Hey Moms, How Do You Do Stay on Track With Pampered Chef?

[AJPratt]

So, I am now doing PC full time while staying at home with Mary. I love it and it has been going well, but I want to stay on track. How and when do you SAHM do this: make calls, do clerical PC stuff? Does your spouse help?

 

[ChefBeckyD]

When Micah was a baby - I made calls during nap time...or in the evening when DH could watch him for a little while.

What Clerical stuff? Heehee....I'm really bad at that, and only do it when the piles get unmanageable. But that's easier to get done then the phone calls. I'd bring DS into the office with me - sit him in a bouncy seat and talk to him while I was working. OR I'd let him watch a Baby Einstein DVD for 1/2 hour. He LOVED those!


DH helped, and still helps by taking over childcare while I'm working. He's an awesome Daddy, and has never complained or been hesitant about helping out.

I get really upset when other Moms say that their husbands complain or won't take care of the kids while they are working PC. HE is also a parent! I feel bad for them that their spouses are that unsupportive.

 

[chefcharity]

Hi AJ. How old is Mary? My boys are 2 1/2 and 4. The 4yr old isn't in scool yet, that starts this year.

So, I do a lot of host coaching via email. I ask the host if that is a good way to communicate first, though. If there is an evening when I want to hit the phones hard, I let my husband know and I go at it. If you need to, print off a contact sheet and go sit in the car or drive down the road where the kids aren't running in and out of the room. If I have a show cancel, I take that time to work on calls too. They already expected me gone.

If Mary is old enough to understand, let her know that you have to work to get something. Right now, we are working toward disney. So my kids know that when I talk on the phone it is helping us get to Disney. They like to help mark off the points on the tracker too. If you are not working toward disney, make another goal and have the family help mark it off. Let them know if they are being disruptive while you are on the phone (or whatever) that if you don't do 'x' you can't earn your trip to 'wherever you want'

Remember, if you had a full time job (other than what we already do!) we would have WAY less time to spend with our kids. Taking time out each day to make 3 contacts is a lot less work than we used to do! Just keep it in perspective....

Another trick I have learned at the Post office... when I have to stamp postcards there, we go to the lobby and I put stamps on and hand one to each boy as I finish. they they run and put it in the slot. This keeps them busy while I'm stamping. Works great and they get to help.

You'll get it.... it seemed to just fall into place. They get used to you working. Just make sure when you say 10 more minutes and I'll play - you stick to it. Something I have had to work on. I set a timer sometimes...

 

[Pampered_Ashley84]

Thanks for asking this AJ! I just found myself in this situation as well and appreciate everyone's advice. I have a 14 month old son and really want him to have the luxury of a SAHM. I too, have found that nap time is a huge time to get everything done. I do most of my host coaching calls in the evening after he is in bed.

 

[Brandi2007]

I created a work schedule and hired a sitter to come over and watch my children during those hours or even take them out to the beach. It is cheaper than the daycare that I was paying when I worked full time and had to "fit my business in" during the evenings.

 

[chefsteph07]

I try to find as many hosts who will have me call them during the day as possible, mornings esp are good for me....and email DEFINITELY, but I ask first if they check every day or what their sched is for email. If they check every day, I let them know up front they will be hearing alot from me by email...if they don't check as often, I do the following....

in the evening, I take one day a week and kick my DH out of the house w/ my daughter for an hour and I make my calls then, or now that she is going to be going to bed earlier (8pm), I will make them later after she goes to bed. I would just find out what your host prefers and if they say "after 5pm", I ask, is 9pm too late? And usually they say that is a fine time to call, I usually will joke it off and tell them I'll call them after everyone's in bed and I can actually pay attention to what they are saying.

As for "clerical" stuff (yeah Becky, WHAT clerical? LOL) I do that as I go along, if I have a half hour here and there to do things I fit it in.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Welcome back Anne!

I started PC when DS was 3 1/2. I did most of my 'work' while he was sleeping. Now he's 7 and I am most productive while he is in school or sleeping. Not much gets done from 3-7pm. After dinner DH will take over so can make phone calls if I need to.

 

[AJPratt]

Thanks! Mary usually naps between 11a and 1pm. I try to get some housework done, the stuff I don't want her near and if I can make a call or send an email I will. My husband works 4am to 10:30, and is usually home by 11 or so. I can't say that I get a ton of help from him. I don't know how to approach it without sounding like a "B". Today, after his hour nap (I wish I had one!) I finally said, "You need to watch her. I am trying to take some PC classes". He reluctantly watches her with one eye. In addition to how to balance it, I guess I need to know what to say to him to get more cooperation.

