One More Reason the Freelancing Lifestyle Rocks

Freelance Parent serves a couple of purposes. For one thing, it offers a glimpse into how, exactly, we have built a successful freelance business from the ground up. We started the blog exactly one month after we started the business, so those who are interested are able to track exactly how we went from ground zero to where we are today (nearly 1 ½ years later). Another purpose, however, is to help those who are trying to balance a freelance lifestyle with parenting. Today’s post combines both of those aspects.

We shared with you that the Berry-Brewer Freelance Agency made a big move at the end of January when we got our very own commercial office space. We also told you that we’d keep you updated on how the change from full-time work-at-home status went. It’s been quite an experience, and after some fits and starts we’re still settling in. March was a particularly interesting month for me.

I have a Mother’s Helper who comes to look after Baby Dot three days a week. We have lucked into the perfect person for the job, and she loves Dot as if she were her own granddaughter. For the first several months, I actually worked right in the same room with her and the baby. This gave me a great opportunity to observe how they got along, as well as to be available for nursing, rocking the baby to sleep, or simply dropping what I was doing to play with them when Dot felt she needed a little “mama time.”

After this initial period (about four months), I started going upstairs and leaving them to their own devices so I could be more productive. That also seemed to go quite well. That’s why, when Tamara suggested that she really was ready to get an office space, I felt like I could get onboard. I remember back when we first mentioned the idea, I wasn’t nearly as keen on it as she was. One of our readers guessed correctly that the one who was more interested had the older child and the one who was less interested had the younger child.

Once we got the office all set up, I started going in for four hours a day, three days a week. Dot was fine with that schedule. She loves her Mother’s Helper, and would helpfully hand me my shoes and wave “bye-bye” when it was time for me to go. There was no crying or clinging, so I felt OK with my decision.

After about a month of that, my Mother’s Helper and I hatched a scheme. I would up my work hours for the month of March in order for both of us to earn some extra cash. I started going in to the office five days a week, for five hours at a time. That’s a total of 25 hours a week working outside of the home, plus whatever I was able to do during the evenings when my husband was home or Dot was sleeping.

At first, it was liberating. I felt like a productive member of society again. I was able to focus and get a lot done. Not only that, but our office is beautiful, and that made for a lovely, relaxing place to spend my work hours. It was quite pleasant for the first couple of weeks.

Then Dot learned where her toes were—and I wasn’t the one who taught her. Not only that, but the weather started to warm up, but I wasn’t home to take her on the daily walks we had enjoyed so much last year. My milk production dipped, and my hormones went a little crazy. All of a sudden, I was not so excited about going to work every day. But, I had committed to trying it for a month, and I felt like I needed to stick with it to make sure I wasn’t just having “buyer’s remorse.”

By the end of March, I had made up my mind. With my Mother’s Helper’s blessing, I’ve gone back to three days a week. I can’t make as much money as I did last month, but I’m OK with that. Instead, I get to play peek-a-boo and teach Dot how to say “flower” in sign language when we take our walks. It’s been a trade-off, but I can’t help but be thrilled by the fact that freelancing has allowed me to make this decision. Isn’t that what being a “Freelance Parent” is supposed to be about?