Your post should be required reading for anyone wanting to do at-home MT to be with kids...SM
Posted By: SM on 2005-07-19
In Reply to: My kids have suffered greatly from me working at home with them home. SM - nn
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.
Complete Discussion Below:  marks the location of current message within thread
The messages you are viewing
are archived/old.
To view latest messages and participate in discussions, select
the boards given in left menu
Other related messages found in our database
Not wanting a convicted felon = perfection required? Sweet, I must be perfect then.
x
Yup. It's required reading, as far as I'm concerned.
I see WAY too many MTs just sort of doing their own thing (usually incorrectly). Several places I've worked at require using the BOS as your guideline. I know I would if I owned my own service or were the manager of an MT department. It gives us all one common language, one standard.
Not to discourage you, but wanting to work at home
just to be with your baby is the wrong reason to get into this career field. If you want to be a stay at home Mom, be a stay at home Mom. If you need to work, you need to get into a field that interests and challenges you. Otherwise, you'll find it difficult to sit down and make yourself do the work. The ads are overwhelming about making big bucks doing MT while your children play quietly at your feet, but that is far from reality. There are other work at home jobs you can do that don't paying for an education, like selling yard sale fodder on eBay. I don't mean this as a slam, but I've BTDT with the babies at home while trying to work.
You should be good with grammar and English, have an interest in the medical field and a good ear, and be able to sit for long periods of time. You might have to put your child in daycare if your first job is inhouse, because most companies don't hire newbies to work at home. You might have to use daycare anyway if your child is demanding on your attention at every moment.
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.
If you aren't wanting responses, do not post. (SM)
Certainly, you won't make friends here by lashing out at them because they did respond to you.
Perhaps you should seek your medical advice from a medical professional, i.e., 9-1-1, a hospital emergency room, physician, etc.
If I'm reading correctly, you're not at home when this happens...sm
Which must be so stressful for you. I found this website that you might want to take a look at:
http://www.ygrr.org/doginfo/behavior-phobia.html#Hug
It has info. about homeopathic treatments, drugs, music, behavior mod., hug therapy, etc. It looks like the Clomicalm your vet gave you might not just be a tranquilizer but helps in another way? Not sure.
One of my dogs has a very mild problem in this area. Fireworks and thunderstorms upset him. He finds a place to hide, curls up and stays there, and he won't go outside (where it's louder, of course) until the noise is gone. Luckily, it's mild, and he's even been getting better. We just act like it's no big deal, pat him on the side once or twice and tell him in a cheery voice "You're okay, buddy!" and go about our business. (But I confess, hubby and I let him curl up on the bed in between us during thunderstorms - we're probably rewarding/reinforcing his phobia behavior! LOL)
I did once foster a dog who had a much worse problem. It was getting close to the 4th of July, and the sound of firecrackers terrified him. Long story, but I used Rescue Remedy (homeopathic flower essences) on him with success for the short time I had him. Long term, I think I would have needed something stronger.
Please let us know what happens.
after reading THAT post, certainly...sm
certainly happy you don't work for me and happy you're happy too about it....
Changing poor non-English (ESL) dictation to reflect gramatically correct reports, using the poor dictation sample provided by the original poster, isn't changing the doctors words, nor patient care. If you want to attach your name to that, and the OP stating she/he is refusing to correct what she/he knows is supposed to be, BE_MY_GUEST!!
Your comment about how long YOU *think* I've been dealing with MDs speaks tomes.......been in and around this business probably longer than you've been alive!! 
After reading the above post..sm
I was going to say the same thing, basically. I use macro's all the time, too, but I would also like to know what exactly the macro feature is CAPABLE of doing. I know the place I work for just designed a macro to line count and change font on a whole folder of typed files at one time. It is things like this that I would like to know...how do you *program* macros to do this??? So, I know what you are saying.
Reading your post...
I'm sure it is. I could have written that same thing exactly!!
What is up with that?
Re-reading your post.
"Shouldn't the line counts be exact since the company issued their own program? The program works with MS Word's count, and their reasoning is that Word counts differently on different computers" So, are you using a program that uses Word or are you just using the properties as listed in the actual Word document?
"Is MS Word that inaccurate on their counts on different computers?" If you had already checked with MS they why are you asking us to tell you something different?
Bottom line, ASK THE MTSO. Verify that your settings match. The posters on this board couldn't possibly answer that question for you.
After reading your post, I'd have to say
it seems that your hospital wants to take advantage of you both as an employee and as an IC. I don't think those 2 should mix. I would start with the Labor Department for your state. They should have a website to answer some of the general questions and probably can direct you to the more specifics. You may need to file a complaint with them. Good luck. 
AWESOME! Reading your post gives...
...me more hope than I have had in awhile (since I have been seeing this coming). Can you give me anything concrete (or ideas where to look) to include in the presentation? I need to jump on this. I feel like I have been given a gift, and YOU are Santa Claus!
And it was 'funs' reading your post.
nm
loved reading this post :)
i absolutely adore houses, and thought that is why i would take the real estate class, it wasn't to "make money" like most, it was simply because i cannot get enough of houses. I have drug my boyfriend around to all the new houses going up to look at the "model homes" and there aren't any left! I try to get him to go to open houses with me all the time and he always refuses, and I always have trouble understanding who wouldn't want to look at different homes!! haha. but like i said that dream ended when I had to get all the technical learning... so boring.
