Why I work from home...

I'm sitting here, catching up on some articles, replying to some emails, and getting prepped for a meeting.  I'm in a comfy sweatshirt, curled up in a warm fuzzy blanket (my house is at 62, but I refuse to turn the furnace on).  My 3 1/2 year old son is going back and forth from sitting with me and playing on the floor. Every few minutes one of us will say "hey guess what? I love you".

I'm having a really hard time developing my business - invoicing, scheduling my time (I'm getting much better with that), networking, customer service, prospecting... It's a constant struggle every day.

But ever day I get 4 hours at home alone with my son.  He keeps himself pretty well entertained, isn't a picky eater, and when I have a moment of frustration, he always makes me smile.

He woke with a fever yesterday - no school for him.  I had to reschedule a meeting, but she is a mom too and understood.  Unfortunately, not too many other business professionals are as understanding.  Some people chose to build a career before starting a family, for some it's just how it happens.  For those like me, who had to go from being a Stay-At-Home-Mom to a working mom, it's like we are on the low level of respect?  Maybe it's me... but when I tell someone that I have 3 kids, ages 6 and under, there are some who actually have turned their nose at me, like I'm an inferior being or something.

It's hard enough to get people to take me serious  - I'm a 20-something business owner, and often feel that I'm treated as a child.  I'm trying to reinvent myself (on a limited budget), but perhaps it's in my head.

I have been looking, casually, for full-time positions at agencies.  And in the field that I'm in, I'm aware that there are employers who are looking at my social media profiles to learn about me.  Legally, I cannot be asked if I have a family, but it doesn't mean that they can't find out about it on their own.  I've read articles that there are employers will not hire parents because the demands of the job are too great. But isn't that my decision?  (When I was pregnant with my first, I was not given a job because I was pregnant - but their reasons were that by the time I had to go on maternity leave, I would not have been out of the probationary time and my time off would have put me in line for termination.  What?!?!)

So I work for myself, and I work from home.  When my family is sick, I reschedule meetings, but I can still get my work done.  I'm able to cuddle on the couch with my sniffling son as he plays 'Angry Birds' on the iTouch.