Working at Home
Working from home is an option a lot of women dream about, but is not without its benefits and detriments.
Working from home is a delicate balance. On the one hand, you get to spend more time with your child, spend less money on child care, commuting, wardrobe, and office expenses. However, it can be quite difficult to actually get any work done if you have no child-care help. Additionally, many women miss seeing colleagues, getting out of the house, and having more time to themselves. Some women experience a sudden dissonance, going from working in a job they and others see as important to being stuck in the house all day, working in sweats, and having no visibility.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 53 percent of married mothers with children one year of age or under are in the workforce. One half of mothers return to work within six months of their child's birth.
If you want to work from home, there are several options to consider. You could work out an arrangement with your current employer that allows you to work from home and still be an employee. This kind of arrangement is usually not completely work from home and often requires some face-time in the office. Another option is to work for yourself, either in your previous line of work, by opening a home business, or by doing some kind of freelance or consulting work. No matter what your plans, it is usually a good idea to arrange some kind of child care so that you can have time to actually work.
