I am an MT with kids at home???
Posted By: Not Nice on 2009-03-25
In Reply to: OK.. and if this was an MT - with kids at home
So what is your point?
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My kids have suffered greatly from me working at home with them home. SM
I have been working at home as an MT since my two kids were born. They are now 4 and 5. In the first few years, I had no help whatsoever. Their father was a bum who didnt work or take care of them while I worked. Your children get neglected while you work basically. And babies and young children desperately need your attention while they are home with you.
My kids have so many behavioral problems right now because of their neglect. I would try to set them up with things to occupy themselves, like coloring or a movie, etc.
I finally put them in day care and things have improved, but there are still a lot of issues because of the damage that was done. They still try to seek attention by doing bad things and they dont listen to me because they are so used to me letting them get away with a lot of stuff because I was too busy typing to discipline them in their early years.
If I could do it all over again, I would definitely have put them into day care from the very beginning.
My advice would be to seek PT care for your baby. Maybe you can do some work around her schedule a little when she is home, like when she takes a nap, and then bang out a bunch of work while she is in day care.
Kids at home?
Do your kids stay at home and how old are they? I have three, one that is 9, 4, and 1, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to type this summer. I am considering a sitter once school starts, so I will be all aone during the day. What do you do?
On MT at home with kids...
I haven't read all the responses yet (I'm trying to get some work done tonight, too!), but I thought I'd just add this, in case one of the reasons you are thinking about doing this is to stay home with kids. If not, just ignore this. That's why I am doing it - I quit an office job when I had my second son, stayed home for a few years with both kids, but living on 1 income became increasingly difficult. Now my kids are preschool/school-aged, and I have been doing this for about a year, working 25 hours a week now. The biggest pro is the biggest con - you're home with your kids. Yes, I'm here if they need me, I can drop everything and pick a sick kid up from school, I don't have to pay for child care or feel guilty over child care.
That said, being here and working with head phones on is NOT the same as being here and paying attention to my kids, and boy do they know it! Very often, I find myself feeling so frustrated because no one is ever happy - the kids aren't happy because I'm not with them, my husband's not happy because he has to deal with the kids as soon as he gets home (of course he's also not happy that we don't have more money!), and I'm not happy because it takes me twice as long to get my lines in as it would if everyone would just leave me alone.
Can you tell I'm having a bad day? (I am so ready for school to start back up!) LOL! Some days are much better, and overall this is the best option for me. I can work in whatever clothes I like, take a break, answer the phone, etc. I can work with my cat curled up on my printer and my dog panting at my feet! I definitely don't miss office politics, panty-hose, and commuting. Sometimes I miss the company and the occasional office gossip, though. ;-)
Anyway, just be aware that if you are planning to work at home with kids, it really will take you much longer. I honestly don't know how people with very young children do this - unless they work through naps and early morning or late nights. I do mostly evening and weekend work, with a couple of hours during the day 3 days a week.
Good luck to you! Hope this helps!
Mel 
At home with kids
I am sorry but this really bugs me. Anyone working at home is doing a JOB -- this is not something added to watching your kids, doing your laundry, grocery shopping or whatever. You made a committment to do this job. Would they let you bring in your kids to the office -- NO because they expect to have the work done. So you need to set aside the time to do your job and if you need daycare get it. But you cannot add on a 6-8 hour job with three kids at home. Plain and simple -- it is a job. It is your choice to watch your kids during the day and you cannot expect young children to occupy themselves when Mom is home. So either work at night, get a babysitter or be quiet as you made this choice. If you hired a babysitter would you want them to be doing a job while watching your children?
Maybe not, she has 4 kids at home...
and that's why she quit her other show, too much time away from the kids. It might be the perfect job for her - a couple of hours a day, none of the responsibilities she had with her own show. Just come in, talk, go home.
You don't need to be home with your kids, you
choose to be home with them and if your salary is not what you want by what you choose, oh well! Ridiculous statement.
I am an MT with kids at home too...
My point is that if this same OP was an MT that posted she/he would like to work in between diaper changes/bottle feedings, then other MTs would respond that this OP is ruining the profession, etc., but because this OP is a physician, everyone is goo-goo gaa-gaa...
Also, anyone in this field knows that accepting an employee position for benefits does not result in being able to type between patients as an optometrist and finish up at night or whatever this OP says.......