 

[Bren706]

I know how you feel, Anne. I just had my 3rd child in late June, and am now trying to make the time to get my calls in. For me, it seems that when the baby is sleeping, the other two (4yrs and 6yrs) are very noisy or need me for one thing or another. Before the 3rd baby, I would make calls between 7 and 8pm, but now it seems that is when the baby wants to eat. I am trying to make by DH understant that if I am going to make money (without going back to "work", which is going to be a necessity in the near future) then he needs to help me make sure I get that uninterrupted time.

I am hoping that with school starting this week, that I can get a number of calls in during the day.

 

[cwinter474]

Thanks! Mary usually naps between 11a and 1pm. I try to get some housework done, the stuff I don't want her near and if I can make a call or send an email I will. My husband works 4am to 10:30, and is usually home by 11 or so. I can't say that I get a ton of help from him. I don't know how to approach it without sounding like a "B". Today, after his hour nap (I wish I had one!) I finally said, "You need to watch her. I am trying to take some PC classes". He reluctantly watches her with one eye. In addition to how to balance it, I guess I need to know what to say to him to get more cooperation.

Hubby's you've got to love them, right?

And the one eye look, one of my favorites.

I would just maybe say something like you know I could make even more money if I could get more calls done, emails sent, whatever... if you could help with the baby.

Maybe you could start with just twice a week to ease him into a routine?

 

[pjpamchef]

When my girls were toddlers I had a little table & chairs in my office. I had certain things they could only play with there if quiet while I was on the phone. One was play dough, (since there was no carpet in the room). The first time they were loud, I put everything up and said I guess this isn't going to work and left my office. They begged me for a second chance I also kept M&M's there and would give them a couple after each phone call and thank them for helping me do my work. Ilene Meckley talks about this topic quite a bit. Recently I found a larger table and chairs (they've out grown the first), and they still like to be here when I'm working. Now they are working on a jigsaw puzzle!! The main thing is no one in your family was born knowing how to help you with your business, you have to tell them (more than once) what kind of help you need.

 

[kreaser]

Hi AJ...
It has been almost 11 years for me with PC and I honestly still don't think I have a specific schedule when it comes to the business and kids..when I started I had 5 children under the age of 8!! my last 2 were twins and they were 1 when I started PC...So.....need I say more...now the kids are 19, 16, 14, and the twins are 12....Wow time flies...I do take my calendar binder with me whereever I go and can make calls while waiting at soccer, while driving to football...(don't tell I drive and use my cell phone) and where ever else I can fit calls in...Are the calls always as focused as they should be??? probably not,,,,but the job gets done..
Schedules will change as the children grow and get older..so be flexable...that's my best advice....
karlene

 

[AJPratt]

Thanks, Karlene!

 

[floccies]

Same issues here. I wonder if hiring a sitter WHILE the hubby was home so you could make phone calls for a couple of hours would help make the point . . . As long as he didn't go nuts with the sitter there. . .

 

[KellyTheChef]

Anne...my hubby isn't the best at watching the kids like that, either...but when I finally sat him down and said that I NEEDED to spend some time on the phone or else my business would die...and told him WHAT I needed from him (one hour, twice a week?) then he was OK with it. I think at first he was afraid that I would be "using" him as a babysitter everynight.

It's hard...but just keep plugging along! When you have a free minute, make a call...rather than waiting for the "right time".

GOOD LUCK!

Glad to see you around!

 

[AJPratt]

I have gotten better at stealing moments to make calls and such and its working out better. I don't have to make all the calls at the same time! So, thank you for all of your advice.

I have also asked Dave to take Mary out for a bit. Besides me needing to work, she needs time away from me. The poor thing! She used to see 50+ people a day, now its just me! LOL

 

[stefani2]

one suggestion could be to have a bag filled with things your child enjoys BUT they ONLY get to play with the objects in that bag while you are working. Mine like stickers, and coloring, but I also have stuck some inexpensive toys in there too!

I use my Pockets of Time too - works best for us.

My kids are almost 3 and 4... so they are at the age when they understand (for a short period of time anyways) that I have to do work. But I also reward them for being cooperative - take them to the park after, go get ice cream, go to a friends house and play IF I get my work done!

 

[AJPratt]

I will use that when Mary gets older. She's 13 mos, she needs to be entertained, hopefully by Dad while I'm on the phone.

 

[stefani2]

well what about other toys (or new toys) that could keep her entertained for a few minutes???