The Insanity!

[HomeBizMom]

As I write this post, my 5 year old, Hannah, and my 7 year old, Haley, are fighting in the other room while my 2 year old, Zach, is laughing at them thinking it is a game.
I am less than 10 weeks shy of the birth of my 4th child, Kylar, and I am thinking to myself......I am a work from home Mom. I have made sacrifices in the past (sacrificing significant growth in a company) so I could work from home and be with my children. So I could be the one that raises them, not the daycare or the nanny or the T.V.
Sometimes, when my husband is at work and I have a hard day at home, I almost envy the fact that he goes to work (he is a firefighter) and when he comes home...he is home.
When I go to work, I am still at home (just in the home office) and when I am done with work....I am still at home. On days that he has off, I can go into my home office and know that he is taking care of the munchkins while I get some work done. But, even though I can tell him "I'm working, you take care of it", I still feel like I need to make the lunch, change the diaper, soothe the crying, kiss the owie. Because I am home and can hear what goes on and I am MOM! I am neither at work...nor really at home....even when I am in the next room.
I have had women tell me how lucky I am that I work from home....and I am lucky. It is a great thing to be able to do. But it isn't easy. Sometimes, being in an actual office away from the insanity can be easier. Now, when I hear about the "office drama" that ocurrs, I have to admit, I am happy to avoid it. I am happy to avoid the office politics and the schoolyard drama that happens in every office.
In the end, my insanity can be hard to handle some days. It gets tough and for moms who work from home, we don't have it easy. But I would much rather be where I am, raising the kids, listening to the insanity that I gave birth to, than stuck in a cubicle dealing with an entirely seperate type of insanity and crying and fighting. Afterall, I can't send my coworkers to their room!

[Audrey]

Jessica,

You wrote a really wonderful post. I just found a site yesterday called jellymom.com She approaches the insanity of motherhood with a ton of humor. Everything I read on her site made me chuckle.

[cuellarhatcher77]

I really enjoyed your post, Jessica. Yes, I'm the one with my children not someone else. I still work one day a week at a dental office handling their accounts and by the end of the day, I'm glad to be home. I miss them the 9 hours I'm gone.

[Lori]

I am less than 10 weeks shy of the birth of my 4th child, Kylar

How's the pregnancy going? :angel3:

[lisamommy]

Sounds like I could have wrote this post. I only have on boy 19 months. But he doesn't let me get my work done. When I am on the PC he wants to play with my mouse, press the button that turns the computer off, get into my files, whine at my lap, cry and scream, etc, etc, etc. He has about 20 or so toys in our office and I bring new ones in and switch old ones out, but no he would rather play with mommies stuff. I get him snacks and drinks and whatever I can to occupy him, but not much works. He wants my full attention, even though I give it to him at all other hours of the day. I love him so much, but I want my business to work too. It's hard!

[cuellarhatcher77]

Sounds like I could have wrote this post. I only have on boy 19 months. But he doesn't let me get my work done. When I am on the PC he wants to play with my mouse, press the button that turns the computer off, get into my files, whine at my lap, cry and scream, etc, etc, etc. He has about 20 or so toys in our office and I bring new ones in and switch old ones out, but no he would rather play with mommies stuff. I get him snacks and drinks and whatever I can to occupy him, but not much works. He wants my full attention, even though I give it to him at all other hours of the day. I love him so much, but I want my business to work too. It's hard!

I remember reading a post from a woman who has a great way of working things out when her little one is noisy while she is on the phone. She would basically tell the person on the other end she loves working from home because she can experience all the great things her child does; even if he is a bit noisy :D

[Audrey]

From a customer perspective, when I hear a child screaming in the background or crying or talking loudly etc, I ask the person to call me later. I just am not ok trying to do business with a loud child in the background. How do others feel from the customer perspective?

[Lori]

From a customer perspective, when I hear a child screaming in the background or crying or talking loudly etc, I ask the person to call me later. I just am not ok trying to do business with a loud child in the background. How do others feel from the customer perspective?

I don't really mind from the other end of the phone.

But from my end I try to train all of my own clients early on to contact me via IM or email. I am very particular about having my kids in the background of phone calls.

If you ever do get stuck in that situation -- my line is, "I'm working from my home office today, so please excuse the noise from my little helper" or something to that effect. Most people are forgiving and start talking about their grandkids. :D

[lisamommy]

I remember reading a post from a woman who has a great way of working things out when her little one is noisy while she is on the phone. She would basically tell the person on the other end she loves working from home because she can experience all the great things her child does; even if he is a bit noisy :D

The problem is my boy is not just a bit noisy. He is right next to me crying & screaming his head off. There is no way I can call leads that way. I do talk to my partners and customers when is seems ok, but then it seems a couple minutes later, he is doing this while I am on the phone. I can't even concentrate on what I'm doing or saying. It's just drives me up the wall.

[Lori]

I've been there Lisa... not fun! :wall:

[cuellarhatcher77]

The problem is my boy is not just a bit noisy. He is right next to me crying & screaming his head off. There is no way I can call leads that way. I do talk to my partners and customers when is seems ok, but then it seems a couple minutes later, he is doing this while I am on the phone. I can't even concentrate on what I'm doing or saying. It's just drives me up the wall.

Yeah, I've been there too. I usually put a movie on, bring the building blocks out to play, have him color or draw and just about any other thing I can think of to keep him busy. My son will be 3 in May and I tell him he needs to play quietly when mommy is on the phone. He seems to understand and is good for the most part. I like what Lori says about having a little helper. It's when they are screaming that makes it difficult. :-|