A Time For Work
By Cheryl Gochnauer

"Do you have any suggestions for those of us who have to go back to work due to finances?" - "C" for Confused

As an at-home parent, there's a big difference between easing back into the
workplace after a satisfying sabbatical, and feeling jerked into submission
by your checkbook.

As disappointing as it can be, there are times when all the belt-tightening
in the world won't help. Mom simply has to find a way to bring in some money, and that means taking a paid position, possibly outside the home.

I've experienced this myself. I'd been a full-time stay-at-home mom about a year when my husband changed jobs. The new position promised a better long-range future, but his present paycheck was slashed 30 percent. Ouch!

After a bit of grieving over my pre-empted stay-at-home status, I took a part-time position, teaching computer classes a couple of days a week at my
daughter's school. As my husband received raises, I cut back my hours until
I was again able to be home full-time.

If you're feeling slam-dunked back into the workforce, take as much control
of the situation as you can. Do you have to work full-time, or can you take a part-time position? Can you work at home or during school hours, minimizing your time away from family?

Remember to do the math - will daycare costs and other work-related expenses eat up most of your profits if you go back full-time? How do the figures look if you only work part-time? If your net money in hand is about the same, guard those extra hours with your kids and take the part-time job.

If possible, get a job close to home. When I was working full-time, I left a job with a 45-minute (each way) commute to take a position 10 minutes from my home. That increased my family time by more than an hour each day. Plus, I was close enough that I could drive to the sitter's house and play with my baby over my lunch hour. I still remember how invigorating those midday doses of Mommy Time were.

Guilt can place a stranglehold on mothers who feel forced back into the workplace. Resist the impulse to beat yourself up; if you've got to work, you've got to work! We can't let our families go bankrupt just so we can be home.

Instead, focus on making the best of the options you have. Life is not static; circumstances are constantly changing. If you ache to be an at-home parent, set goals and pay down bills. Re-evaluate the budget on a regular basis, and watch for your opportunity to reclaim your SAHM status.

Comments? Email Cheryl@homebodies.org, or visit her website at
www.homebodies.org. Copyright 2000 Cheryl Gochnauer.

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