A Parents Guide to Working From Home

Just because no one pays you to be a parent, that doesn’t mean that parenting isn’t a job (and a fulltime one at that). It really doesn’t matter the age of your child, but when you’ve got a little one to raise you’re pretty much working around the clock to make sure she stays happy and healthy.

In addition to the basics such as making sure your baby is eating and sleeping on time, you’re also on the constant lookout for her safety. As you know, the world is a very new place to a baby, so she’s bound to want to explore as much as she can.

Making sure your baby maintains a healthy and timely food regimen in addition to keeping her out of trouble pretty much takes fulltime focus and dedication. Often times, this means that working a job that pays isn’t always a possibility. Sometimes you may feel like you simply don’t have the time (not to mention the energy).

Now, there many parents out there who are lucky enough to have a partner that that can support the family on their own, but unfortunately that just isn’t always the case. Times are tough, finding a job is incredibly difficult, and when you’re faced with the possibility or even the actual reality of poverty and you’re also trying to do what’s best for your baby, a job that pays is an absolute necessity.

You can work out of your house

Not only can time be an issue as far as how often you need to be with your baby (which can prevent you from working) but leaving your little one at home on her own just simply isn’t an option when you keep the safety factor in mind. If you don’t have the proper funds to pay for a caretaker of sorts, then you have no choice but to stay by your baby’s side.

Luckily, working from home has never been easier. Given all the technological advancements over the years (mainly the internet) so many people are able to bring in an income without having to leave the house. This means that you don’t have to choose between being a stay at home parent or a parent that works. We now live in a time where you can do both.

There’s tons of possibilities out there for work you can do at home, but here are just a few that you might want to try.

Transcriptionist

 

A transcriptionist is someone who listens to some sort of audio file and then transcribes the audio into an electronic or physical document (these days it’s mostly electronic).
Most transcriptionist transcribe audio files for legal companies, medical companies, healthcare companies, and even entertainment companies. In some instances, you can even get a transcriptionist position doing closed captioning for television.

The pay rate tends to start around $15 per audio hour, but you can even make up to $50 per audio hour.

As far as skillsets are concerned, you’re going to need an excellent knowledge of grammar, top-notch typing skills, and spelling skills are obviously a necessity. Depending on the type company you work for (especially if you’re in the medical or legal field), you’re going to have to familiarize yourself with all the industry terminology. If you don’t understand what it is you’re transcribing, you probably won’t be very effective at it, which will in turn make it so that you lose your job.

Sometimes transcriptionists just work freelance, but if you can get in with a certain company in a certain field, a sustainable income is definitely a possibility.

And like every job that allows you to stay at home, a working computer and working internet connection is needed.

Private Tutor

 

When we think of private tutors, we typically think of an individual who comes to a kid’s house to help the kid get a stronger grasp on a subject that she might be struggling with. While the main purpose of a tutor remains the same in our current times, the way in which you can tutor has evolved: you can now tutor over the internet.

We already have conversations through Skype with one another all the time (casual or business related mostly) but teaching over the internet through Skype is very common these days.

You can work with kids who live in your city or in other parts of the country and tutoring or teaching internationally is a possibility as well. As long as you’re well-versed in a particular subject and have an internet connection, you can help make a difference in someone’s life through education no matter where you are.

Sell your creations through Etsy

You probably know by now, but Etsy is an online marketplace that allows individuals to sell and buy a wide array of items that are typically creative works in some form or another. If you’re the creative type, then Etsy is a great place for you to express yourself and get your work out to the public.

If you like to make jewelry, clothes, handbags, artworks, craft supplies, cards, pottery, home decorations, etc.—then you can definitely take advantage of Etsy and sell your work. This means you get to stay at home with your little one while getting creative and making some cash to help support your family.

Blogging, online content writing, or online journalism

 

There’s often debates as to how long printed reading material will be around—which makes us question the possibilities of a career in writing—but the internet has made it so that more writers are needed than ever before.

Think about it: every single website that you visit has written content, and it wasn’t as if that content just generated itself out of thin air—someone had to write it.

Another thing to keep in mind is that for any website, it’s pretty much standard practice to have a blog. No matter the type of website, blogs are needed in order to generate website views and keep people coming back to the website. And of course, many websites just are blogs.

As far as journalism is concerned, there’s so many online publications out there looking for knowledgeable writers to bring important information to the public.

And of course, online writing is something you can do from home. These days, many writers and editors simply communicate through email—making it so that everyone involved can work together remotely.

So, if you consider yourself a skilled writer and you have the proper qualifications (something along the lines of a college degree with a heavy focus on writing), finding online writing jobs isn’t an impossibility.

If you’re new and trying to break into the writing world you might not get paid at first, but if you build up a strong enough portfolio your skills will most likely land you a job.

The one thing you have to keep in mind about online writing though (and even print writing) is that almost every writer these days is a freelancer, so sometimes the work comes and goes. But, if you consistently keep an eye out for websites, blogs, or publications that need writers, you should be just fine.

Also, good research skills are a must (writing and research go hand in hand). So, make sure you feel you can take on the task of learning new things and comprehending what you learn in addition to just being a strong writer.

There’s no need to fret

Just as the way we parent has changed in the 21st century, so has the way in which we work and generate income. You don’t have to show up at the office every day anymore just to support your family.

While not every job you can do from home is super lucrative (just like with any other type of work), we now live in a time where you can be with your kid and help to provide her financial support at the same time. If you’re having trouble paying the bills while trying to raise a kid, just know that you can (sort of) kick back, relax, and work from home.