At-home Parents of Ab
ut.com
Not surprisingly, many of the Guides here at About.com are stay-at-home/work-at-home parents. Meet five of our fellow at-home parents, and please stop-by and visit their sites.
Rachel Sanfordlyn Shreckengast, About.Com Guide to Weddings -
I am Rachel Sanfordlyn Shreckengast, and am the About.com Guide to
Weddings. I've been a stay-at-home mom since April of 1995, and have four children. I have been working on the internet since early 1996. Samantha Mercedes was born March 24, 1992. Alexandra Morgan was born September 9, 1995. Veronica Katherine was born October 15, 1998. Allen Lorne joined our family on February 24, 1999 and was born on July 1, 1987. Working at home has provided the opportunity to become closer to my children and husband. My schedule is flexible enough that I can work around important events in their lives and mine. Our family has become stronger as a result, and we are able to concentrate on those things that are truly important to us. All parents have a difficult job whether they work outside the home or inside the home. All stay-at-home parents work, though not all get paychecks. No matter your choice, make sure that it is what truly what makes you happy for that is what will benefit your family the most!
Maia Frierson, About.com Guide to DC for Visitors
- I am the Guide for DC for Visitors site and work at home doing
freelance/corporate writing. Other than About.com, I also publish websites
for various businesses, and write newsletters for every area from the
Financial Industry to Property Management. I am a relatively new mother. My
daughter, Anastasia, is 15 months old, and both she and I are very adamant
about Mommy and Baby being together during the day. My position as a mother
comes before any other position I could think of.
I feel that one of the biggest dilemmas for parents, and often Mothers, in this generation is the balance between Parenthood and career. Women fought for careers in the 60's and now some have to fight (at least on a financial front) to be able to stay home. Sometimes one income is very difficult to live on, hence many parents need two incomes.
I think Moms like us are Millennium Moms. We have the best of both worlds, staying at home and working. I also think that it's wonderful that a company like ABOUT.COM has the foresight to see that the inevitable move in corporations for year 2000 is towards working from home. Many employees work for top companies who are now realizing the cost advantages and sending their employees home, paying them not by the hour, but by the amount of work they do.
All of us should be so lucky!
Diane Dobbs, About.com Guide to Creative Writing for Teens
- I have always felt it was important to my family and self that I find work
where I control my schedule in order to be able to drop everything and pick
up a sick child from school, take the kids to appointments and to be able
to chauffeur my husband back and forth from his office.
For years I did volunteer or very low income work, teaching pre-school gifted and bright children, teaching remedial reading and English as a Second Language, running a school snack program and serving on many Board of Education committees. I chose the jobs where my children were able to come along with me. Then came a time in our lives when a more substantial second income became necessary, so I looked for a job I could center out of our home.
Working as an About.com Guide and being able to stay home, plus being available to my family, is a dream come true. I work during the times the kids are in school, and in the evenings while they are busy with homework. My income goes towards the many rewards we all love to give to our children.
My husband is a few years away from retiring from his day job, and we are both looking forward to continuing our careers out of the house and to raising our kids through their teenage years, a time when we both know they still will need us to be around and to be there for them.
Kathy Hamlin, About.com Guide to Cocktails
- I am a different kind of mother. Bonnie Rose was born 20 years and one day
apart from her oldest sibling, Josh. I was also an "official" guide for ten
days before she was born. There is one sibling in between, aged 14. So, I
look at having a child later in life as a blessing, and as lessons learned.
I tried to stay home as long as I could with all my babies. I went back to
work earlier with Bonnie. The bartender that took my place, was also
pregnant, so we did a swap over type thing. We each gave up nights as we
got uncomfortable and comfortable. It was a fortunate situation. I gave up
breastfeeding earlier, but Bonnie has a really good relationship with her
father as a result.
I became pregnant again and lost the next child. It was a blighted ovum, but let's not fool ourselves, at 43, I don't need anymore childbirths. That 911 call my husband made saved my life, and I quit my job.
I've been at home with Bonnie, my 14 & 22 year old, and working for myself ever since.
The problems I have run into are mainly people thinking that since you are at home, you have plenty of free time. Nothing could be further from the truth! Take a look at the messy house & think if I really choose to live in this turmoil? When you think they are watching Barney & all is quiet, sometimes they are really in your pantry and getting into the powdered sugar! If you think the older ones will look out after the younger, they will if you bribe them, but they are also in school. Daddy works long hours. Grama helps once in awhile. Day care - no way! Bonnie knows her ABC's, complete sentences, counts, and has a repertoire of songs. How much time do you think a day care gives to each child's formation?
Would I trade this lifestyle for a high paying working position? Not in my lifetime! I stay up late to get work done. It seems I am always working. There is no door to shut off, and leave work for home. But, every morning, I snuggle & snooze while Barney, Roley Poley, Franklin & others are on and Bonnie & I snuggle. Someday I will get a decent night's sleep, and someday I will have a clean house again. Until then, I guess I have set my priorities. I'm not budging! I need to be here for all my kids, no matter how old they are.
Meet more About.com At-Home Guides:
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