Being a parent in modern times is hard. Many mothers want to stay at home with their children but cannot afford to do so due to the expensive costs of living. This is why moms across the world are finding stay-at-home jobs that allow them to balance parenthood and make an income.
If you are interested in staying at home with your children full or part-time, while also remaining part of the workforce, we will break down some available job options that you may be interested in. Before jumping into any job, you will want to weigh the pros and cons of these opportunities. If you are interested in having both a career and a family, keep reading.
Start by Considering Your Interests
A major part of deciding on what stay at home job you would like to do is to think about your interests, experience, and overall availability. It is important to remember that working from home is not possible for every parent and there is nothing wrong with this. You can find a balance between your career and family both inside and outside of the home.
You will want to know for certain that working from home is the best choice for you. If you believe that your family and yourself will be happier with you at home, then it is time to begin considering your job options. Some basic things to keep in mind about which job you should consider are:
- How much do you want to work? – Some stay at home jobs will be upper part time or a full time schedule. These may require you to have extra help inside of the home. If this is not an option, you will want to stick to part time work.
- Do you have a babysitter if needed? – If you have limited help with your children, you may want a less involved job. There are several work opportunities that do not require a set work schedule, which can be beneficial to those with less help. This can allow you to work at night or during nap times.
- Do you have experience? – If you have worked outside of the home prior to motherhood, there is a good chance you have experience in some area. This experience can be beneficial in finding a job and be a huge deciding factor. Of course, this can also help you look more qualified for a position.
- Do you have higher education? – While a high school degree or equivalent is often needed for most jobs, having some college education or a degree can be helpful. You may want to look for opportunities that are in your degree area. This can help you get a more legitimate job and can lead to higher pay.
- Are there work from home jobs in your area? – Due to Covid, many companies are now offering work from home positions. This is a great way to stay involved in the local area and remain at home with your children. This can also be beneficial should you decide to move into the workplace setting later on.
- Why are you working? – You will to consider if you are working because you need the money for regular income or as a side hustle while at home. If the money is needed for paying bills or other necessities regularly, you will want to find something that has a structured pay schedule.
- Do you have the proper equipment? – Most stay at home jobs do not need a large amount of equipment, but you will want to consider if you have what is needed. In most cases, a solid internet connection and some form of computer are all that is needed. However, you should always consider any additional resources you may need before taking a job.
- Do you want to involve your family? – While many stay at home moms enjoy working as a way to retain their own identity, some include their families in their career. If you feel comfortable sharing your family on blogs, social media, or other platforms, this can be a great way to earn money. This should always be discussed with a partner and done with consent from all parties.
Of course, each individual will have different needs and it is important to consider these before taking any job. Once you have a better idea of what type of work you would like to do and how often you can work, it is time to begin the search.
Jobs Available to Stay at Home Moms
While there have been many downsides to Covid, one benefit is that more and more companies are offering online work positions. This means that parents everywhere are getting to spend more time with their families while still making a regular income. Of course, working from home does not come with some downfalls, but overall, there are countless legitimate jobs that can be done from home.
We will break down some of the top options for moms who want to work from home, but it is important to do your own research on these jobs. There are scams out there and MLM style companies that are too good to be true. It is critical that you research every job opportunity you consider before making any final choices.
With that being said, some of the top job opportunities for stay-at-home moms are:
Sell on Amazon
Amazon has a program that allows individuals to sell items from brick-and-mortar stores on their website. This is called the Amazon FBA program and it is a great option for moms who love shopping and love a great deal. Essentially, you will find good deals on products from companies and resell them on Amazon at a higher rate.
This job has some negatives as you cannot guarantee that the items you purchase will sell at a quality price. However, many who have done this program for some time have turned it into a career. Best of all, Amazon will do all of the customer service for you and ship the products to your customers, taking much of the hassle off of you.
Tutoring
This is an option that is available in one of two ways, you can tutor local students who need extra help or find a virtual tutoring position. This really depends on your comfortability and what you have to offer. Many online tutoring programs will hire those who have a college degree and can specialize in a certain content area.
Local Tutoring Services
Local elementary and high schools often hire tutors to provide additional support to struggling students. If you have an area of expertise, such as mathematics, you can easily become a tutor to students in your area. This is also done prior to many standardized tests, such as ACT or SAT tutors.
Some things to keep in mind about tutoring are:
- You will often have to bring these students into your home or travel to their homes.
- This is a limited job, as many will only need tutoring during certain months or around testing.
- If you market yourself properly, you can get a number of clientele, which can make paychecks steadier.
- When doing tutoring on your own without a company, you will want to consider what rates make you competitive to others in your area.
- Having some form of experience or education in teaching is a major benefit when it comes to this style of work.
While this may not make you a ton of money, offering tutoring services can be a great bonus income.
Virtual Tutoring
There are several websites that offer tutoring online. This is both offered to students in the United States and many companies offer English lessons to student abroad. These companies are a bit pickier on who they hire, but the pay is often much more regulated.
Some things to keep in mind about virtual tutoring are:
- Most of these companies will require at least a bachelor’s degree and many will require this to be in some form of education.
