Home Based Business Mom

So many of my friends…family…neighbors….my kids teachers….
Even my friends that don’t work at home, but are still stay at home moms….think that I am SO lucky to work at home.

And don’t get me wrong – I feel VERY lucky.
But it’s not all luck ladies – it takes a lot of work as well.
Real work….not “pretend” sit down at my computer and play “office” work.

Apparently they are all under the impression I don’t “really” work at home. That somehow because it’s a “work at home” position that I’m allowed to just do whatever I want, whenever I want….and a paycheck just magically shows up.

Even though I have tried to be polite about it….
“I’m sorry, I can’t really watch your child today because I’m working and on a deadline.”
“I’m sorry – I can’t volunteer every day, all day in my child’s class, I have to “go” to work.”
“No, I can’t run to the movies this afternoon while the kids are in school because I’m at WORK.”

It somehow means nothing.

I might as well say, “I’m at home goofing off and prefer to be a recluse. Leave me alone.” I think that’s more acceptable and better understood than “I work at home.”

Being a mom is hard enough….but having to constantly justify your career because you happen to do it from home is really annoying.

A little R-E-S-P-E-C-T here!

So – how do we get the point across that we work at home without sounding like a snooty bitch that thinks she’s better than everyone else because she has the privilege of working at home? (OH yes…..I’ve been told that “work at home moms” think they are better than women outside the home that are working and woman that are stay at home moms. Somehow we “work at home moms” are just all full of ourselves – NOT!)

Balancing work and family in your own HOME is NOT fun. Your husband and kids even
take advantage and don’t seem to “get it”.

I’ve tried setting office hours. I’ve tried running all of my errands in one day. I’ve tried letting the laundry go until you need an oxygen tank to climb to the top of the pile. But “life” gets in the way. Somehow having an office or work place OUTSIDE the home gives you all kinds of street cred in the “working” world. We work at home moms are simply kiddinig ourselves that we’re actually”working”…..and the WORLD is on to our master plan of foolery.

I’m here to tell you….and YOU….the women that tell you they work at home – I imagine about 90% of them are REALLY working at home. On top of the “work” that being a stay at home mom involves, these women are holding down a “job” of some type that brings income into the family household. We’re NOT snotty (or snooty), we’re not wanting awards or recognition….we just want to be able to do our job and not be made to feel guilty or pressured.

We love hanging out, volunteering, spending time with our kids and family just as much as the next person. Sure our hours might be a bit more flexible – BUT – we’re also forging a career, a business or holding down a part time/ full time job. Just the same as anyone else! That includes all you folks that head off to a brick and mortar building every day. And most of you have benefits. Many work at home moms get NO benefits. No 401K, paid vacations and sick days or insurance.

So next time you meet a mom and she says…”I work at home….” why not try to muster up a little respect for the girl?! It’s not easy. I’ve been doing it for almost 8 years – and it’s never gotten easier. I’ve read all the books and articles on “managing” your home office and scheduling home ‘work’ hours. Ummm….yeah…..sure…..THAT works.

I look at it like this. Instead of balancing two balls in the air, a work at home mom is really balancing three. Or at least it feels like it.

All women. Those that work, don’t work, have kids, don’t have kids – these days, it’s just hard. Life isn’t fair all the time. And I’m sure we learn something from these hard times (and the good times.)

Just the common ground of being a woman in today’s world should be enough to garner a little respect from each other. It certainly couldn’t hurt.