A Babysitter -- Necessary for a Work at Home Mom?

I've heard this phrase 'The best of both worlds' a thousand times over whenever I explained to the people I meet, that I work from home as a freelance writer, graphic designer, voice-over provider and a host of other things that my 24 hour permits. And yet it's something that I choke on. To say that I have the best of both worlds is an understatement and yet it is some sort of an ambiguous snide remark if you are in the freelancing business as well. I've been in the freelancing world of marketing for a long time, a decade, and that is why I feel the urgent urge to correct their thinking.

Not that I hate my life or job; but there's a whole lot more to time management when you're a mom AND a freelance business person. Sometimes, you have no choice but to sit down and discuss with your partner (if you have one) whether there's a need for a babysitter who can literally 'man' the kids whenever you're working.

Full time or part time, then? Well, it all depends on your own working hours. If you have full control over what you do and have the ability to tell your clients have you have something urgent to attend to at the moment and will return their call in forty-five minutes (your kid just pooped in his pants), then you probably don't need a full-time babysitter. Traditionally, part-time babysitters costs a bit more than full-time babysitter if you count it down to the minutes.

While the concept of sending your eighteen month old to a Montessori kindergarten is an inviting idea, let's face it....how long are they going to be there, are they really going to learn ANYTHING and can you afford it? Let it be known that they don't come cheap. My option would be to have in-home provider who comes in a couple of hours a day to entertain or play with your kids once in a while, wipe the table in the process (hopefully) and mind them while you close the door and work. The only problem with an in-home babysitter is that they don't usually come with a license or a degree. But if you care to screen them through properly, you should be able to find a lovely little teenager who's just out to earn a little bit of money for movies during the weekends or a pair of really nice shoes once in a while.

The other option would be (and it's a really popular one) is to 'hire' a family member....usually the mother or the mother-in-law. This, on top of helping create a very strong bond between the two of them, is also the most effective one. Even if your mother or mother-in-law insists on not being paid for the favors, it is almost customary to reward the caretaker for her/his efforts in caring for your children while you're working. The only problem that I foresee in hiring your own family members is the values and principles. While you can put your foot down with an in-house babysitter, you can't really say 'No! I think that's wrong!' with your mother or mother-in-law.

For me, I say, pick your battles because none of the above option is the perfect one. There's no single one perfect solution. Bend on some, be strict on some and then just laugh off the others.

That's the best way to concentrate on your work while having your kids off your back for a couple of hours.