Celebrating YOU!
Work at home moms taking super mom to the next level
Melissa Cavanna
Take a look at Melissa Cavanna & you will wonder when this homeschooling mom of 5 children under the age of 10 (including a set of triplets) has time to be a WAHM. Yet, this 7 year veteran will tell you simply it all comes down to a good schedule to works wonders.
32
Why did you decide to become a WAHM?
I loved being home with my children. They are only small for so long. I didn't want to miss out on them growing up. On the other hand, I didn't feel right putting all that pressure on my spouse to have to solely support our large family
What did you do BEFORE you became a WAHM?
I worked as a special education teacher in both public and private school.
What is the best part of working from home?
Since I recently developed a neurological disorder & suffer from debilitating chronic pain I can work at my own pace. Sometimes I can even work from bed. That is something I wouldn't be able to do if I worked for someone else or out of the house.
What would you tell someone who wants to work at home, but doesn’t think they could?
It is easier than you think. While you need to be organized there are so many benefits of working from home. You have a very short commute. :) I notice I get more work done from home than I ever did in the workplace.
What is something I wish I knew before starting as a WAHM?
I wish I realized how lonely it can be. Sometime I crave adult conversation & having someone to bounce ideas off of. My spouse & I make sure to have a conversation every night. I joined several online networking groups so I can bounce ideas off of people in similar lines of work.
Do you see yourself still WAH in 5 years from now?
Yes, I do. I can't see myself going back out of the house to work. I love being my own boss and the freedom that comes with it. I can't imagine doing anything else.
What advice do you offer new WAH moms?
Don' be afraid to try it! What do you have to lose! And not to get discouraged. I run 3 businesses, 2 that I own out right & one that is a direct sales company. It takes time & effort to turn it into a living. With direct sales, you make money faster but even that doesn't turn into a full time salary overnight. Keep at it & you will be very happy with the results.
What do you think more companies should offer the opportunity to work from home?
I think companies will realize that if they hire moms to work from home they will tap part of a very experienced, talented market. Most moms had a career before children and a skill set that goes along with that. Once you become a mom you learn a whole new set of skills. how to roll with the punches, how to multitask & how important it is to stay organized. Countless studies have shown that employees who work from home get more work done than their in office counterparts and have a better work/life balance.
What myths do you want to debunk about being
a WAHM?
That they are lazy and work in their pajamas all day! I work so much harder now than I did when I left home for work. We do have pajama Fridays though in our house. The kids love it and so do we.
What is your secret to not letting your work life consume your family time?
There are specific times of day that work is off limits. Between dinner time & the children's bedtime is a no work time for myself & my spouse. We eat dinner as a family, & either go to their extra curricular activities as a family or do something as a family at home. We continue any work that didn't get done during the day after the kids are in bed.
Where do you think the best place to look for work at home?
Look on reputable job sites & search under telecommute or remote positions. If you are looking up direct sales companies search for specific work at home at home job
sites & start asking questions. Find products that interests you & that you use. You can't sell something if you wouldn't buy it yourself. Lastly, before signing up with a company, search the company name with scam after it. Every company will have a few downers ( some may even be placed by competitor companies) but if a company has more people crying scam than writing positive reviews you may need to double check if the company is legit.
Clebrating You! Continued on Page 35