Earning and learning around having a family: Practical tips

‘Having it all’ in terms of kids and career can be really tricky. Chances are, no matter what you choose to do it feels like the wrong thing, and it can be really stressful as a mom. Either you feel like you’re missing out with your kids by being at work, or you wish you could be earning for the family and improving your skills instead of being at home all the time. One way around this is to find ways to make money from home, in a flexible way that genuinely works around your family. Thanks to technology and the internet, this is more possible than ever these days and can be the perfect solution to the dilemma that many of us as moms have felt since women entered the workplace. Read on to find out what you can do to fit earning and learning around your family. 

Explore a side hustle

A side hustle is a flexible way for moms to earn extra money as it fits into your busy schedule. Freelance writing is a great option, letting you choose projects that match your time and interests. If you have artistic talents, creating digital products like clip art and graphic pieces for platforms like Etsy could be a good direction to go in, or if you like writing you could start a blog. There are ways to sell teaching resources online if you have any experience of this, and so many other ways to start a side hustle. The gig economy has really flourished in recent years, which has provided moms with various platforms to showcase their skills. From virtual assistance to graphic design, there’s all kinds of options to choose from. You could even set up a home based business based on previous skills you have from your work or hobbies. This could be baking, floristry or a craft of some kind that you could then sell at markets. There’s also the option of buying and selling online for a profit using platforms like Shopify, this is great if you don’t feel that you have any specific skills to sell. The beauty of a side hustle is that it allows you to be in control, you can decide how many projects to take on and when to work on them.

Generate passive income

Passive income involves earning money while putting in minimal effort. It may sound too good to be true, but there’s a catch, and that’s that you usually need some initial funds to get started. If you have savings, inheritance, or even a bit of luck, you can turn this into a steady income. Becoming a landlord is a classic example. Being a landlord doesn’t mean moms need to be hands on with all the responsibilities, you can hire an estate agent to take care of finding tenants, dealing with their queries and handling deposits. This makes the process more manageable and less stressful.

Affiliate marketing is another way to generate passive income without creating your own products- you partner with companies and promote their products through unique affiliate links. When someone makes a purchase using that link, the affiliate earns a commission. Join affiliate programs of companies that sell products based on your interests (it could be anything from parenting products to recommending household items or baby gear). If you have a blog or Youtube channel, this can work seamlessly without it being much extra work for you. 

Future planning

Even if you’re not able to go back to work right now as you’re raising a family, there are things you could be doing in the here and now. You could volunteer, even an hour a week would look good on your resume and help to teach you skills in a new area. You could study from home, gaining qualifications which can open the door to new careers later on. It prevents you having large gaps in employment history, and is something you can realistically do while raising your children. Online study is flexible and from home, so could be fitted in whenever you have the time. When it comes to volunteering, it’s not just about giving back to the community but an opportunity to network, learn, and potentially discover new interests too. This seemingly small step can potentially give your future career a real boost and open your eyes to new ideas. 

Earning and learning around looking after children is always going to be tricky. If your kids are young or you have a big family this can easily take up all of your time, and so many of us don’t have the ‘village’ that we apparently need in motherhood. But these things could all potentially be squeezed into the small amount of time you do have, and since they can be done from home it makes it more convenient. Many of these things can also be started on a small scale, and built up over time. So, for example, when your children start school and you have more time to yourself, you can build your business/ skills further.