I’m thrilled to finally be a part of this interview series featuring work at home mothers!

Tell us about your business.
I own Sugar Studios, a design studio that specializes in Branding and Custom WordPress site design for creative entrepreneurs. I started Sugar Studios before I had children, but it was always the intention that it would allow me to work from home while caring for our future kids.

Did you always plan to be a WAHM? If not, what made you decide to work from home?
It was always been my dream to have my own business while being able to be at home with our family. I love the flexibility of being able to jump on the computer at nap time while getting a start on dinner for that evening.

How long have you been a WAHM?
Almost one year!

How many children do you have and what are their ages?
One child, Ryan Henry who will turn one this March.

What is your workstation setup like? (ie. In the kitchen, room to room, in an office/study, etc.)
I generally work in my own private office in the upstairs of our home. Using my laptop, I’m also able to move around the house depending on what I’m working on.

What days/hours do you typically work?
I’m available from 9am – 5pm on most days.

How does being a WAHM affect your husband/partner?
My husband works in healthcare and his schedule varies. With me being able to work from home, it puts a lot less stress on our family.

What are some of your frustrations with being a WAHM?
There are never enough hours in the day to tackle the never ending to do list in my head! If I were to work in an office setting I would be able to spend 8 solid hours working, at home I can’t get that.

What is the single most gratifying part of being a WAHM?
Not missing a moment of our son smiling, laughing and learning.

Describe a typical day in the life for you as a WAHM.
I try to wake up before the baby is up to get my morning cup of coffee and check my email, maybe even start some work. After everyone is up and we’ve all eaten breakfast I squeeze in a few more emails and more a couple more minutes of work.

By 10am the baby has his first nap and I’m cleaning up the house and finishing getting dressed and then get in a little more work.

By 2pm we’ve had lunch, run some errands and walked the dog and it’s time for his second nap. I’ll do some more work on the computer and answer emails.

At 7pm, the baby is in bed for the evening and I’m left cleaning up, cooking dinner and take some time to visit with my husband who gets home from work. I put in another two or three hours of work before closing up for the evening. Occasionally I’ll work late into the evening if I have a hard deadline.

How do you think being a WAHM has helped you and your family?
Right now we don’t have to worry about the expense of daycare. I have a flexible schedule which allows me to take my son to the park in the middle of the day, or to a class at the library in the morning. My husband is also off some weekdays so we are able to spend time together as a family on those days. My income is essential to our family since we live in New York and everything is expensive!

What sacrifices have you had to make in order to be a WAHM?
I’ve had to cut back on a lot of frivolous expenses like designer clothing, expensive makeup, and dinners out.

UPDATE 2 YEARS LATER

I wanted to post an update since Ryan is now a toddler and my work schedule has shifted. Here’s a rundown on how the day goes when you work from home with a toddler:

5:30am – Wake up early and work while the house is quiet.
8:00am – Ryan starts waking up and I take a quick shower, get dressed and tidy up.
8:30am-12:00pm – Breakfast, playtime, activities (library, swim lessons, grocery shop). I answer a few emails here and there and check social media accounts.
12:00pm-2:00pm – Ryan naps and I work. If I’m not working I will tidy up the house, start dinner, clean, cook (it never ends!)
2:30pm-5:00pm – Lunch time, then more play time. Sometimes we take a walk, play outside, go to the park, run errands or go out for lunch. On some afternoons, if my husband is home he will watch Ryan for an hour or two while I get in some more work.
6:00pm – Dinnertime
7:00pm – Bathtime
7:30pm – Bedtime
8:00pm-10:00pm – More work, catch up on emails, plan social media posts for the next few days.
10:00pm-11:30pm – Catch up with my husband and watch TV. I try to get to bed as early as possible since I like to get up really early!

What do you think of this article? Do you have any questions for me? Ask me in the comments box below!