A Mom's Guide to Working From Home

Part One: Balancing Family and Career Under One Roof

By Jacqueline Rupp

, points out, "When your children respect your work time, the distractions dwindle."

Phelps suggests allowing your children to help out and be a part of your work. "Depending on their age, children can file papers, sharpen pencils, help you research and so much more," she says. "By letting them experience what you are doing, they will come to a better understanding."

Nora Statler, of Bloomfield, Mo., works as a Home and Garden Party consultant and lets her daughter in on the fun. "My daughter helps me," she says. "She puts stickers on my catalogs! She's a big fan of the merchandise and she loves to smell the candles."

Also, discuss your career with your partner and be specific when asking for help. "Anyone considering a work-at-home opportunity should seek the support of her spouse," says Phelps. "Spousal support can mean all the difference in success or failure. A great way to begin the discussion is to show an outline of your business plan. Your spouse will want to see what's involved and what the outcome will be."

Taliercio agrees that having her spouse's support was key. "My husband helps with laundry, dishes, dinner, etc.," she says. "I still have to work many hours a day and it's very hard to do that and all the housework. Having my husband know how important my job is and that I need to take time out of each day for it makes all the difference in the world."

The legal side of beginning your own business can be even more intimidating than juggling work and kids, mainly because it's often a new and unfamiliar area. However, it is an aspect that requires immediate attention.

"You need to check zoning, business and other permits and licensing information," says Phelps. "You'll need to get appropriate licenses, permits and sales tax numbers from your state government offices. You also need to make sure that the area that you're in is not saturated already with the type of business that you're considering."

Keeping good records of profits and losses is key, especially at tax time. Don't be intimidated and procrastinate or even ignore the tax rules for small business owners. You will probably need to pay estimated taxes every four months if you are in business for yourself. Equip yourself with a good bookkeeping system and software to make these chores less arduous.

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!