Posted by Working life is hard. Factor in parenting, and it’s a double whammy. More bills, more stress, less time. Not great. If you’re a working parent, chances are you spend a lot of time at work wondering how your baby is doing, and whether the person you hired to take care of them is doing their job right.
On the flip side, if you’re a stay-at-home parent, you are probably bored out of your mind. Currently, your whole world consists of dirty diapers, milk and lots of crying and screaming. What a life.
So instead of going through all that emotional and physical trauma, why not combine the best of both worlds and opt to be a work-at-home parent instead? Not convinced? Here are some examples of how being a work-at-home parent can benefit your career and life.
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Flexible hours
One of the biggest perks that you get from being a work-at-home parent is the flexible hours. So long as you are able to complete your obligations and projects, you get the complete control over the working hours. The flexible schedule makes it a lot easier for you to juggle between taking care of your baby while still being able to advance in your career.
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Being able to spend more time with your children
As a parent, one of your main concerns would definitely be your children. However, working full-time means that you’ll be missing out on your children’s childhood since a large amount of your day is spent in the office.
Being a work-at-home parent, on the other hand, allows you to be present in your children’s life 24/7. In fact, in some cases, there have been work-at-home parents that decided to allow their children to be a part of their career. For example, there are many mums who blog about parenting and make money from product endorsements.
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Less of a need for nanny or daycare
There’s no one who can make a better parent than you are. So instead of wasting money on hiring a full-time nanny, or sending your kids to a daycare centre the entire day, you can take care of them on your own while working from home. You will also be able to build a stronger bond with your children by being around more often.
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Save time and money
Another major perk for work-at-home parents is the ability to save time and money. This is especially true for us Malaysians as we spend a lot of our time in the traffic jam and eating out. If you work at home, you can cut out on the time wasting on commuting and make use of that prestigious time to be with your children.
Since you do not need to be in the office, you can also save up on petrol, clothing, and lunches as you can prepare your own meals at home. Not only will you be able to better control what food you eat, you will also be able to save some money.
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Less stress
Being able to spend time with your loved ones is definitely a way a to reduce stress. Not only that, since there’s no more wasted time in the traffic, it definitely helps to reduce your stress levels. In addition, since you are able to choose your working environment as well as your work schedule, it means that you are able to optimise your performance to fits with your lifestyle. Of course, having a supportive partner who is willing to compromise and help around the house when it is time to work is definitely another advantage.
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Flexible office
One thing that’s important to note is that being a work-at-home parent does not necessarily mean that you are confined to a little room with a desk at home. It just means that you have the flexibility to choose where and how you want to work. Be it at home or a cafe, it’s entirely up to you. You are able to choose the best place that helps you focus and get your work done efficiently and to the best of your ability.
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No office politics
Yeap. No gossip, no backstabbing or having to worry about someone trying to cause any troubles that could potentially affect your work. Working remotely gives you an added benefit of not being dragged into any office politics, or even be the victim or at the receiving end of a bad rumour. The absence of office politics also contributes to a stress-free career, and you can work on spending all your positive energy to make the most of your work.
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Better focus
With all these factors combined, it will definitely give rise to better focus. Since you get to choose when are where you work, you can ensure the optimal productivity based on your preferences. Having better focus means that you will probably be able to accomplish your work more efficiently, thus giving you better job prospects.
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Added income
Having to take care of your child is not a one-time investment. From having to fund their education, as well as medical fees and to fulfil their other needs, it will end up costing you a fortune. Therefore, any added income is always welcome. By being a stay-at-home parent, not only will you be able to cater to your child’s emotional needs, you will also be able to earn extra income to fulfil their physical needs as well. That way, there will be less stressed and you will be able to help your partner shoulder the financial burdens too.
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Have a purposeful life
Most stay-at-home parents face the fear of being cut off from society. The responsibilities of parenting will also make it harder for you to expand your social circle and to find a different meaning in life, besides your kids. Working from home enables you to build a connection with the outside world, be it through interacting with business partners or clients. That way, you will still be able to network and ready to grow your career again once your children are less dependent on you.
As you can see, being a work-at-home parent definitely has its perks. With the advancement in technology, it has also become easier to build a career right from the comfort of your home. However, it is important to note that being a work-at-home parent is not suitable for everyone. But as the saying goes, “You never know unless you give it a try”. Who knows? It could turn out to be the best decision of your life.
This article is contributed by Motherhood Malaysia. For more parenting tips and tricks, or to get the best deals on baby products, visit Motherhood.com.my now!