I assure you, MTs NOT taking care of their own kids while working at home is NOT the rule. Its the
Posted By: HappyMomMT on 2005-07-19
In Reply to: Negativity and reality...... - SM
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.
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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.
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
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.
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.
It IS the perfect arrangement...no kids, no husband, and working at home...priceless!
:-)
No one said the kids should rule the menu
But if you love your kids then you understand that they are people too, with their own tastebuds. Just because they might have a suggestion doesn't automatically make it JUNK. Just different.
Trust me, my kids know who the boss is. Geez!!!!!
You are the exception, not the rule, when it comes to kids w/o fathers.
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.
In our home, we call it the Red Rule - see message
The Red Rule means that we do not bother mama if she is working unless somebody is bleeding or the house is on fire - Red Rule. :O)
Its just an unwritten rule and common sense; you better home Amphion is not watching - sm
I am sure they can put 2+2 together and figure out who you are and withdrawal their offer if they so chose. It's just not good business to say who has what.
Thank you so much...I got it working now! I appreciate your taking the time to help out. nm
nm
People in USA are taking your job by working
x
My kids are allowed on extracurricular activity a piece. My daughter is taking one dance class
week and my son will be starting basketball at school in a month and that is it aside from church activities. I definitely think parents push their kids to do too much. Not only is it stressful for the kids, but I can imagine the added stress of parent who works full time having to keep track of each other's schedules, the kids' schedules, and running to and fro taxing kids back and forth!
I worry about my nephew. He's 13 and he plays every sport there is. He broke his knee playing fooball two years ago and now has to wear a knee brace in every sport he playes, he's 13! Right now, he is playing 7th grade football, he is in two different soccer leagues, and he is signing up for a football outside the school system. So he basically has some sort of practice or a game every day of the week and on Saturdays! He has strained his back, he complains about his knee aching. When I say something to my sister about him overdoing it, she says "he does want he wants, we're not making him." I've told her that she is his mother and it's really up to her to set limits, but she loves the idea that she's the mom of a "star athlete."
Anyway, just a sore subject with me, I guess. I'm really close to my kids and all my neices and nephews and I hate to see them miss out on the fun in life just because they feel they have to schedule everything!
How can you NOT do both? How can you NOT take care of kids and do this? Heavens!
Why try to scare off any potentials mothers who want to do this? The first poster says she "neglected" her kids, and next time around would have movies or something for them to do. What did she do with her poor kids? I don't think I want to know, but its a no-brainer to have things organized to amuse the kids, etc. I think there are just some mothers who have no "instincts" so to speak - their kids survive by the Grace of God. But there are LOTS of mothers with good instincts and organizational skills, as in multitasking. I, too, started in this industry with my 6 month old daughter on my lap literally. It was challenging, and I did it full time, but my kids, all 3, were raised while I was MTing. They are FINE, and we are a closely-knit family. I'm not saying it wasn't challenging but that was THE WHOLE POINT OF working at home. Lots and lots and lots of MTs do it for just that very reason - OUR KIDS. However, they're not usually on this board wasting time! I think the position here is too skewered - anti-kids, anti-husbands, anti-work, anti-bosses, anti-authority, anti-Indians. While every single other MT board is swarming with happy MTs who are thrilled to be home with their kids, and balancing work with kids, and doing it well! It can be done, and it can be done very well, and it is the #1 REASON most MTs in their childbearing years transition to this career! And it WORKS!!
no way..i have 3 little kids and a husband to take care of..
i do good to keep up with what i have now. i was wondering if 1 cent higher though would make up the differnece of not getting paid for spaces.
Glad you don't take care of my kids
If I was paying you for daycare for my kids that is what I would expect you to be doing. Not off in a corner transcribing medical reports. If you are licensed maybe they should check into your license. You are licensed to take care of kids while there are with you not transcribe, and if you aren't licensed that explains it.
Glad I don't take care of your kids too...
None of those scenarios you guys mention happen here while I am working. You may allow children to hit each other in the head with trucks, but that behavior is unacceptable here. I run a very well organized daycare, all the parents know I type during the children's naptime and movie time and have no problem with it because they are right here in the room with me and mom knows her child is being well taken care of. My job as Transcriptionist doesn't suffer as I have never gotten an audit of less than 98% and have made 100% accuracy on many audits. Whether you guys believe it or not and want to put me down is not my concern as your hateful opinions matter nada bit to me. :)
when you "take care of his kids" to try to keep them away, you are enabling him to escape
consequences for his actions. Alcoholics only stop drinking when the pain outweighs the pay off. Here is what you can do for yourself: Go to Al-Anon. The only requirement for membership is a drinking problem in a relative or friend. The counselor for your BIL, if he is worth his salt at all, will recommend the family go to Al-Anon. The family. That's you.
working IN A HOSPITAL is different than working at home.
Someone can steal you identity from the internet if they want to. Why would you go to the time and trouble to jeopardize a job that requires some level of skill to steal someone's identity or medical records? You could get a job as a retail clerk and get info easier than going through the testing required to become an MT.
Somehow working at home translates into not really working
My in-laws are the worst. Whenever they plan something last minute and my husband says that I had to work, they say, "but she works at home!". When I one time mentioned I had a "schedule" and basically punch a clock and work full time, I don't think they believed me. They will sometimes call mid-day during the week if they are in the area to see if I want to go for lunch, etc! The best is, my husband doesn't make all that much money, so where is it coming from, the money fairy? I am ready to strangle someone! So I know how you feel and I'm sorry it upset you. You are not alone.
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 ![](https://forum.mtstars.com/smileys/hothot.gif)
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???
So what is your point?
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.......
WORKING WITH KIDS
I have an in home MT position with a company and I am required to work set hours pt. Does anyone have to work set hours and have an infant at home? Can this be done successfully?
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.
"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.
working with young kids
I have been working at home since my first child was a day old and all I can say is you get used to it and so do they since they don't know any different. I think it would be harder having them a bit older and then starting to work at home. I took short breaks for feeding but worked during the regular work day other than that, just had the baby lying on a blanket next to my chair or in a bouncer seat or sometimes on my lap, and as he got older he started playing next to my desk. The second time around I had twins, and well, that was a bit harder, but I fed them both at the same time and put them on the same feeding and nap schedules to maximize both work time and my sanity.
Ya do what ya gotta do.
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. ![](https://forum.mtstars.com/smileys/sowhat.gif)
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.![](https://forum.mtstars.com/smileys/smirlove2.gif)
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.
working full time with kids
If it is about taking off a couple years, there is nothing wrong with that. However, you just can't say that it cannot be done - because there are several of us here that, obviously, can do it.
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.
14-1/2 years, 10 yrs at home w/acute care. nm
nm
11 years of acute care, all from home. nm
s
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.
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