Gosh, I don't know how you do it with 3 kids home
On the losing steam after the first 1000 lines, maybe if (when school starts especially) if you do the first two-thirds of your work while they are gone then get a good break before they come home, time to relax, be with them when they crash through the door, get supper/homework done, and they get to bed - then you could finish your last 500 or 600 lines or so? That way you got a better break.
Isn't he normally around at night w/the kids once he's home or is he a
s
Kids home for summer
I'm lucky enough to have a 14 year old as well as my 4 year old. She gets extra money over the summer to watch her while I'm working and in the neighborhood that we live in there are so many kids outside, a lot of them good friends who are older, that it's not too much of a problem. I would definitely look into a teenager in the neighborhood who my need some spending money. Also, last year my youngest went to summer bible camp for a few weeks, and old older daughter went along and volunteered so I had a nice break too.
working at home with kids
it's nice to hear all the positive things about mothers who work from home and have had good experiences keeping their kids home...I have had a different experience, though not negative, but honestly, my working from home and my kids knowing that I'm here was kind of hard in the sense that because I am at home, they think that I can stop typing and do for them...that is when they were smaller...now that my girls are older, they definitely respect my working at home, but when my son came along...it was kind of the same thing...he knows mommy is in a room typing at his home, and he wants to play with me or come in and talk or wants to go outside and play, which I would love to be able to do instead of work anyday! LOL but of course, as you all can relate to, we have to work!
Anyway, I just find it a little more difficult to work at home with kids...there are some days that I truly wish that I worked out of the home because it's stressful to try and work when you hear chaos going on in the other room.....not always, but typical arguing, my son crying about something, etc., but then when I look at all the good things that comes from that...me actually being here to go in and help them work through their problems, and knowing exactly what's going on in my home at all times, I wouldn't change it for the world and really feel fortunate, though I do have those moments when I'm ready to move my computer to my mother's house and drive to work everyday!! LOL
"Stay at home with the kids job"
I also agree with you. It is so idiotic to call this so called job a "stay at home with my kids" job. I say "so called job", because it is no longer a career, which is what I thought it was supposed to be. If you want to stay at home with your kids, then stay at home with them and let us who need the income earn our income. If you want to spend more time with your family, get together during the holidays like the normal people do.
Stay at home with kids?
I do not know if you all got this from my post but I said nothing about staying at home with kids. I don't even have any kids. I just enjoy being able to work from the comfort of my own home. Before I got into the MT profession, I worked for a bank in a call center. I NEVER want to work like that again! You think you are treated like crap doing MT, try working in a call center. You are treated like cattle there. I just feel blessed working from home doing something I love. And it seems like you guys are putting down all the moms who do work from home doing mt. I am sure their work is just as good as yours. They just want to be able to be there for their kids and also be a professional.
Staying at home with the kids, yeh, right
Your message just said it all. That is why the field is looked down on so much now. Staying at home and go broke, no one really cares anymore. I had heard it all now. You get asked reasonable questions and you say in a little wifey-mamma talk, "can't we all just stay at home with Junior." I guess it will be important when the employer starts charging you just to work, will it still be that important. Get real.
JUST to stay HOME with your kids is NO reason to
get into this profession. You sound like one of those many women who think just because they have a computer, can type and put two words together they can be an MT. As I am sure you have discovered, there is so much more to this career than that. I agree the benefits of being available for our children is truly a blessing and when mine were young I was SO thankful to have that flexibility, but to all the newbies out there: Do the research before you delve into this. It is not as easy as some make it out to be. Perhaps you should try running a daycare instead. Or put your children in one part-time until you get comfortable with MTing. 
I do, because it pays well, I know it inside and out, and I'm home with my kids,
x
Well, isn't it amazing then that home-schooled kids can be
Duh, you make no sense. You think home-schooling makes them sprout angel wings and be perfect. They're still just kids and grow up to make their choices just like everyone else in the world. Obviously this kid's got problems that have nothing to do with home-schooling or public school. Isn't that amazing!
I struggle to get one up. No kids living at home so
I no longer decorate. There's no fun in it anymore. Anyway, DH always wants a tree that hits the ceiling...we have 12 foot ceilings... and the last tree we put up took up 3/4 of my 16 x 24 living room because it was almost as wide as it was tall. After the holidays, it took him another 1/12 months to get it out of here. It looked quite pathetic by then.
