Carrie

[This message has been edited by CarrieLynn (edited 03-23-2001).]

I have to say - once they got out of the infancy/early toddler stage, I would spend an hour here and there working with them. I would put the gate up on my office door, bring some toys in the room and have them play while I worked. Would do it in short spurts - their attention span is limited - but I did want them to be comfortable watching me work and learning to understand that they can amuse themselves some of the time. To this day (at 11 and 14) - they pretty much know that I'm there - that if they need me they can interrupt me - but mom's working - and they do have a respect for that.

Tight wire you'll be walking working at home and raising children. What works for me, or Carrie, or anyone else is not necessarily what will work for YOU. You know your kids...you know your self...and you may not find the best way to juggle it all first shot out of the gate. You've got to be flexible and try different things until you find the things that work the best. Yes - husband contributing are a big help - and training them to understand that you are working two jobs and do need their help is more difficult than getting the kids used to it (in some cases!).

Carrie

As Annie said, having a schedule and sticking to it is a must, and I agree 100% about demanding support from the husband. I think they really like the *idea* of helping you out, but when it comes down to actually doing it...well, that's usually another story.

Have I mentioned how much I'm enjoying the enriching experience of improving myself so I can make a substantial contribution to the family income?

Also, even though my husband knows I work all day, sometimes I feel like he is wondering why the laundry isn't done and dinner isn't cooked. LOL.

PaulaD

Barbara R

My oldest child has ADD and my youngest is very high strung and cannot entertain herself. (Ages 13 and 4) I work at night when the house is quiet and am just getting to bed around 4am. My husband and I are both up at 6:30am and I try to go back to sleep after my oldest has left for school and him for work in hopes of getting a little sleep before my little one wakes. This does not always happen. I do find that most of the time I am just plain out exhausted. There is not much help from my husband due to his work schedule and it is even more so during racing season. I don't know what I would do if it wasn't for my mother. I would totally lose it.

If any mothers are debating a career in MT work and have small children at home the first thing they should consider is scheduling and the activity level of their children. It is impossible to hear a dictator dictating his reports while a child is at your feet screaming for attention. The work needs to get done and the child needs love and comfort. You have to be able to balance out the obligations and be sure not to run your own health into the ground in the process. It is not easy. There are also no easy answers. We all love our children but as many of us know, the extra income in many cases is necessary.

I would recommend finding some way to get babysitting help be it from a mother's helper, family member, or drop-in daycare provider. We are not superwomen though most days it seems as if people expect us to be, especially husbands.

Sam

The hardest thing for me is having to tell my girls that I am working and go ask their dad! They always come to me first!

I take a nap with my girls in the afternoon so that I can work at night into early morning.

Paula R.

I do have to say that this morning he did get onto our little one. Last night she decided to dump about a gallon of water on her bedroom carpet. He was off working on go karts and I was highly ticked off.

Sam

FUNNY STORY:
Everyday, I ask my daughter how her day was and she in turn asks me about my day at school. I recently completed and turned in the final for Module I. When I told her, obviously I was excited, and she threw her little arms in the air and exclaimed, "NOW YOU CAN GET A JOB!"

Little ones DO hear what you say!

Donna

I have an infant son (5 months old), and have quit my full-time job and taken a part-time spot.

So far, I find that I don't have much study time, but am realizing that I may be able to find time at work to "sneak" my books and flashcards in to while away time when not busy doing "official" work. I can't study much at home until my little one settles down to sleep at night. My late-night study sessions had to end because I returned to the work force .. If I could only add 5 hours to the day!

D NNA

[ 06-18-2001: Message edited by: Donna2 ]

Before I started this study, I had a client. My son was a bit younger then, and so I managed to squeeze in hours when I could. I awoke at 5:00 am every day and worked until my son woke. Then I would work when he took a nap, and when Daddy came home, after fixing supper, I would work until about 10:00-11:00pm. It was hard, but rewarding when I got those checks.

Now my son is older, and it is more difficult to get my studying done. I have gone back and forth with my babysitters and their schedules, and now I just try to do the best I can in squeezing in studying here and there. I have dedicated Saturdays to all-day studying, and I work in the afternoons when he naps.

It is very hard, and it's taking me longer than I had originally anticipated, but I am determined to get through these studies!

TonjaB