Attached Mamas Working Outside the HomeDo you face the unique challenges of balancing your career with your children? Come on in and talk with other moms who find ways to make their situation work for the whole family.
Does anyone work just to get out of the house, or to have a "purpose"? I'm looking for motivations besides a need for income.
Dh and I were talking tonight and he suggested I go back to work. I sort of agree with him. The catch is, I have absolutely no skills. I have never gone to school for anything, so basically I'd be working to pay for gas and child care.
I was a nanny and worked in a couple daycare centers before dh and I got married. It was our plan that I would continue working until we had kids, and then I would be a SAHM. I was nannying during my pregnancy with Keanu, but the family had to find someone new when I was in the hospital. About a month after, the mom called and asked if I wanted my job back. Then I worked until I was about 12 weeks pregnant with Morgan and had to go on bedrest.
So I haven't been employed in 8 years. I'm guessing about the only thing I could find around here would be minimum wage at Walmart. I could probably find something in a daycare or preschool (I did before and after school enrichment, so I have experience with school age kids, and I also did birth-5 yrs), but then that kind of defeats the purpose of having adult interaction. Or....I could get my butt in gear and make something of my Mary Kay business. I am just not a salesman though. sigh...
So does anyone work just for the sake of working?
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Holly
momma to Cody, Morgan, and Keanu
Found on every sign along the bike path in our town...
I work because I have to get out of the house.
I had to work A LOT back in the day for money and while I still need to make a certain amount the pressure isn't on me anymore. And oddly once I had pressure free time off to really look I fell into a job with less hours, and more money than any I had before. Nice!
Even when we don't need the money I will keep up my volunteer stuff and probably volunteer more. I like a few days of slopping around the house doing nothing but after that I need a purpose outside the home.
take your time while you can and find something you want to do that pays enough to make it worth your time after expenses. Look at things you LIKE and go from there. I volunteered for years in the field I now work for pay in.
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When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.
Thomas Jefferson
I felt the same way, so I started a business. I didn't want to work retail or office (no offense anyone but got my fill of those during HS and college) so I decided to start something. Since there's no immediate need for the money, there's less pressure but it's nice knowing that it may become lucrative in the future. I do quite a bit of volunteer work through my business too and that's nice.
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Michele, Mamas to FOUR! WAHMing it as a photographer.
No sorry - I work because we need the money, health insurance and retirement pension. If I didn't have to work, I'd be home full time with my kids again in a heartbeat.
I have no motivation to go to work every day other than someday we'll be able to retire, I hope.
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~Barb
Mama to 18yo Chelsey, 8yo Zoey & 5yo Roman
Zoeys 8th birthday!
There are several reasons why I work, but I do wonder what I would do if we absolutely did not need the money.
I love being at home with my boys, but at least every-other day of doing that I find myself thinking, there's NO way I could handle being a SAHM all the time!
And then there's the aspect that I love what I do as a professional. This one has become a little more tricky to stick by though. I love my overall profession and what I COULD do with it, but currently what I do is more so just for the paycheck. We just haven't had many really interesting projects come along lately - at least not that I've been able to get in on.
It's also really tough for me to balance my mommy brain with my professional brain. If I was better at switching back and forth, I'd probably enjoy my job a lot more right now.
And now that I'm thinking about it, if we absolutely didn't need the money from my job, I think I'd spend that time developing myself professionally, building relationships, etc. and after my boys are a little older, get out and get the job I dream of.
I don't work for the money. One of my "jobs" is strictly volunteer. The other I am self employed. So I make my own schedule, control my hours and income, and it gets me out of the house.
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~Angie~mama to Alexis and Payton, and baby James born 06/03/08~~STB wife to Tim
I work for a lot of reasons. I don't ever want to be broke again. I want to have financial autonomy. Also, I have worked for years to be in the career field I'm in now. And before too long, my dh will be retiring and I want my career to be advanced enough so that I can support our family on my income.
Location: somewhere between complete exhaustion and utter euphoria
Posts: 5,858
I work to pay for the girls school mainly. So, yes, money.
Don't limit yourself. List what you can do. Office work often pays a little less per hour than some stuff but may be more flexible in hours and may have good benefits. You may not even need to know how to type.
Once you have your list, figure out what may be an option. You may be surprised at what you find you can do. I have a high school diploma, nothing beyond that. I have a good job as an adminstrative assistant. I have been a legal assistant. I have run my own business twice. Each little skill you develop adds up.
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Michelle
-- Mom to Beth, 11 and Sam, 8
Did you breastfeed? What about something like a WIC peer breastfeeding counselor?
wow, you can get a *paying* job helping women with breastfeeding? I have seriously considered going to school to be a lactation consultant and/or a doula, and there is actually a midwifery school here in town.
Geez...I've been through the wringer breastfeeding both the boys and made it 2+ years both times. I can give LOTS of breastfeeding help!
I do work for money, but not because we *need* it to survive. There are a ton of things I get out of working: I have my own business, I get to play a role other than mom for a few hours, I want to have the ability for our family to do extras like travel or swim lessons or whatever. I also work because, for me, it is a calling for which I am deeply grateful. Also, I do offer a fair amount of pro-bono because I feel that I have a set of skills that are not accessable to all and I feel it is my duty to give back for having been blessed in my life. I am so grateful to be able to that which I do. Also, and this will not go over well at all, but I also work because I want my children to see the value of education, drive, goal-setting, and that women can have choice in their roles. They can chose to stay at home and they can chose to work and they can figure out a way to have both.
It's both for me. I've been working more with Elana at this age than I did with Ava but my practice has grown over the years and it's harder to take more time off. Still, I mostly work eves and a few days per week, nothing full time by any means.
Yes the money helps - but if I didn't get out of the house without kids I'd go insane. My massage office is quiet, clean, beautiful, smells nice, has no tv or phone and I love being there.
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My Gorgeously Goofy Girls!
~Amy ~ wife, mother, superhero to Sweet Sisters Ava and Elana
Touched by an Angel of Hope ^i^ 3-05
Missing our Furry Friend Levi ^..^ 8-05
Also, and this will not go over well at all, but I also work because I want my children to see the value of education, drive, goal-setting, and that women can have choice in their roles. They can chose to stay at home and they can chose to work and they can figure out a way to have both.
My mom gave me these same values and I really am thankful for that. I hope to instill the same things in my children so I think what you are doing is great.
And yes I don't really belong in this forum...lol but before long I will be a wohm too so I like to peek in on you all
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Amber
Mom to Lawrence 8, Azaria 6, Laurel 4
Does foster care count? I do that because it's a passion, not for the money.
But if I weren't doing foster care, I know I would be working in some capacity now or after this next year when Anders was in kindergarten. I wouldn't do it for the money, but for the ability to help others. I would probably be teaching.
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Heather
Mama to E, 6 2/3 and A, 4 1/2
No sorry - I work because we need the money, health insurance and retirement pension. If I didn't have to work, I'd be home full time with my kids again in a heartbeat.
I have no motivation to go to work every day other than someday we'll be able to retire, I hope.
Ditto.
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Irina,
Mom to Matt 08/87 Valerie 07/00
Or....I could get my butt in gear and make something of my Mary Kay business. I am just not a salesman though. sigh...
and Sam, 8 
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