work from home. I know its very unlikely I will find a job working from home

OP posts:
worrybutterfly · 04/10/2021 14:15

I'd think evening hours in retail might be your best option.

In all honesty working from home with a baby is impossible. Unless you're selling a service (copywriting, graphic design, etc) where you charge for output rather than hours. Meaning you can fit the hours around naps, evenings, etc.

Only other thing you might find is something like evening call centre work from home. But no new employer will be happy with you working while looking after a child at the same time.

SkinnyMirror · 04/10/2021 14:18

Even if you do find a job that involves WFH you will still need childcare.

You need to be more specific about what you want to do. An employer isn't likely to employ you just because you want to work from home. They 'll want to see evidence that you want that job.

ReeseWitherfork · 04/10/2021 14:21

How old is your little one? Wait and see how you feel, you may very well be desperate to get out of the house for a bit!

Original poster
Whatismynameagain · 04/10/2021 15:11

My little one is nearly 6 months old

OP posts:
ACNHMAMA · 04/10/2021 15:12

Even if you work from home, you still need childcare for a young baby.

gardeninggirl68 · 04/10/2021 15:14

op theres some who work successfully from home. it can be done

what childcare have you got set up?

olderthanyouthink · 04/10/2021 15:19

I work from home, DD goes to nursery. When childcare shut because of covid she was 17 months and it was a nightmare, more recently when her nursery has closed or she's had to stay home because of illness (a LOT) it's also be really difficult and I have had to neglect her and my job interchangeably and then try and play catch up? By the end of the week (and I only work 24 hours a week) I am wrung out.

Childminder or nanny with own child are the only jobs I can really think of that would work.

remodelideas · 04/10/2021 15:23

I work from home full time but my toddler is in childcare. Do you plan on working at hone with your baby? That won't be allowed in working from home jobs. Have you thought about retraining in childcare, such as a childminder?

middleager · 04/10/2021 15:24

You could look at taking in ironing, childminder, cake making, freelance services such as copywriting, book keeping, buying and selling.

Original poster
Whatismynameagain · 04/10/2021 15:49

My partner currently works from home so we could share the childcare

OP posts:
gardeninggirl68 · 04/10/2021 15:51

share childcare? how many hours does he work? and how many hours would you need to work op?

Newoneagain20 · 04/10/2021 15:56

Having been able to WFH for years - you need childcare even if your sharing it with your husband :(
Our company would expect childcare to be arranged. The times when we had to due to sickness has been so hard!! Being on a work call with a screaming child is not easy …pepper pig can only distract so long!!
I’ve used holiday clubs up until the age of 9/10. Even though I’m home! They get bored =destructive!
I wish I could say it’s doable but it really isn’t - you end up quite stressed. I was reading on MN the other day that their 18month year old escaped!!

Unless you did evening work (call agent type) and your partner isn’t working and take over the care.
Or something like ironing or something else similar?

EnidFrighten · 04/10/2021 16:00

Do you actually want to WFH? Would there be a way of making SAHM work for you? Reducing outgoings, moving house or extending mortgage to reduce payments etc.

Is it really that you don't want mat leave to end? I think I felt like that at 6 months but by 12 months it was a different kettle of fish. DD tried my patience much more as a toddler and was very active, a break from each other did us good.

Squirrelblanket · 04/10/2021 16:10

If you want to WFH while looking after a child, you could become a childminder.

I would be very surprised if you found an employer who was happy for you to WFH while looking after your baby. They are paying you for your time working for THEM. It's the same as working for one company but doing a second job on the first company's time.

Original poster
Whatismynameagain · 04/10/2021 16:11

My partner works full time. Realistically it wouldn't work us both being home. I just don't want maternity leave to end. I will have to go back to my job in retail. I only work 25 hours a week

OP posts:
gardeninggirl68 · 04/10/2021 16:13

reduce your hours?

you cant wfh with a child there. I'm sick of call centres who are now wfh, having kids in the background. you can tell the person is distracted

Kite22 · 04/10/2021 16:13

Agree with everyone else. If you are accepting a wage from an employer, then you need to be available to do that work. You cannot do that work with a baby or a toddler.
As a pp said, if you are doing something where you 'sell' (earn from) a completed item or a completed project, then you might be able to fit in 30 mins here and there when the baby has a nap, and earn a pittance from that, but you can't seriously expect anyone to pay you a regular wage to sit and home and look after your baby ? Confused

Original poster
Whatismynameagain · 04/10/2021 16:21

Do you think it's possible for us to both work and my partner to look after the baby whilst work from home and me work in retail during the day. I want to be for my baby in the evenings for example bath and bed time

OP posts:
ThreeB · 04/10/2021 16:26

@Whatismynameagain

Do you think it's possible for us to both work and my partner to look after the baby whilst work from home and me work in retail during the day. I want to be for my baby in the evenings for example bath and bed time
No. You can't wfh and look after a baby at the same time.
Hoppinggreen · 04/10/2021 16:27

@Whatismynameagain

My partner currently works from home so we could share the childcare
How exactly? If you are WFH you are working and therefore need childcare
EileenGC · 04/10/2021 16:28

You can’t work from home productively and look after a baby for a whole day. The baby will need changing, feeding, they’ll cry or simply demand your partner’s attention. They’ll want you to play with them and entertain them, you can’t just leave a baby in a cot for 8 hours whilst you’re on work calls or doing emails.

Could you work at the weekends? Is nursery or a childminder not an option?