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Original poster

Any top tips for working from home with a baby?

24 replies

Downtowngirl · 10/02/2008 18:50

Due to go back to work when DD is 10 months old but don't want to leave her! We need the money though...

Am I being utterly naive to think I can work from home?

Calling any work from home mums- what do you do and how do you do it????

(I'm a secondary school teacher)....

OP posts:

MaeWest · 10/02/2008 18:53

I work from home for a small national charity, but DS goes to a childminder 2 days a week, otherwise I wouldn't get any work done! He was 11 months when I went back and is now 18 months.

Nobody likes leaving their baby for the first time - is working part time an option for you?

flowerybeanbag · 10/02/2008 18:56

I'd say you were being unrealistic I'm afraid. DS is 9mo, and there's no chance of me doing any work. He used to always have 3 hrs sleep during the day regular as clockwork, now he has an hour if I'm lucky, in two slots, with lots of fuss. I get nothing done!

I am an HR Consultant, work mostly from home, did get a bit done when he was younger because of his good sleeping, but no chance now other than in the evenings, which is my time with DH/housework.

Original poster

Downtowngirl · 10/02/2008 19:03

Part time jobs in teaching are gold dust if you can get them, so maybe if I'm very lucky...

Mae West- do you think it makes a big difference that you are at home on those two days that you work rather than in the office?

OP posts:

RubySlippers · 10/02/2008 19:05

i work from home 2 days per week, and the rest of the time in my office but DS goes to nursery 5 days per week

Flowery has hit the nail on the head ... you cannot care for a child and do your job ... both inevitably suffer as you cannot give a them both 100%

Original poster

Downtowngirl · 10/02/2008 19:06

I sympathise flowery- my DD is a very labour intensive napper, she's only 3 months but I have no free time at all except when taking her on a walk- I wonder if there are any jobs that can be done exclusively on the road whilst wheeling a buggy . Leafleting maybe?

OP posts:

MaeWest · 10/02/2008 19:11

I work flexibly part time, between 2-3 days a week. I work from home because there isn't another office anywhere for me at the mo!

I find being at home gives me more flexibility, there's no commute so I get maximum time with DS. I either drop him with the cm in the morning before the school run, or she can pick up him up from our house at about 9am if I don't have early meetings.

I do end up checking emails/taking calls on my non-working days, and now I have more work on will have to work during naps and evenings but I think that is the nature of this particular job - pr/comms

annh · 10/02/2008 19:17

Bear in mind that if you do get a job from home, your employer will expect you to actually be working! Therefore, they will also expect you to have arranged child care for your dc. I think it is kind of possible to work around a baby as they still sleep a lot but it is utterly impossible to do anything with an active toddler screaming when you are on the phone and chewing the cables when you are typing!

alfiesbabe · 10/02/2008 19:19

I'm a secondary school teacher and IME there tend to be quite a few P/T jobs around, particularly at main salary scale.
Trying to work from home without child care arrangements - no way! You'd end up feeling you were short changing your baby and your job. If you are having to organise childcare anyway, I would strongly recommend going out to work rather than being at home. That way you'll get the benefit of seeing other adults etc and also I doubt there's something you could do at home that would be as lucrative. There's also the long term to consider - if you jack in teaching to do something just to try to fit around the baby, it'll be harder to get back into the profession.
Everyone finds it hard to leave their baby to start with - but she'll be fine, and within a week or two you'll wonder what you worried about.
You mention that your dd is only 3 months at the moment and you're not due back till she's 10 months... so it seems you're worrying about this already. You have another 7 months with her!! Enjoy it, and in the meantime, try to negotiate P/T hours or look for another job.

Aitch · 10/02/2008 19:25

you just work at night and are a parent in the day, it's not so bad.

flowerybeanbag · 10/02/2008 19:58

Yes, must add that with my work head on, if anyone ever puts in a flexible working request to an employer I'm working with that involves them working from home to avoid childcare costs it gets thrown out straightaway. Either you're working or you're looking after your child, with very very few exceptions.

