Moms that work from home, along with mini vent

DH and I decided that I would be a SAHM once DS was born. SWell last week a client of mine when I was working called me and asked me if I could do some of his bookkeeping until he finds someone because he let go the person he had. I can do it from home and he is moving his office to Hicksville so it would be close if I had to go there. I said I would do it from home but I didn't realize how stressed I would be and I only worked on his stuff for a short amount of time. Last night DH came home earyl which was a nice surprise, but I had to put DSto sleep then eat dinner then my brother called to vent to me his girl problems so it was 9pm before I could sit down and go through the papers this guy brought me and it was 10:30 got hardly anything down but became stressed because I didnt know how I was going to finish the pile by wed. DS is a good baby but he is only 3 months and doesnt last in the bouncy seat for too long so he needs to be occupied or held. He doesnt really takes naps and if he does I use that time to straighten up and take a shower. How did the other mom's do it and do you think it is still to soon for me to be doing this. DH thinks I am overreacting but he doesn't take care of the baby all day and he doesnt get it. He see's DS only a few minutes a day. I just dont like feeling stressed not to mention I can concentrate. DH wants me to do it for a few weeks and the money would be good for formula (we really dont have to do this but it would be nice to have the extra cash) Thanks for listening

Re: Moms that work from home, along with mini vent

I'm also a SAHM that work from home. I understand your frustrations. I started around the same time as you. I remember thinking how difficult is was and that there is no way I can do it. My husband did not understand how difficult it was to work during the day with our DS until he had too do it. My reports are due every Wed so my work must be completed within a short amount of time as well. I work on my reports every night after DS is sleeping. This is the only way I can get anything done. I'm also lucky to get some of my reports done on Thurs when DS is with my mom. Thurs is the only day I work out of the house.

I will say that I think it will get easier when your DS get older. I find that I can get more done during the day now that my DS is 15 months.

In the long term the extra money will help. Good Luck to you.

Re: Moms that work from home, along with mini vent

I work full time, but work from home 2 days a week. It's tough!

I have reports due weekly, and then once a month (the once a month reports take me about 2 weeks to do - so sometimes I work on the weekends to finish them).
I do my other work either at the office on the days that I go in, or I do it at night when DD is sleeping or with DH.

Re: Moms that work from home, along with mini vent

I can't imagine that working from home would be easy (I've never tried) because even now at almost 10 months I don't get a huge block of time where Miranda doesn't need to be entertained. Now she's getting to be at the age that after a while of self play she wants you to play with you.
Good Luck. Maybe you could do some work on the weekends when DH is home? Then he could have a taste of taking care of DS with no help.

Re: Moms that work from home, along with mini vent

I worked from home 2 days a week from 3 months til about a year. I have to say - I found it nearly impossible to do both (be a mom and work). I would say months 3-5 were the easiest. Being he could move and I would use play mat, bouncer, swing, exersaucer, etc as much as I could. Once he was outgrowing these things and rolling and crawling...it was real hard. I was doing work early and late. AS he got plder he napped better so I did have that time but still - it is an hour or two a day and work and work issues don't wait for my son's naps.

I had tremendous guilt that I wasn't giving 100% to either my son or work and that was hard. I found working from home much more stressful than going to the office and leaving my son. I don't think many people will understand this and think you have the best of both worlds. I don't think you can understand unless you do it. personally the toll of this helped me go towards my decision of being a SAHM (for the most part - I work one day a week).

My only advice is handle the off hours or look into child care - even for a few hours of the day...maybe a younger person than you would normally consider can even help - since you are home to help.

Re: Moms that work from home, along with mini vent

Re: Moms that work from home, along with mini vent

I work from home 2 days a week also and find that it's difficult to get alot done. So I had to ask my in laws if they could take Delaney on the days I work from home. Peyton's easy, she pretty much eats and sleeps. I did find that once they reach 1 - 2 years of age, it gets a lot harder to do both.

I'm only doing 2 days from home until the end of the summer, then I go back to one day.

Re: Moms that work from home, along with mini vent

I work from home and my son has been with me the whole time.

In the beginning I had an Admn in the office in NYC to handle all the day-today calls, etc. I mostly just did the Accts Payable/Receivable end - while I was on "Maternity leave" for 3 months basically he left me alone and didn't call unless it was an emergency or he needed an emergency check.

So from about the same time as you I started taking on a little more, fielding the occasional call from clients, office, etc. But couldn't get too much computer work done during the day. Only while DS is napping and at night after he's asleep. unfortunately I am up pretty late because I wait until DH is asleep too!

He's two now and it still works for us, its very rare but if I absolutely need to get something done he may watch a show for a 1/2 hour or play by himself. I'm lucky that if we are home during the day he is still taking a 2-3 hr nap in the afternoon.
Our office is now out of the city and closer to me, if I need to go in (once a month?), Aidan comes with me for a little while.

I think if you get a schedule down for the both of you it will definitely get easier, I know Aidan hated his bouncy and swing so I had to adjust with that too. Take showers at night (I hated doing that but do it all the time now)


Good luck! It sounds like a great opportunity!

Re: Moms that work from home, along with mini vent

Thanks everyone. It definitly is a great opportiniuty but I cant get past the guilt. I was also thinking that I could do the work on the weekends. He would bring the paperwork on Friday and he can pick it up on Monday. Their is no real time frame but he is behind and I have to catch him up. I guess I should give it some more time. I guess in my mind I had it set that I could do it one day a week but I dont have that since I have no-one to watch him during the day so it turns into a few minutes here and their and what normally would take 2-3 hours feels like it is taking double that.

Re: Moms that work from home, along with mini vent

I work from home 3-4 days a week and DD is 9 weeks old. It is hard. Thank GOD she naps for 2-3 hours during the day. I put her down for a nap around the same time each day. Unless she is having a fussy day or is not feeling well, it works most days.

I too feel like it is hard to balance working from home and taking car of my DD.