| I was a licensed nurse and had the map of my | | | | eliminate a great deal of stress that was |
| life routed out to specifics. I had a plan in | | | | controlling my life, and began to experience |
| mind that included goals, dreams, | | | | the fulfillment of being a full-time parent |
| anticipations and expectations. No one knows | | | | to my special needs child and became enabled |
| how quickly those things change unless you | | | | to work from home to help financially support |
| have had the pleasure of experiencing the | | | | my family. During the past few years, I have |
| role of being a special parent. Like many | | | | also helped others become home-based income |
| special parents out there, I was struggling, | | | | producing parents and here are some examples |
| looking, and wondering how I could continue | | | | of questions people have asked: • Was |
| to meet the demands of my career, all while | | | | this transition easy? No. If you are looking |
| caring for my child with special needs. While | | | | for an easy way out, working from home is |
| being a special parent is the most important | | | | most likely is not something for you. If you |
| role in your life, you also have to somehow | | | | don't have the persistence, patience and are |
| manage a career and financial support. Your | | | | not goal-oriented, you can forget it. • |
| role is multipurpose and you want to be there | | | | Did you struggle? Yes, in more ways than one. |
| for your child, but your career demands a | | | | • How did you finally begin creating an |
| huge percentage of your time and efforts. How | | | | income from home? It wasn't easy and began |
| can you be a special parent, cater to your | | | | with many promising opportunities that turned |
| career, provide for your family and maintain | | | | out to be less than legitimate. • Did |
| your sanity? If you or someone you know is | | | | you have skills? Well of course I had skills, |
| parenting a special needs child and trying to | | | | I was a licensed nurse, but believe it or |
| work outside the home, you know exactly what | | | | not, none of those skills were needed at any |
| I am talking about. Sure, you can leave your | | | | of the opportunities I ran across at the |
| child with a friend, a parent or other | | | | time. To sum it all up, I was like many other |
| caregiver, but when it comes down to | | | | parents, struggling in the 9-5 grind, looking |
| specifics and your child needs you, it's much | | | | for solutions to my situation, solutions that |
| easier to stop what you are doing at home | | | | would allow me to earn an income from home, |
| than it is to face your employer and deal | | | | be my own boss and be there for my special |
| with their scrutiny. You have to remember, | | | | son all while being the type of parent I felt |
| unless you are the parent of a special needs | | | | he, and my other children deserve. I wanted a |
| child, this is a situation you just about | | | | package deal, even if it meant changing my |
| have to experience in order to understand or | | | | focus, rearranging my plans and struggling, I |
| comprehend the importance your role plays in | | | | wanted to be there for my special child and |
| that child's life. I always thought if anyone | | | | my other children and focus on life with |
| could do it, I could. I was a struggling | | | | them. I wanted to minimize my absence from my |
| single mom with a good head on my shoulders | | | | family, gain some independence and make this |
| and a positive attitude. I was perfectly | | | | transition as smooth as it could possibly be. |
| capable of maintaining a demanding career and | | | | The entire process of going from working |
| taking care of my special needs son along | | | | outside the home to working at home hasn't |
| with my other 2 children without having to | | | | been easy. It's been a long road full of |
| change a thing. I was bound and determined to | | | | challenges and barriers. Being the parent of |
| succeed one way or another without having to | | | | a special needs child has been the major |
| inconvenience my career or my everyday life | | | | motivating factor for me in my pursuit of |
| in any shape, form, or fashion. Guess what? | | | | working from home. You have to take those |
| Like many other parents of special needs | | | | challenges and face them head on, move those |
| children, I was wrong. I had to make | | | | barriers and leap over them; get down to |
| decisions that I really didn't want to make. | | | | business. Find something you love to do and |
| In that process, I had to manage transitions | | | | turn it in to an income-producing opportunity |
| that were mind-blowing and difficult to say | | | | of your very own. For more information about |
| the least. I used my own tactics and I | | | | Susan Hill and her insight on work from home, |
| compromised, I was literally at the end of my | | | | drop in and visit her at Break Time Virtual |
| rope and finally, in 1998, I was able to | | | | Services. |