It used to take me 4 weeks to decorate the house, yard, etc., but no more. I kind of like it this way. No pine needles to clean up into July. No arguing on taking the tree down and out. No fighting with others over that one perfect tree at the tree farm.
Our outside lights are up all year and I turn them on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. That's it. DH misses the decorating, but I told him he knows where I keep all the stuff and he can do it if he wants, just don't ask me to put the stuff away. If he wants to decorate he puts it up, he takes it down. Works every year.
Me too - when do we go? Hubby would have to stay home with the kids
Great while it lasted and I was home with my kids...but
now I'm back in school too. Going for a professional degree. I own a service, so a little bit different for me because I got to have the fun of building up a business, marketing, etc. Don't think I would have been happy with just the MT work and for sure, not with the money. But my daughter never had to go to daycare and I was home when my son came home from school. That's valuable! But the end is in sight...so I will be going to school while my business can still pay me a salary.
Honestly, no I would not do it. I've been home with my kids
for 17 years and would not change a thing. Check local hospitals in your area, maybe they have at-home MTs. I do whatever it took to be able to stay home. This is just me though, others may feel differently.
to those of you who have young kids at home for summer
As I understand, daycare is a touchy subject here but I am looking for some opinions. I have been MTing for 10 years now part time. During that time I had my 3 kids. With the PT hours it worked out great. Now not too long ago I started FT (8 hrs/day). This has been since the school yr started. My older two are in school all day. My youngest is 2 and goes to the neighbors house. With summer coming all three will be home. Its tough because they are 10, 8, 2, the older two argue constantly it seems. I feel bad to have them have to take care of their 2 yr old sibling on summer break. They all go in different directions. I am weighing my options on what to do. Anyone else in this situation or have any suggestions? If I were putting less hours in I would have no prob. I understand a lot of you are able to do this with no prob, but it just doesn't work in my house unfortunately.
My kids were out of control before daycare, when they were home with me while I worked all day.
Are you against school too? I guess you are going to homeschool......
My kids brought lice home from day camp....sm
or brought it to day camp. One way or the other, this stinks.
Other than the usual shampoo; comb with a good metal nit comb; clean, spray, bug, and/or bag everything in the house, any other suggestions? I even bought a steam cleaner for the furniture and rugs.
I'm getting dirty looks at work. The kids want to go back to camp, but I'm worried about what the other kids are going to do/say. I'm keeping them home until next week. Need advice reassurance from mom who have been here.
No kids, husband gone 12 hours, you work at home? SM
Priceless! That sounds like the perfect arrangement to me. I'm not kidding, either.
I've been home working with my kids for 10 years now sm
I worked outside of the house for one year after my first boy was born. I hated leaving him. So I was home working by the time he was a year old. I really enjoyed it. 10 years later, I'm still working at home, and have a 6 y/o boy too. Both my kids are in school. I'm so thankful to be home so that I can get them off the bus, attend parties at school, go on field trips with them. I can take care of house chores and keep and eye on my three dogs. The only thing is sometimes I miss being around people, being able to leave my work at my job (at home it's here all the time). My hubby works midnights, so he's home during the day too, but sleeps. Sometimes I feel like I have no "me time". After my boys get a little older, I may get out of the house to work. Sometimes I would like to actually change my career to sometime more hands on with patients. I love the medical field, I've been doing transcription for about 14 years. Another plus for working at home with kids is if they are sick, you don't have to call out of work. You can do your job and take care of your kids. You don't have to look your best either, on those days or any days. I'm guilty for sitting here in my PJs a lot, not having any makeup on or hair fixed.
Good luck in the future.
Have to agree. Kids do make working at home "different" (sm)
Mine are grown, but the grandchildren occasionally are over. The oldest one will play his Gameboy or some cube thing all day and only occasionally ask to be fed. However, when the youngest one can't go do daycare for some reason my world is turned upside down. The granddaughter has it in her head that when I ask her to be quiet it means come over to my desk and whisper. All in all, it isn't too often that I have children in my house when I work. My hat is off to those of you who do it on a regular basis, you are queens of organizational/concentration skills.
Your post should be required reading for anyone wanting to do at-home MT to be with kids...SM
I just don't get why people think that just because MT *can* be done at home that it's appropriate to try to do it with babies or small children in your care. It's no different from any other kind of on-site job...you couldn't very well take a baby to any other kind of job, so why is MT any different? It's not, and I wish people (mostly women) would lose the notion that MT is a good option for them *just because* they happen to have little kids.
