I get told all the time how lucky I am to work from home. How much money I’m saving, and all the luxuries I have. However, it’s not easy working from home and even harder being a work from home parent. This life isn’t as glamorous as it appear to be.
It’s a lot of pressure to be a good parent and a good employee literally at the same time.
Remote work once upon a time was a foreign concept. Working on a computer alone in your home without your coworkers and boss a few feet away? Unheard of! It was a thing of luxury for corporate leadership, but us small minions had to actually commute to the office. 2020 hits and we have a global pandemic. Lo and behold – it’s possible to be just as productive at home and have work-life balance.
It’s a few years after the pandemic and office jobs are slowly going back to how they once were. The 100% remote and hybrid options are no longer a thing. But there are a few of us who are still lucky enough to have a remote position.
We get to:
- Work in pajamas
- Flexibility to pick up the kids from school and attend school functions
- Save money on day care/commute/dry cleaning
- Receive our packages as they’re delivered
- Commute consists of the bed to our desk
- No PTO needed when kids have to stay home from school
- Opportunity to do light housework like laundry and cooking
Sounds like a dream right?
Well, you’re WRONG!!!!
Yes, we have those major perks and the work-life balance aspect is a huge plus in the pro column. However, there are cons that people don’t consider either.
- Lack of mobility and exercise that you once got commuting to work
- You get lazy and gain weight
- Lack of human interaction that is not your partner or children
- You rarely leave the house so cabin fever is a real thing
- You lose a bit of yourself and always exhausted
- Sometimes you work more than 8 hours a day
- Possibly resent your partner since you’re always home with the kids
- Your kids make cameos or are heard screaming during video meetings
- Your kids don’t know you actually work for a living
- Frequent distractions and interruptions
Working while your kids are home is really the biggest issue. They are annoying and needy. They don’t understand that mom and dad are working. They don’t get that concept. They just see you sitting there at your desk on the computer ignoring their every need.
Whenever they’re home, my work day is extremely long because I start before 9am and end after 5pm to accommodate any interruptions and distractions. Regardless of the amazing flexibility I have, I still have deadlines and responsibilities. But they just want attention, need a snack, have homework to do, potty break, fight for the TV or a toy, hurt themselves running, or just don’t listen to you.
It’s a lot of pressure to be a good parent and a good employee literally at the same time.
But like everything else, us parents will prevail and make it work! Because those pros are just too good to pass up. We do save a lot of money on child care alone. Those commute costs (gas and public transportation) are non-existent and you don’t have to buy a work wardrobe. Some people say that when you’re a work from home parent, just tack on another $30,000 to your salary. Cause that is what you’re saving.
Then again, those cons make it difficult for you and kind of make you crazy. It’s definitely not for the weak.
Just do what is best for you and your family.
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