My Life as a Work-at-Home Mom

Being a Work-at-Home Mom (WAHM) definitely has its pros and cons. I started working from home back in 2010 on oDesk. I discovered how much more it pays without having to get out of the house, spend money on gas, waste time in finding parking and getting stuck in traffic which absolutely means a 2-hour commute every. single. day.

Income wasn't so bad too considering I don't have to spend for those things above. In fact, I believe I earned more than the average fresh graduate during that time. It also helped that the exchange rate from USD to Philippine Peso was still high! I was also able to pay my SSS, Philhealth, etc. on my own. So I was pretty much set and determined in establishing decent and long term work online.

My Current Setup. I love my Ikea Lersta Lamp!

I work as a Virtual Assistant that pretty much have done everything a VA can do and more. I actually started out as a Social Media Manager for a YouTube channel. Then I moved on to more VA work where I started out with simple agenda/meeting management, time management, data entry, and writing articles. It has then evolved to me being a Project Manager handling various web projects and teams. I've also done some hiring on oDesk as well.

What I learned is that a lot of clients or companies on oDesk prefer Filipino contractors mainly because of our English speaking skills and that more often than not, we are much more dedicated and adapt better with fellow team members. So yeah, I've been doing this for quite a while. What I love the most about it is that every day is not the same, and every different contract or project will definitely be unique in many ways from your previous ones. So I don't get bored at all, and when I do, I can just get another job.

Now that I'm a Mom, working from home is the only option for me at this time because I would hate leaving Jacob all day at home with a nanny. Plus, we didn't really hire help until he was about 15 to 16 months old. We thought we wouldn't need a nanny at all but then he started to learn how to walk, then run, then he was out of control. Lol.

Our Setup

When Jacob was born, I was blessed with a new job that allowed me to work in semi-flexible hours. I think he was around 2 months old then. We have 3 rooms upstairs, one for Lola and one for us. The middle room, as we call it, was my first room during my teen years. We had planned it to be Jacob's own nursery but since we co-sleep, we didn't really set it up. So we decided (okay, I decided!) to just leave it as an office because I really, really don't want our work computers to be in our masters bedroom. Why? I believe in not bringing work into the space where you should be resting, relaxing, and sleeping.

When I got hired, I had bought my own computer table and set up shop on the other side of the room. There's a bed in the room too so it was convenient for nursing Jacob and putting him down for naps. We did at one point just decided to sleep there for a while because my work turned into a semi-night shift and Oscar and I would be too lazy to move everything (pillows, blankets, toys) back to our room.

The Difficulties as a WAHM

Well, to begin with, you have a cute little bugger running around you all day, looking so adorable and very cuddly! So I often find myself taking breaks when he pulls me off my seat and cuddling with him. I do think that he doesn't like it when I'm sitting down in front of the computer. Every time I do so, he'd come over and ask me to go to bed with him or watch his shows with him. So when I do have to get back to work, I have to distract him first and be really, really quiet when sitting down. I actually replaced an old chair because it makes creaking sounds when you sit on it and that gets his attention especially when he's sitting!

When he grabs your hand, he's not going to let you go easily until you really get up and stay with him for a while.

Take on a weekend, but same scenario Mon-Fri only with me in the picture!

Second, it doesn't help that you have a very comfortable and inviting bed right next to you. I remember telling Osc that we should take the bed out of the office because during the afternoon, you just want to lay down! One of the reasons why I want us both to have our own offices is because we tend to procrastinate and goof off!

I really want this office!

Third, I am always in the dilemma of managing my time better. I have certain work hours that I should be online and Jacob would just be conveniently asking for me during those time. It's hard to just hand him over to the nanny and carry on with my job, unless I'm really really buried with work. And I hate having so little time with him.

In my previous work, I was working from late afternoon to past midnight, even had times where I was having insomnia so bad that I would work until 5:00 AM. I felt like a zombie! And I felt so left out with everything because I would be asleep during the day. And once I wake up, I'd eat then go to work. It was awful. Thank goodness I have better working hours now. Working those late/early hours really took its toll on my body.

The Benefits of Being a WAHM

More time for the little one! I can't imagine how other working Moms feel when they leave their babies at home. Even if I'm just going to go to the grocery, I feel a tug in my heart when leaving Jacob! I have lots of play time with him and I get to be there during times when he needs me the most. It's also a great, great blessing that my husband is a WAHD (Work-at-Home Dad!). We're present in every milestone, every new skill, every new word, every new silliness Jacob learns. It feels awesome!

I take better care of the house. I can do grocery anytime, if we need something, etc. I get to watch the house better, see what needs to be fixed, etc. And I can cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner at my convenience! It's hard to manage a home that's far bigger than we'd want it to be. We're staying at my childhood home, where I basically grew up. When we first moved here, we had about 4-5 rooms to fit all 6 of us. Now it's just down to 3 rooms. Still pretty big considering we have a garden to take care of, a living room full of whatever knick knacks my Mom thinks as decoration. So it's a lot of work to maintain! One of my solution for this is when she's in the US, I always put her decors/furniture/vases/etc. in boxes so we don't have to clean many things! :D

Who gets to clean this up at 12:00 AM? Me!

I get to do my Mommy tasks well. During breaks I clean the room, pick up toys, and do everything that Mr. Jacob's Dad isn't assigned to do or would be willing to do without any nagging. :D Just kidding, he'll clean when he wants to. Lol! My breaks consists of picking up toys, fixing the bed, sterilizing bottles, organizing milk containers, refreshing the stock shelves with diapers, etc., fixing clothes, and cooking!

I get to put him down for naps and sleep at night, period. He's so cute when he's asleep!

He cuddles with me when he's sleeping. :>

It helped me breastfeed longer. Jacob will be 21 months old this February and we're still nursing. Though I am slowly trying to wean him, we've started not nursing to sleep few weeks back, we still breastfeed on demand. The benefit for him is so great! He hasn't gotten ill with anything more serious than the common colds and he's a great eater too! He's not picky with food and he absolutely loves fruits and vegetables. Hooray for breastfeeding!

Love this boy!

And the best thing about being a WAHM, I get to feel and see that Jacob knows that I am and will always be there for him. He's not attached to his nanny or to anyone else, aside from his Dad. I have the most influence on him and he would really prefer me above anyone else.

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QUESTION OF THE DAY

Are you a WAHM too? What are your pros and cons of being a WAHM?

Share your thoughts below!