No, usually it's just winding up as all the kids bring home crud from school.
The 4th of July is slow. Christmas is never slow for me.
My sis routinely makes the 6 hr car ride home to visit with her three kids and has since they
:+
Plus...are you typing w/kids home, do you answer your phone, are you distractable, etc. nm
s
Kids at home? What ages and do you limit their internet usage?
We have a 15-year-old that is limited to 1 hour on the internet when school is not in session, and we have parental controls that allow us to see everything she has done while she was on line.
What about your household?
I assure you, MTs NOT taking care of their own kids while working at home is NOT the rule. Its the
exception, and only on THIS negative board. I think that's why so many kid-hating MTs hang on this board, while all other MT boards are populated by MTs who not only work and LOVE their jobs, but also love raising their kids at home as well. So, please, don't go quoting exceptions and rules based on YOUR single opinion. There are LOTS of MTs who lurk on this board, who love their kids, and who have chosen to MT for the #1 reason to be with their kids, and they SUCCEED easily. To go with your thought process, honestly its just mothering skills - some mothers are just natural mothers and love it, while some...well, this board and the posts attests to their hearts...So many of you think one has to be a rocket scientist to MT, and even more of a rocket scientist to figure out how to amuse a baby for a day! Its NOT that complicated at all...not if one cares or loves.
Did a whole 388 today....this is why I try not to work when the kids are home/awake - basically impo
x
It IS the perfect arrangement...no kids, no husband, and working at home...priceless!
:-)
My sons are born again too and their wives can't leave the house, home school the kids, no tv,
and if my DIL wanted to work, it is out of the question. One of my sons just believes in having babies and having babies. They now have 5. I divorced his dad and apparently his dad taught them this is the American way. I just feel so bad for both my sons' wives. They both are born again and both live their life that way.
I dont care if you stay home because ofyour kids, a health issue - sm
or because you just like to work in tne nude. The fact of the matter is, settling for a lower rate jsut for the convenience of working from home is BS. I've been doing this for 25 years and have been home since 1996 and while I know I am not making the same money I did in the haydays, I sure as he11 will not work for less. Many of these companies are bluffing if they tell you they have to lower your rate. In fact, if you hold your ground and have a decent reputation, you can even make more.
It's too bad that so many people don't believe in their abilities and worth to hold out. You should never base your decision on fear. Use logic and common sense.
When the kids started school I wanted a job in my home town. A hospital clerk position (sm)
came open. You started compiling charts, making copies, etc. Then I was promoted after a few months and began learning transcription and did that part of the day. Then a few months later they taught me coding and abstracting and I did that part of the day. It was a great learning experience to learn things from the bottom up. Needless to say, I am an old dog here who has been doing this more than 25 years now.
When the kids started school I wanted a job in my home town. A hospital clerk position (sm)
came open. You started compiling charts, making copies, etc. Then I was promoted after a few months and began learning transcription and did that part of the day. Then a few months later they taught me coding and abstracting and I did that part of the day. It was a great learning experience to learn things from the bottom up. Needless to say, I am an old dog here who has been doing this more than 25 years now.
Do little kids like caramel? My big kids won't even eat it! We make the basic Baker's chocolat
s
I never said you shouldn't have kids! Feeling guilty? I asked WHY you had kids.
You clearly stated in your post that you ship the kids off to camp all day, and they're TIRED AT NIGHT!! You know exactly what you said. You said it as a PERK - AS IN GREAT! They're gone all day, it wears them out, and so I shovel dinner in their mouths and off to bed! You can try to paint it any way you want, but YOU SAID IT. Again, I only hope your kids never hear you speak that way or write that way. Shame on you. Why have kids at all? Just another parent who has them, gets rid of them for day AND night, BRAGS ABOUT IT, and then calls ME wicked! Give me a break! Camp is fine - its WHAT YOU SAID AND YOU KNOW IT. Your own words showed your heart. Period.
Kids are demanding and so is MT work. My question is how CAN you do this with kids, rather than how
When you have two young kids, 11 months apart, (like I stated they are now 4 and 5) and have been doing this since they were born with no help from their father and no family around, YES, the kids get neglected. Part time might work but living on one salary, part time, is not an option. How can you possible tell me that anyone with two young kids can stay at home and work a full-time, 8-hour shift, and still give their kids the attention they NEED. I dont care how good you are at multitasking and how great your organizational skills are. It is a very difficult thing to do. And I am offended by your post making it sound as if it is easy to do.
