Working as a Stay-at-Home Mom
Stay at home moms can work, too
Yes, you can work and be a stay-at-home mom!
As a newly minted stay-at-home mom, I've embarked on a journey that blends work and motherhood. Throughout the years, I've been a strong advocate for policies that empower women to continue working from home while providing the care their children need. I
I will be sharing my personal experiences and shed light on the evolving landscape of remote work and freelancing, underscoring the need to reduce licensing barriers and protect the gig economy.
The Evolution of Work-Life Balance
All families are different in how they want to go about work when they have children.
Reflecting on my own upbringing, my mother, a young professional with an MBA, initially chose to be a stay-at-home mom when we moved to the United States. However, she later pursued a nursing degree and returned to work. During that time, working remotely and freelancing were not widespread concepts.
In the present day, remote work opportunities have expanded, with freelance work gaining popularity. While some organizations and companies are scaling back on remote work due to the benefits of in-person collaboration, it is crucial to recognize that work solutions should cater to individual needs.
Finding My Balance
As a social person, I thrive on interactions with others. However, I also cherish the time spent with my baby Daniel. In a previous job, I worked remotely with occasional travel and since most of the organization lived in Washington, D.C. it was easy to meet with others, but it became challenging to maintain regular face-to-face contact after moving.
My last position offered a hybrid setup, providing both human interaction and the ability to be present for Daniel. Twice a week, Daniel would go to daycare. Nonetheless, the cost of daycare began to overshadow the benefits, making it seem more like a financial burden than an investment.
Appreciating Remote Work
While I never want the government to force companies and organizations to implement access to remote work, it needs to be encouraged and welcomed!
Although I used to share Elon Musk's reservations about remote work, the pandemic has shifted my perspective. Working remotely enabled me to be productive from various locations, whether visiting family, on a plane, in a library, or at a coffee shop. While I valued the office environment for conversations and discussing future projects, working from home offered fewer distractions and increased productivity.
Exploring Part-Time and Freelance Work
So what am I doing now? I am doing part-time and freelance work!
As I mentioned earlier, I have advocated for policies that empower women to work. These include occupational licensing reform issues and fighting for freelancers.
I want to continue promoting many policies that give women the flexibility to work and spend time with their children. As someone exploring part-time and freelance work, this is some of the work I want to continue doing, along with education policy and other vital issue areas.
Licensing Reform
Many efforts have been made to reduce licensing barriers, particularly beneficial for stay-at-home moms seeking a flexible schedule.
Fields like cosmetology or hairstyling require thousands of hours of learning before getting a license, while an Emergency Medical Technician only needs up to a few hundred hours at most. Some licensing requirements appear to be there to push out more competition rather than have a safe work environment, but there are also many onerous and unrelated requirements people need to get these licenses.
Back in 2020, I wrote a policy brief about how reducing licensing barriers will get millions back to work. One section in there discusses how licensing laws can affect military families.
Relicensing requirements whenever they move to a new state can hinder professional opportunities for military spouses. Recognizing this issue, states have been reforming their laws to facilitate licensing reciprocity, easing the burden on military families. The time-consuming process of obtaining licenses can often surpass the duration of a military post, hampering non-military spouses' career prospects. Military spouses, primarily women, also desire flexibility and the option to pursue meaningful work.
“The need for new licenses as Americans move to new states has long had a significant economic impact on military families in which a non-military spouse has a professional license. In far too many cases, the time it would take to obtain a license when the family moves to a new state is longer than the time the post will last.”
Military spouses can work, too, and as a wife of an Army Reserves member who used to be Active Duty Army, I know these spouses, who are primarily women, want the option and flexibility to work.
Protecting the Gig Economy and Freelancers:
Speaking about flexibility to work, there are politicians who have been pushing for laws that would eradicate most freelance work. Some policymakers are proposing laws that pose a threat to the freelance workforce. As someone exploring freelance work, I cherish the time spent with my child while engaging in work that brings me fulfillment.
California already has a law on the books that has brought harm to the gig economy, and national-scale initiatives could exacerbate this issue.
Freelancing offers individuals the freedom to choose when, how, and which projects to undertake, and potentially yielding higher earnings than traditional 9-5 jobs. It is essential to preserve this workforce, as many stay-at-home moms crave the flexibility to spend time with their families while sustaining their careers.
Thinking Ahead
Many mothers desire the opportunity to work while having the freedom to choose how they do so. Part of the American Dream involves breaking free from the constraints of a 9-5 job, empowering individuals to work on their own terms.
Moreover, embracing flexible work options can enhance the quality of life for families. By reducing licensing barriers, supporting the gig economy, and fostering remote work opportunities, we can create an environment where work and motherhood can seamlessly coexist.
Let us advocate for these crucial policy changes to empower more women and parents to achieve a healthy work-life balance.
