Becoming self employed has been the best thing for my family and for my job satisfaction. Prior to leaving teaching I was always rushing and it was taking its toll on me and the family. It has been well documented that Erin needed my full attention and was in and out of hospital many times due to her hip surgeries and asthma. I got to the point that I dreaded my phone flashing at me on my teaching days. I don’t know if we were particularly unlucky but shock horror young children get ill frequently and mine were forever picking up infection and things.
Erin was in a good nursery but obviously when they are poorly a nursery is not the place to be and I didn’t have any other childcare back up. Many outside of teaching believe that teaching is a family friendly profession but let me blast that myth a bit! It is family friendly in the school holidays (and obviously it made school holidays easy and fun) but it is not family friendly in term time.
Teaching is an early start meaning we needed before school childcare. I would then be rushing home unless there was a meeting or parents evening. Then I would be cooking a quick dinner before taking the older two to hockey or football whilst trying to get Erin ready for bed. Homework would be squeezed in and then I would start marking or planning or making resources.
Until I made a change
I then decided enough was enough. I wanted to put my children first. I wanted to be the helping them with their homework. I wanted to cook them better meals and above all I wanted to work and make money my way. I wanted flexibility. And so I left my secure teaching job to work for myself to turn my hobby to my income.
7 Reasons why being self employed is awesome
- I have the flexibility to work when it suits me. I don’t miss the children’s assemblies, sports days and can even go on school trips now.
- I negotiate my rates of pay and choose the campaigns that interests me.
- I can watch my children’s sports matches without feeling that I should be somewhere else marking books. There was many a time I sat in my car marking when the children were playing. Now I am on the sidelines with my camera. Just this week I have been able to give my teen a driving lesson.
- I save money by having no childcare costs. It means rather than working to pay childcare fees every single pound I earn is mine to spend on our family. You can read about many of my money saving ideas over at Mums Savvy Savings.
- When we have an inset day I don’t have that childcare panic.
- Sometimes I work in my PJ’s – I don’t need to commute apart from down the stairs!
- I never miss a delivery – in fact I am on first name terms with the postman now!
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One Response
Flexibility offered by working for myself helped me take care of my kids when they needed me the most. I could earn as much as I did from a job plus opportunities to network and scale is tremendous.