I do agree that it can depend on how well your kids behave and how well they are able to play on their own. But my kids were not able to play well on their own. They needed constant attention.
So please take the time to realize that there are people out there in different situations than your own.
Reading our posts should help you to understand that everyone has a different situation. I believe everyone should have the right to shares their experiences as it might benefit the original poster in her questions and concerns.
I dont think anyone should be bashed for taking the time out to write about their experiences. I dont usually come on here to argue but you really ticked me off with your post. And try reading the post correctly. I said next time around I would have put them in day care. What I DID do with them was set them up to an activity like art or put on a movie for them. Geez.
Stayed "because of the kids?" I say "leave because of the kids"
You're in no position to buy right now. Keep saving, keep paying down your bills, and for heaven's sake get rid of that dead weight of a BF you're living with. You can do better.
So, should I return the $75 (x2 kids) in music cards I got the kids for x-mas...sm
My son has been telling me about free music sites and I was very leary. How do they skirt the law Radguy?
I don't have kids, but my Mom was from the "old school," and still had everyone, kids inclu
call her by her first name. The little neighbor girl next door from the time she could speak called her Aggie (my mom's first name), and they were great buddies until the day my mom pased away.
I don't think there really is much in a name, but more in the respect you are given and the way you are treated. Personally, I kind of cringe inside when someone calls me Ms. Anything or God forbid, "maam" (makes me feel like Methuselah!) ... I'm always just plain Merrie. :-)
But, as someone pointed out, to each his own. If you want to be addressed a certain way, you have that right, and people should respect that. I'm glad you corrected the child ... hope it "sticks." 
Please do not simply give up, kids or no kids!
Talk with a professional. This can be worked through if he really puts forth the effort and you participate. The right counseling can truly make your marriage even better than it was before, if BOTH parties are willing to be honest. Give it a try. Nothing to lose at this point and everything to gain!
I enjoy being alone at home, but I've got one home sick from school already.
One on one with a kid is nice, too.
This summer has been absolutely crazy. I haven't had a moment to myself for three months because all of my kids were home traipsing their friends through the house and yard. My husband switched his work schedule, too, so he's around more than usual. However, I like not having to do two loads of dishes and four loads of laundry a day. There are no toys or clutter dragged out everywhere. I can clean the house first thing in the morning, and it stays clean until everyone gets home at night.
I even got to relax with a cup of coffee and watch TV for half an hour this morning, something I liked for a change instead of cartoons or kids' movies. I signed up for an online class that I've been wanting to take. I can exercise without being interrupted. Yesterday, I went to the mall and spent all my saved up gift cards. I got some clothes, books, bath stuff, and a new coffee mug. My work gets done a lot faster, too. Call me nuts, but I've never had the luxury of being alone in the house for 14 years. It's kinda nice. I love my family with all my heart, but I love having a few hours to myself each week, too.
Except now the cat and dogs have been acting weird since the kids went back to school. They must think that I need someone or something to clean up after and correct behavior on. They're getting into everything and racing around the house behind me.
my take is that she worked inhouse, not at home, and now wants to find out how to work at home. nm
x
Forget "per line." Your take-home pay should be taking home SM
roughly what it was before. If it is not, is it because your current pay rate for editing (which in many companies keeps changing as the VR system is developed) is too low or is it because your talents and skills are more for speed typing than speed editing?
If the first, discuss it with higherups, and go get a new job if you don't get the response you need. My last MTSO was secretly refiguring how production was counted to pay us less. I can accept hard reality, it was the secrecy that burned. Sometimes, though, it's just that the learning curves of individual editors and that of the system aren't in sync, and you end up temporarily making less.
If the second, though, recognize it as soon as possible and change to straight transcription work, in your company or a new one, for as long as you can find it.
As for why we aren't paid more for a higher skill, that's just the way the labor supply ball bounces. Best wishes.
I think she means she has wireless TO her home, not IN her home..nm
x
hospital at-home -vs- national at home
I have an interview today with a hospital...work in-house for 3 months, then go home, paid on production. I don't know as of yet what they pay production, so my question is to anyone who works for a hospital at home AND has also worked for a national at home...
Which would be the best to choose? The hospital offers great benefits, but the national I work for now also has benefits, not as good as the hospital, though. Any input would be most appreciated!
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