I don't want to go back to work.......

[Babylon1]

Just that really.

But I need to be earning. Realistically what can I do from home that will pay well enough and allow me to look after my DCs?

I'm a qualified teacher, I've got good admin skills, I like cleaning and ironing, I love reading, I'm good at eBay selling.

I'm not cut out to be a child minder - I don't have the patience with other people's children.
I've tried the party based selling stuff like virgin vie - I spent more than I earned!!

What do other MNers do from home?

I think its shocking that you cannot just stay at home and full time look after your child, mothers should have the right to raise their own children in peace and with sufficient funds to manage a normal existence. Or you end up like me going to work full time so that I pay someone else to raise my child for me! I suppose it generates a false economy where cash is flowing around so we are pressured into thinking that there is something very wrong with wanting to raise your own child.

It will be difficult working and looking after your child, maybe even more difficult than going out to work.

You could do a couple of research projects based on the skills you've mentioned, projecting what sort of earnings you could manage, although that might be difficult to do as the market is unpredictable and work could come in or not.

Have a look at this useful tool and see if you really have to work or if you could be getting enough without working to get by until your child is at school.

www.direct.gov.uk/en/Diol1/DoItOnline/DoItOnlineByCategory/DG_172666

Thank you I'll have a look

Should've mentioned I now have 3 DCs 7yo 2yo and 7 weeks old.

Dd1 went to nursery full time from 6mths, but we cannot afford that now

DH stayed at home with dd2 while I went to work which was great.

DH now self employed which is brilliant on the one hand, but not stable enough yet to mean I can not return to work.

Since you're a qualified teacher what about tutoring? Or teaching TEFL evening classes? It's not 'from home' but you could flex your hours to suit your DH's hours.

Personally I couldn't do any meaningful work from home at the same time as having children at home without formal childcare in place. It just didn't work for me - maybe others are more disciplined (or have more disciplined children ) I freelance, and do some of my work in evenings, a tiny bit alongside DS while he is playing/watching TV etc, but the vast majority of my earnings come from the times when I'm 'fully available'.

As you have teaching experience what about a franchise opportunity such as Talking Tots, Baby Sensory, that kind of thing... ?

Thank you, I intend to look at the opportunities with my teaching qualifications.

I agree, anyone setting up a business should concentrate on what they are qualified and good at. However, dont expect to earn anything like what a full time teacher does, self employed no work - no pay. No frills, and its extremely difficult to concentrate on work with children running amock plus taking telephone calls if hard. People do not want to hear you huffing and puffing with a baby screaming in the back ground - with the school run etc doenst leave much free time either.

I would concentrate working out some realistic figures before making the decision.