- You will need to have an available computer. It is also important that you have an area in your home designated for this so that you can utilize Facetime, Skype, Zoom, Google Hangouts, or the preferred platform of the company.
- This can be a bit more challenging with children in the home as these sessions are usually planned in advance and clients pay by the hour. It will require you to have a set work schedule.
While virtual tutoring is a bit more structured, it can be much more beneficial when it comes to pay. Some virtual tutoring companies pay upwards of $25 per hour!
Provide Cleaning or Laundry Service
If you want something that can be done easily and does not require extensive work hours, offering cleaning or laundry services is a great idea. While cleaning homes may require you to do leave your children for short periods of time, this can be a great way to make money. Once you build up a regular clientele, this can be a very lucrative business.
If you do not have the available babysitters or desire to leave your children, you can still offer laundry services. You can allow clients to drop off their laundry at your home, where you will wash, dry, and fold this. While this may seem a bit monotonous, this can actually lead to some serious cash over time.
Another great benefit to offering laundry service is that it does not require much time. Many who are busy with their daily schedules do not have time for this mundane task, but you can easily throw the clothing into the washer and dryer while you are home. This will require no special skills and can be done with children in the home.
Virtual Assistant
This can be a bit more of a labor-intensive job mentally but is a great way to remain in the workforce while from home. Many virtual assistants will help manage appointments, make phone calls, help with emails, or even complete small jobs. These jobs can be a bit harder to find but can be done from anywhere and offer great pay.
You may want to start your search for a virtual assistant position at local businesses. Lawyers, CEOs, hospitals, small shop owners, etc. often look for virtual assistants to help with day-to-day needs. If you cannot find a local need, you can always search online for these positions as the virtual side of this job does not require you to be in the same area.
Proofreader
Becoming an online proofreader is a great option if you have any grammar or English training. Proofreading is essentially going through another individual’s work and looking for mistakes. While some grammar training is great for this job, many companies will take those with no additional education and little experience.
While proofreading can be very casual it can also entail reading court transcripts or grammar-checking important news releases. It is important that you are willing to hone your skills and take courses if needed to perfect your craft. Some benefits on proofreading are:
- Many companies that hire proofreaders are willing to offer decent pay for the services.
- You can get a job proofreading with limited experience. Some companies will simply make you take a grammar test to ensure your capabilities.
- Most proofreading positions will only require due dates, but you can complete work on your own time. This allows you to work when it fits your needs.
- You can easily build up clientele to create a larger business. Once you have proofread for some time, it is easy to add more and more companies to your list of employers.
Overall, proofreading may not be for everyone but can be a great way to make additional money from home.
Pet Sitting
If you love pets and have a larger home with space for more, pet sitting is a great option. This is not a job that will promise regular pay but can become a business if you get enough loyal customers. While pet sitting is a great option, it is one job suggestion that really requires you to weigh the pros and cons.
Some pros and cons of pet sitting that you will want to keep in mind are:
- Loving pets does not equal a good pet sitter. You must be patient with pets and be able to deal with less than perfect behavior.
- Consider if your children, pets, and home environment are good with a variety of pets. If you have a dog of your own that fights other dogs, it is best to consider a different career path.
- Think of the legalities of this before jumping into pet sitting as a business. While most pet owners will be upfront about their dog or cat’s temperament, you must be prepared should a dog act out aggressively or harm another.
- Remember that pet sitting will require a lot of additional equipment. You will need crates, litter boxes, food dishes, water dishes, leashes, a fenced area, a bed, and more for each animal that you plan to keep.
Overall, pet sitting is a great choice if you have the time, patience, and space. However, it is not the best choice for every stay-at-home mom.
Blogger or Writer
This is another area that can be done both casually and professionally. If you enjoy writing, you can easily receive a position as a freelance writer. These jobs are widely available, but many do require some form of degree or education on writing.
Freelance writing can include everything from writing blogs for other individuals to website copywriting work, to writing press releases. If you are hired by a quality employer, freelance writing can be done regularly and lead to a decent income. However, you will want to do research into the company that is hiring you and ensure they are legitimate.
If you want to write more causally, blogs are a great way to include your family and write for fun. Blogs do not guarantee you will make an income but if it becomes popular enough, this is a good possibility. Of course, this can take some expertise on marketing your blog and reaching an audience.
Open an Etsy Shop
If you love crafting or have a specific hobby that is marketable, Etsy is a great option. This is an online retailer where everything sold is made by hand. Whether you enjoy sewing, crocheting, making jewelry, or simply creating printables, Etsy has options for everyone.
While almost anyone can make something that could be sold on Etsy, it is not always the best choice for you. You will want to be someone who enjoys crafting and has the space and supplies to do so. If you do plan to sell on Etsy, you will want to have a quality computer, camera or phone, and be familiar with shipping techniques.
Once again, this can be a great way to make extra cash but will require work on your part for marketing your items and customer service.
Search for Options Online
While all of the jobs previously listed are a great way to make extra cash and stay at home with your family, they do require serious work. If you cannot find a job that fits your needs, there are several websites online that companies use to post their freelance positions. By searching online, you can find job opportunities that fit your needs and can have you earning cash while staying home.