(Like me working for myself when DS is asleep, for example... )

PhDlifeNeedsaNewLife · 10/02/2008 20:07

I can't do it - I mean I don't have a job, I just want to do some writing to keep my hand in, but ds has other plans for me during the day and evenings seem to evaporate into cooking, eating, a quick glance at the paper, and then time online trying to buy a carseat or move some money around or write to my ill sister or...

Eve34 · 10/02/2008 20:25

I work 3 days a week from home, thinking maybe I could have 1 day with LO at home and work round him, but it didn't work outlike that - work expected me and rightly so to be 'at work' answering the phone etc etc. I t was really hard to leave him at first but I love going to work it really has made me a better mummy and I look ofrward to coming home to be with him.

LuluMum · 10/02/2008 20:30

I know a teacher who went back 3 days a week and then topped up her salary by doing some tutoring in the evenings. Is this an option?

motherinferior · 10/02/2008 20:30

Unlike Aitch, I couldn't do it - I worked (my second one's just started school) from home as a journalist, but for my four working days my children were at their childminder. (Who was lovely.)

NickiSue · 10/02/2008 20:47

Hi Downtown
I work from home doing Usborne Books (ideal for ex-teachers or anyone with similar training!!). I worked full time as a manager before giving up full time work but just couldnt go back after Kieran was born - I pottered and did Avon but it wasnt enough financially. I thought I'd give Usborne a go and its been fantastic - I earn, work, have retained my independance and best of all, have been able to look after Kieran full-time myself.
It's been a god-send for me and I'm so glad I gave it go -there's no stock to buy or risk which is why I was tempted at the start, and no door to door (thank goodness!).

It's your own business too so no worries about ringing in sick if lo is poorly or "having" to work so many hours a week etc (although I'll not lie - you get out of it what you put in!!!).

If you'd like some more info on Usborne and how it works etc I can email you some,
just email me at [email protected]

Nicki x

Original poster

Downtowngirl · 10/02/2008 21:20

That sounds really interesting NickiSue I will email you- thanks!

OP posts:

amidaiwish · 10/02/2008 21:53

if you are interested in the party-plan/direct selling route, it's worth having have a look at mamatoto too.

Original poster

Downtowngirl · 12/02/2008 16:22

I'm going to check both of those out, thanks all.

OP posts:

NickiSue · 12/02/2008 22:01

Good luck hun, I hope you find something that works for you x

Smalldog · 14/02/2008 12:56

Hi Downtown. I agree that it is difficult to do a 'normal' job from home. I also got into Party Plan, doing Body Shop parties when I had my 2nd baby as my HR career was too difficult to fit in with expensive childcare. I love it - partly for the fact that I'm my own boss, partly for it being the Body Shop so doing it for a 'good cause' and mainly because it brings in the income our family needs. And of course I'm at home with my 2 girls during the day - bonus (mostly!!) Feel free to e-mail me if you want more info. Good luck with it.

Chequers · 19/02/2008 13:54

Message withdrawn

NickiSue · 19/02/2008 20:19

That sounds really do-able Chequers! I hope it works out ok for you!

Smalldog - how do you find the parties? You can do parties with usborne but it never appealed to me personally so I don't do them, although they are great earners.

Smalldog · 20/02/2008 00:33

I started my parties with 8 different friends, who were all friends with separate groups (if that makes sense) and it kind of snowballed from there. You also get training in how to book parties. It helps of course that party hosts get loads of freebies and get to choose what kind of evening they want e.g. a make-over or a pamper evening or a facial etc. I have done a couple of parties where Usborne ladies have been there too - they're set up in the kitchen while I do my thing in the lounge. Generally the parties are where you make your money.

KristinaM · 20/02/2008 01:23

chequers - ...just a small point - unless you live next door to a nursery, then a five hour nursery slot is only 4 1/2 working hours for you

and you have not allowed any travelling time for your Dh and teh baby

and when your Dh coems home with your baby you will have to be really disciplined not to see him/her and just hide away in a bedroom etc. maybe its just my kids, but they woudl not be happy to be at nursery all morning, then coem in with dad, see me and go off with him for 2 hours.

also if you are BF then you will need to feed when your baby comes home

i dont think you are being realistic to think you will get 7 hours work done per day like this. can you work shorter hours?

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