One of the hardest things about being a mum is balancing work, home and parenting. Now just balancing it, but dealing with the guilt that comes with it, no matter what you do. Before Maxi was born I was determined I would go back to work full time we even paid for the months nursery, but then he was born and had a health scare and I changed my mind. We moved 300 miles to make sure that I could be a stay at home mum for the first years of my boys lives, but I understand that isn’t possible for everyone.
It wasn’t long before the financial crisis hit and we were credit crunched like a lot of families. It was essential that I had to bring in an income. I fought hard to make blogging my career and am lucky that I earn a part time income and am available for my family. I have some amazing friends within the blogging community that helped me on my journey.
Sometimes we all need a helping hand, someone to guide us on our way and Liz Akin has been encouraging women, specifically mothers to on how to set up and launch their own businesses. It is aimed at both working mothers who want to spend more time with their kids but still need to bring in an income. Her book “For Busy mums: How to Launch a Successful Business” is also a guide for stay at home mums who want to work without it impacting the time their spend with their children.
I am going to warm you that I found the video below uncomfortable viewing and very negative, however, I do agree with what Liz is trying to achieve by empowering mothers to run business whilst still being at home with their family.
When I was growing up my Mum have up her career to bring up me and my brother. Something that I feel she regretted, but it meant that she was always there for us, so I can not comment on the latch key lifestyle that some of my peers had.
What I can do is sing the praises of being a self employed mum all day long. I don’t have any family support, so I need the flexibility it brings. I can pick the boys up, attend their sports events, school plays, be there if they are unwell and ferry them to and from all their clubs, whilst MadDad works regular hours in a full time position.
But I didn’t want you to take my word for it, so I asked around other self employed Mums and guess what, all of them came back with virtually the same thing.
“Not having to miss school plays, coffee mornings or school trips” Emmysmummy.com
“Just being there. Knowing that if they’re sick or they’ve forgotten something or they’re having a down day you can make it work somehow” Sticky Fingers
“Flexibility” Mum on the brink
“Flexibility and not having to let a boss or coworkers down when your child is ill. Something I always felt bad about” Being Mrs C
“Always being there when my son needs me. Never missing a magic moment and working on my terms and not having to de-ice the car at silly o’clock to go to work at this time of year” Over 40 and mum to one
“Being able to work the hours you need when you want to. It’s the best flexitime, family friendly way to work” Mums Savvy Savings
“I can be full time single parent and then work when he’s asleep. I don’t get a break, but he gets consistency and childcare costs are removed!” Single Parent Pessimist
“Not missing anything, no need to pay for childcare. Able to take him to all of his appointments. Can set my own hours” .ialwaysbelievedinfutures.com
“Being 100% there for your child and family. Like yesterday it was no panic that he wasn’t well enough to go to school” Newmumonline.co.uk thanks
“Not having to attend meetings that left me daydreaming about being with my children and doing something more inspiring. And as my work is all about travel I now have the flexibility to take off whenever the children are off for half terms away or long weekends that coincide with inset days” www.globalmousetravels.com
“Being there for my son is the best thing. There’s no problem if there is a snow day or he is sick or if there is a class assembly. I’m there to do the school run too both ends of the day and can take him to after school stuff. Next best is being able to do things my way and not the way that some head honcho who has no idea of reality thinks it should be done”.h ttp://92three30.com/
“The freedom to work from anywhere in the world (wi-fi permitting).” www.thediaryofajewellerylover.co.uk
“Just being there 100% for my children and being free to look after them when they’re ill, attend school events and make the most of the school holidays without feeling guilty.” http://mumsdotravel.com
“Definitely being able to work around the kids and drop and pick them up from school. What flexibility! It’s very rare” www.gammonandchips.com
“Years back when I first started I bought a washing machine brand new (our previous had been a family members) and remember being so proud that my hard work had bought that it was a special feeling compared to buying something from employee wages” http://www.charliemoos.co.uk/blog
So don’t let anything hold you back. If you want to be a self employed parent then there is nothing stopping you and Liz is here to empower you, give you advice and prove that it is possible. So why not follow her on facebook or twitter and get out there and buy that book. Let’s empower each other as women, lets stop the mummy guilt and no matter what we choose to do and be lets say “well done” to everyone as being a Mum is the hardest job I have ever had to do.
As a full time working mum, I really struggle with the feelings of guilt that I’m not around more for my son. I’d love to be able to blog enough to make a good income, but feel a bit optimistic that this could ever happen. While I think it would be great to be a SAHM or run my own business working from home, I always get a bit worried that if be commuting career suicide by leaving, and not being able to get back into work where I left off years down the line if I chose to go back. I have to admit, I do get quite envious of mums that have taken the leap to do it, and your post has got me carefully thinking about my future and the future I want for my kids. Great post!
I hate leaving my kids to go to work, but feel needs must and all that. I wish I could make the move. Great post with some great tips x
I am stay-at-home mum at the moment but I think soon I will have to start working part-time and I really don’t want to. I am hoping before that time that I can start earning some money from my blog so that I can work around my family. Great post. I am here from the Monday Parenting Pin It Party 🙂 My pinterest is http://www.pinterest.com/louisecollier – I will go and follow you if I am not already xx
Thanks for using my comment. My children always come first, money second. I’ve missed lots of opportunities due to childcare or a school show. These moments you can’t ever get back. Great post x
I’m fortunate to be able to work from home. I feel for the moms that work outside of home when they want to be at home, but can’t.
Thanks for sharing at Inspire Me Mondays!
Thanks for the inspiration, I look forward to checking out the book. I think like starting any business it takes time, effort, and risk.
This is a really interesting post, I went back to work at the end of a years mat leave and only lasted 3 months and I have given my job up to stay home with Boo, there are so many pressures on mums to work, to be a home, etcetc.
It’s a topic that’s been discussed since the beginning of time. I mean this is one of the biggest worries mums have. It’s hard to balance the stuff we already do, and add a job to that (not even talking full time) and it gets all so physically and psychologically demanding and exhausting. It’s tough to manage all the duties and get yourself split amongst so many different things. I can hardly offer a solutions but I will be reading all the sources you gave with interest. I work part time because of my kids and even though I am not earning pretty much, it’s a fair amount for the time I am actually away from home, so I can say I’ve managed some kind of balance. And I know other parents who are also in the cleaning business, either as cleaner, owners, operators, etc. Some of the jobs can be done from home, others are quite flexible, like being a cleaner.