I'm now in my late 20s and I'm just feeling like my life is in such a downward turn now that I know transcription won't last forever. I now have a mortgage to pay (because i was making enough a couple years ago) and now I'm barely scraping by. I'm going to look for other work but it's scary for me. I know I am young (but i dont always feel it) but your stories of different jobs inspired me. I feel sometimes I should go back to school but I'm afraid the commitment isn't there on my part...
I know I have it better than a lot of others so I am thankful for that... but it doesn't mean Im not sometimes feeling lost!
I remember when I learned transcription 10 years ago, my mom taught me as she has done it for like 30 years now... it was hilarious :) but now 10 years later I feel strong and good at it and it's hard to wonder if I'll every find something else that I feel that way about :)
I am reading your post and thinking
i have been doing this work for years and years, can hold (as per my previous boss) a conversation on almost anything, I read a lot, interested in things going on around me and yet I could not tell you what is north, south, east or west. Raised a family, owned my own home, but my father always amazed that I was not able to stand in a yard and know which way south, north, etc. I am also challenged with anything doing with math. My family kids me with the fact if I could not type fast and spell I would have really been in trouble!!!
After reading your post, I have to comment
Ella states: "It's not fair to form one's opinion of people by their nationality or ethnic background..."
"New Yorkers and damyankees are rude, abrupt and downright hateful."
You state it is unfair, but you've just passed along your own stereotypical close-minded opinion with this post.
Substitute nationality and ethnicity for Northerners and folks outside your little circle there in Texas and bingo Ella! You're a hypocrite.
I am from NYC. I happen to think you're words above are ruder than most NY'ers. In all my years, I've not been as offended by something or someone as much as I have been just reading your post.
Feel free to share more of your prejudices and sling further insults all you want, but it's plain to anyone reading your offensive post above that you speak from the side of your face and are filled with hate.
After reading your post, I have to comment
Ella states: "It's not fair to form one's opinion of people by their nationality or ethnic background..."
"New Yorkers and damyankees are rude, abrupt and downright hateful."
You state it is unfair, but you've just passed along your own stereotypical, close-minded opinion with this post.
Substitute nationality and ethnicity for Northerners and folks outside your little circle there in Texas and bingo Ella! You're a hypocrite.
I am NYC born and raised. I happen to think you're words above are ruder than most NY'ers. In all my years, I've not been as offended by something or someone as much as I have been just reading your post.
Feel free to share more of your prejudices and sling further insults all you want, but it's plain to anyone reading your offensive comments above that you speak from the side of your face and are spreading your own hate.
In reading your post, I just want to hug that poor little girl.
I can't imagine how depressed she must be.
Reading my own post .. .i realize I messed it up!
and it didnt read that it was my first time SELLING on Ebay... Sorry, but you guys got the message.. THANKS
I was thinking the same thing before reading your post!
lol Reading all of this, your post struck me funny.
You state that you would think her equipment is paid for by now. You would? Considering what? You know her? LOL You know her equipment purchases or lease agreements or what?! LOL
It just seems like everyone is assuming quite a bit.
She sounds like she has more than a rinky-dink small-time business.
I especially love the "get rid of the QA" vote! As if that poster has any clue what her needs are or what her contractual obligations are!
Just kind of funny to me.
And I don't understand why you are not reading this post correctly, it says
being as it was elective on my part, all lawyers I contacted said no case. What else can I say?? Simple, elective, you did it to your own self, not like you had to have.....
Reading your post and frankly, my dear,
I do not believe if you transcribe 200 lph manually that you can do 6500 lines a day on Escription. Manually I always typed 250 or more an hour. I now work on Escription and have for some time. You would have had to go from manual from 1600 lines a day to over 800 lph. I have NEVER done 800 an hour and have done Escription now for 5 years. If I kept my foot on the pedal without making the first correction I do not think 800 would be possible. You must be in sales for the Escription platform.
I was very spooky reading your post because you are describing me and you have no idea who I am.
I have tried over and over the diet thing and I hate how I look, although, I think there are some heavy people out there that do not care and are very outgoing even though they are heavy, unfortunately that is not me. I tend to not want to go to social things because of it. I am very lucky too in that I am almost 6', I could not imaging weighing my weight and only being 5'4".
Does anyone else have trouble reading this post and previous one from this poster?
It is hard to read when correct punctuation, etc. is not used. I know everyone returns to work. I am just saying that it would be nice not to return to 40 hrs worth of typing & it be expected to be caught up on the day I return. Call me crazy, but I believe there are only 24 hrs/day. I may not be able to read this post well, but I can do math! It is also not fair for them to dump all my work on 1 other person. Jobs come & go, but children grow up & life is too short. I would like to thank those who posted support & compassion & hope when this poster needs help, you will overlook her insensitivity & give support anyway.
I feel kinda lazy reading your post as i'm content just
Where I feel crazy, I set a goal of around 300 lines an hour (ha! not with these dictators but 250 is still good), every two hours make a snack to get me moving. I love juicing veggies and making fruit smoothies in the blender, coffee makes me nuts. I also do calisthenics (sp?) every couple of hours for about three minutes to keep my blood flowing and keep toned. I walk the dog two times a day for about 10 minutes to get energized from the sun and keep a good color. I take an hour break to watch good ol Judge Judy, and fix myself something nice n yummy, and after Judy I crank out my last hour called the 'power hour' where I take no prisoners and smoke comes off my keyboard! Like a race to the finish line.
I can't see how you could do the 20 and the 10 minute clean break, that would slow me down! Maybe I should take cleaning breaks, because I never want to clean when I have a block of time off and the dirt just collects.
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???
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.......
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.
|
