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Child Care Options
There are many options for child care, when you choose to work at home. I've personally found
the options to be open ended, based on what I wanted to accomplish.
While there are times that you need some complete control over your work environment, and children can
be disruptive, those times are not the normal - for a work at home mom. While my children were young, I kept
a few quiet time toys for them to use specifically when I was on the phone. They knew that if the phone rang
and it was business, they were allowed to get into the "Quiet Drawer". I kept specific things in that drawer
(which just happened to be the top drawer on my coffee table). There were color books, new crayons, some sticker
books, some simple reading books, a few game books, and a few very quiet games. All fighting, disagreements, and disruptions had
to wait until I was off the phone.
In home care was an occasional option for me, I would hire a teenager to come in and watch the children
while I had some specific work to accomplish. On the rare occasions when I needed to leave the children with someone
other than my parents, or an older sibling (I have one daughter in college), I might exchange babysitting with a friend, or
hire a sitter for a few hours. I was always very careful about who I hired, selecting from well known friends or family
members rather than a stranger. I have a list of people that I feel comfortable leaving my children with, and if it
isn't a person from that list, it is definitely a recommendation of someone on that list.
These are called resources, and every mother who must work should have a reliable list of child care
resources at hand and ready for any moment when she might need help with her children.
Homemaking Options
It's nice to think we can do it all, but sometimes, we really cannot get it all done even to our
own specifications. Some of the things that I can't seem to keep up with are my yard, my windows, and my floors.
While I absolutely love to garden, there are a few things that I can't do, due to physical constraints.
Mowing my yard is one of those. If I mow the yard I have an allergic reaction to fresh cut grass. I love the smell of
it, and I absolutely adore a freshly cut lawn, but I'm allergic to some part of that aspect, so I can't do it. I try
to keep a lawn care specialist on line to do that, or just a friend who will cut my grass in exchange for some other job.
My windows have to be washed at least twice a year, whether it rains or not. I can't see out
them and I have to be able to see out the window. So, I find someone who will climb up on a ladder and wash my windows.
Last fall my son wanted the job, because he wanted to earn money for camp, and I was so picky about it he decided that I was
a 'perfectionist' - not really, but since it only gets done about twice a year, I want clear windows not streaks.
My floors are terrible, old carpet that has to be cleaned frequently, and I hate carpeting.
But it must be professionally cleaned frequently, so I tough it out on some other portion of my expenses and spring for a
professional steam cleaner to come in once every season and clean my carpets. I much prefer hardwood floor and a bottle
of "Old English" on my hands and knees polishing the floors. There is just something wonderful about the sheen of freshly
oiled floors.
Every stay at home mom has her own requirements, and those are mine. These are also resources
that I feel are quite necessary to maintain, no matter where I live. It is important to find the people who will do
what you need to have done at a reasonable fee, or someone you can barter with to obtain the services.
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