5 Benefits of Being a WAHM (Work-at-Home Mom)

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More and more mothers are choosing the option to work from home. Be it through entrepreneurship or telecommuting (working from a remote location), many mothers have made the choice to work from home so that they can balance the best of both worlds: parenting and a career. I myself am a mom who’s recently joined the ranks of those working from home, and I’ve seen the benefits albeit the many duties that need juggling!

Being a work-at-home mom comes with its own share of challenges, but I personally believe the following benefits far outweigh them:

WAHM Benefit #1: I get to manage my own little business.
Being a work-at-home mom lets me earn on what I do best: writing. My dad has always taught me that the way to financial independence is to set up a personal business. In my case, this has proved to be true. As a work-at-home mom, I am able to work and earn my own keep running a small writing business. Now that I can do work that I enjoy and really excel at, I am motivated by opportunities I’m afforded with each time I get a new client. Being my own boss lets me be the best that I can be for my situation, and it compels me to work harder and with more passion.

 

WAHM Benefit #2: I get to save money.
When I worked in a traditional job, I had work-related expenses: transportation, allowance, clothing, etc. One of the benefits of being a work-at-home mom is that I get to save on all these! My office space is in my living room (or wherever I feel like working on a given day) so I no longer need to commute. As for food, I don’t have to eat out because I eat every meal with my family. The funds that I save on baon are diverted to providing good food for my family: We are striving to eat organically as much as we can, and that requires a little bit extra on our food bill. Whatever I save from not buying lunch goes to this food budget, which in the long run helps our family live a healthier lifestyle.

 

WAHM Benefit #3: I get to exercise flexibility in work choices and schedules.
I worked in a traditional job for more than ten years. During that time, I became an editorial assistant and a teacher, and in each of those jobs, I was under a superior. I worked the nine to five grind, which was convenient when I was single, but less palatable when I became a mom. Now, as a work-at-home mom, I am able to fit my work into my overall “mommy schedule.” I am able to set parameters on both my work and family schedule so that both work out and are mutually beneficial to me. For example, I get to choose clients whom I want to work with and filter out those that don’t make my cut. I go for work that appeals to my taste, my skill set and my passion. Most importantly, I can make decisions on whether a work project is worth my time and pays what I believe my work is worth.

 

WAHM Benefit #4: I get to exercise hands-on parenting.
This is one of the best things about working from home. I am grateful to have a skill that I can market to an online audience; it has allowed me to pursue my greatest passion, that of being a mother. I can grow my own business and at the same time watch my child grow. In my old job, I would have been away from my son for the best part of the day. I would not have seen his many firsts had I kept working outside of home. As a breastfeeding mom who is practicing extended breastfeeding, working from home has let me actively pursue the kind of attachment parenting I always wanted to live out.

 

WAHM Benefit #5: I can focus on homemaking.
My mom was a stay-at-home mom and a former interior designer, and as such, she taught me that making a beautiful home was one of the traits of a beautiful woman. I subscribe fully to her belief, and being a work-at-home mom has allowed me the freedom to make a happy little home that is comfortable and pleasing to my little family. Because I can set aside a little extra from my ventures, I can spend on useful yet pleasing things that make my home functional yet beautiful. For example: Extra income that I make online can go to little additions to our apartment, such as a cool framed photograph or an accent shelving display unit. Since I work from home, being able to make a home is even more satisfying.

While balancing work and motherhood is a challenge only a work-at-home mom could understand, it is a balancing act I would not trade in for any corporate or traditional job—not anytime soon, anyway! There are more benefits of being a work-at-home mom, but in my situation, these five have proven to be paramount.

You may also want to read: Career Mom vs. Stay At Home Mom: Should I Stay or Should I Work?