I am, by no means a signed up, bona fide business... I'd need sales to be called that but I do spend a lot of time making, listing, advertising, networking (ok gossiping on Facebook or Twitter). I'm trying to build up something to bring in extra pennies. Such are the times that I don't have the luxury to wait until the youngest is in school or even get a 'proper' job due the OH's ridiculous shift patterns.
I try and do as much in the evenings as possible but in reality businesses cant be run after 7pm. In the winter I work in artificial *ugh* light and I'm normally so tired I end up staring at a piece of fabric begging for the blurred vision to clear! This has meant I have to do work during the day, less now little man doesn't nap but I do sometimes sneak off and do bits. Surely those of us that work/run businesses from home with small children must find it an almost impossible task. I find myself feeling guilty thinking that I really shouldn't be listing this item or sewing this seam and I wonder whether it will have a negative effect on them... then again would the negative effect be worse if I went out to work? *pauses to throw chickens out the house*
But, *stay with me* I wonder whether rather than the negative effect being on the children or the washing pile, maybe the negative effect is being had on us? With a family you cant immerse yourself in your craft when in the back of your mind your planning the next meal or clock watching for the school run. You cant go out and visit potential stockists with a cute but slobbery toddler tucked under your armpit and you cant just do a craft fair without months of planning... just to make sure the kids are ok.
So what do I do? Probably not a lot really as there isn't much I can do about it. The OH's hours wont suddenly become family friendly allowing me to get a paying job. I will still need the pennies and can only therefore utilise the skills I have in the best way possible. I guess I will have to hope that one day all the pieces will fit together and my children wont hate me for neglecting them. :)
How do you cope with your work/home life?
3 comments:
i know exactly what you mean. i've been in same situation. didn't want to work full-time while bringing up kids and husband's work made it hard to fit anything part-time in. ended up childminding which was hard but worked out well all round. kids loved having playmates and we got some much needed extra money. saved crafting til the evening and have the sore eyes and pin pricked fingers to prove it. now my youngest starts school in sept so i've given that up and i have some crazy plan to supplement our income by selling what i make. ha! i'm giving myself til christmas...but there'll be no jobs to get by then anyway. don't feel guilty. trust your instincts. do what you can.
I spent my childhood after primary school looking after my alcoholic mother and hardly seeing my dad as he was always at work and I turned out OK. I don't think earning some extra money or doing a bit of sewing will do any harm at all, as long as they know you love them :)
My plan is to not have kids until I'm earning enough that my OH can be the one that stays at home. He quite fancies being a house husband, not that this particularly helps you :S
Thanks for commenting ladies!
Jennie the best of luck to you, your stuff is gorg and I hope others put their hands in their pockets for it.
Pennydog - I can totally understand your determination to be all you can in life now - without being too ukky its very inspirational. I so wish my OH was the house husband but alas I was the one to chuck my career in *waves fist* bloody men!
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