When do you work?

[crunchy_mommy]

Especially if you have a high-needs toddler & no child care & need to meet a minimum number of hours?

I have to work 20 hours a week.

DS (15mos) usually sleeps from 11:30pm-10am. So most days I try to get up between 6-8am & work 'til 10 but some days I don't work in the morning if DS didn't sleep well. Then to meet my 20 hours I have to work during naptime and that's the problem. DS doesn't nap predictably no matter how hard I've tried to get him on any sort of schedule or routine. And he only naps on my lap. So I will feed him when he gets sleepy and start working and sometimes he goes to sleep & other times he pops straight up and I spend 2+ hours trying to get him to sleep and end up feeling very frustrated.

So I was thinking it would be better to just consistently get up at 6am and work 'til 10. If he woke up early once in a while I could squeeze in an hour or so when DH gets home as long as it's not on a regular basis. BUT the problem with that plan is that I am only getting about 6 hours of sleep & DS is up very frequently during those 6 hours. So that = TIRED MOMMY. And I can't nap.

I don't know. I hate the job but I gotta work for health insurance!

When do you work?

[dogmom327]

I don't have a minimum number of hours since I'm self-employed--I just have to work until it's done which I'm not sure is better

Anyway, for me it's about grabbing a few minutes here or there. That's actually the main reason we don't maintain a customer service line--I have to answer e-mail, etc. when I have a minute whether that be 5 am or midnight. Generally though I get a couple of hours in the evening when DH is home and the kids are in bed so that's when orders get packaged up to ship. Answering e-mails, updating my site, etc. happens during the day usually.

[Austin'smom]

I'm self employed so my hours can vary alot. If I have a lot to do, I do short tasks when my daugher is awake and save phone calls and things that require more attention for nap time or when DH is home. If I have client meetings, conferences or really need extra time to work, then I call a sitter.

[Round2]

I, too have to grab a moment here and there. I try to give my 2 y.o. and 5 y.o. some attention and then when they start to get distracted and do their own thing, I sneak in a few minutes of work. It helps to have a designated area for work so I can leave things where I left off. When the kids get anxious again, I try to stop and play for a while. Everyone seems happier with that compromise. If I just try to work when they are demanding attention, everyone gets frustrated!

[FreyasMommy]

I work from home, M-F, 9-5.