Sometimes, it can be difficult for expectant parents to think about what they will do about work once their baby arrives. The people that we often look to for advice about major life decisions, our parents, were becoming parents at a time when many families could manage their financial obligations with one income and it was quite common for mothers to stay home with their children. Times have changed significantly, and for many families the incomes of both parents are needed.
For some families, both parents want to return to work after their baby is born, and once they return to work they feel happy with the decision that they made. Some parents return to work, only to find that they wish that they were still at home with their baby. For these parents and for the parents who do not wish to return to work after their babies are born, working from home may be a way to get the additional income that the family needs without returning to the workplace.
Often, the parent who stays home with the children and works from home will only be able to work a limited amount of hours. This means that overall, there will be less income than there would be with both parents working full time outside of the home. Fortunately, by having one parent stay home, the cost of child care is eliminated. Often, there are other adjustments that the family can make to their budget so that they can get by on one full time income and one part time income.
Decisions regarding career and family can be some of the biggest and toughest decisions that new parents will make. If you think that you might want to work from home after your child is born, research what kind of work you could do and estimate how much you could earn doing it. Be careful to set realistic expectations about how many hours you will be available to work, because being home with the kids is essentially a full time job. Knowing that one parent working from home could be an option can be very helpful in making the right decision for your family.
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