A Mom's Guide to Working From Home

Part One: Balancing Family and Career Under One Roof

By Jacqueline Rupp

You want to be at home with your kids, but still want (and need) to have a career. If you've thought about how great it would be to work for yourself – no boss, no rush-hour traffic, no office politics – then you've probably considered working from home. But can you really get work done at the same time you're on mommy-duty?

Thousands of women right now are proof that the answer is a resounding "Yes!" Whether it's by working several jobs, preparing dinner while teleconferencing or working in the wee hours of the night, women across the country are demonstrating that you can have the best of both worlds.

It's not as easy as those envelope stuffing ads make it sound, and you might find yourself using the term "multitasking" to describe your life, yet all of the moms we spoke to agree: They wouldn't have it any other way.

"I decided to stay at home for the same reason a lot of women do – I was tired of leaving my son with a sitter to go to a job that I hated," says Prairie City, Iowa, mother of two, Kara Kelso. "I know I was missing a lot of my son's life because I was gone every day and I couldn't stand it anymore."

Mixing business productivity with playtime can be a tricky juggling act, though, as Kelso has learned while operating her Web site, Mom's Marketplace, an online shopping mall geared to mothers.

"I still struggle on some days," says Kelso. "For the most part, I work from the time we all get up until around 4 in the afternoon. I take breaks to grab drinks for the kids, to make lunch and to change diapers. My 2-year-old daughter likes to sit on my lap a lot, so I've mastered the art of typing with a child on my lap or typing with one hand. Basically, I work around my kids when they are playing and don't need me."

Following your child's schedule, especially in the early years, seems to work best for moms like Janelle Taliercio of Platte City, Mo., who operates two Web sites for moms – Mommy's Place and Mommy's Working Virtually

Want to see more?

• CEO of Everything: Balancing Work and Family
• Plan B(aby): The Stay-at-Home Parenting Trend is Growing
• Moms At Work: Is Returning to Work Right for You?
• Talk about it!