Where do I check off “Work-at-home”?

This is my first post to Work-at-Home Parents. For those of you in the same situation as me, it will come as no surprise that it’s been THREE WEEKS since I was lucky enough to snag this WordPress name. How time flies!

 Anyway, I was inspired to start this blog for a couple of reasons. First, we were just starting a blog for my business, Beyondus – so I had blogs on the mind. And second, I read an article in one of those baby magazines (you know, the free ones you sign up for when you’re pregnant? I’m a sucker for a freebie.). This article was talking about the percentage of moms who were stay-at-home vs. full-time vs. part-time. Hmmm. I realized it was a good thing they didn’t ask ME that question because I would have had to check off both “stay-at-home” and “full-time” which I am sure would have totally thrown off the statistician trying to make the numbers add up to 100%.

I’ve since surfed around a little bit and discovered that there are plenty of bloggers and sites out there that deal with work-at-home parents, but I can’t help but feel like we are still an unaccounted-for group. There are probably Millions of stay-at-home moms work from home part-time doing direct sales and other types of part-time work. (though direct sales can be full-time too – crazy me on top of my primary business I am a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant on the side so I know first-hand.)

But not only are there the part-time WAHMs (and WAHDs too – I’m equal opportunity!) but there are many of us who are trying to build full-time careers as work-at-home parents. My husband and I both fall into that category. What is enabling this big shift? Easy: TECHNOLOGY. Even 10 years ago it would have been hard to run a business from home but now we can have a virtual company. High speed internet, email, phone calls (VOIP and cell no less), IM, free conference call services and more. We have consultants in several different states, many who choose to work from home as freelancers vs. their nice office jobs because they became moms. And technology lets them have that choice.

I’ll be looking to use this blog to share my own experiences as a WAHM with a husband who’s a WAHD. I’m sure some posts will gloat about the luxuries that come with this work choice, while others will explore the “dark side” of working at home (you know it: screaming kids at inopportune moments, constant interruptions, the guilt of using the electronic babysitter). I hope you’ll share comments of your own!