Is there a Future in Working at Home When You Have Children?

Many people these days are either working at home or contemplating leaving their jobs in order to do so. Additionally, many stay-at-home moms are seeking at-home work to earn extra income to help with household expenses, or to provide for the family's future, either for retirement or for their kids' education. If you are thinking of seeking at-home work or even starting a home business so you can spend more time with your kids, beware- working at home can be a dicey proposition. However, by planning ahead following some simple guidelines, it is possible to do work from your home with children in the house.

The first rule of working at home is, make a schedule and stick to it. If your children are older, they will understand that Mommy (or Daddy) needs them to be quiet during certain scheduled hours. It is helpful to have designated breaks when you can spend time with your kids. If the kids are school-aged, plan to do your work while they are in school. If they are younger, you may seek your future employment with a company that allows home workers to schedule evening hours, when your spouse can be at home to watch them.

The second rule is, have a designated work area. It can be a spare room, a corner of a bedroom or even the dining room table. Just make sure your children know that when Mommy (or Daddy) is in the "office", they are not to disturb you unless there is an emergency. This is especially important when your work-at-home job or business requires you to be on the phone a lot. Having a noisy child in the background is unprofessional, and can jeopardize your future employment, or ruin relations with potential customers or clients.

The third rule of work-at-home employment is, distract the children. If they are quiet types who can entertain themselves, you may want to give them their own "office"- a small desk or table with toys, crayons and paper, or, if the child is old enough, a second computer so that they can "work" with Mommy or Daddy. You may even have older kids help out with some of the simpler tasks. If this is not feasible, try to arrange for older neighborhood children to come over and play in an area away from your home office. You may have to resort to hiring a sitter. If your finances do not permit this, you can connect with other stay-at-home or work-at-home parents and start a babysitting pool. Keeping your children quiet and out of the way is vital to your future as an at-home worker.

Working at home when you have children can be tricky, but if you follow these guidelines, it can be done. If you are planning to seek at-home work in the near future, make sure you prepare in advance. A consistent schedule, a designated work area, and activities to keep your kids busy while you work will help to keep your family happy and allow your work time to be more productive.