<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; ">I'll agree, working from home can be challenging and you have to have a lot of discipline. Small distractions arise a lot, but really aren't much of a problem for someone like me who is quite used to multi-tasking. I also don't have kids, so that makes a huge difference. The pets don't require much supervision other than just letting the dog out to go to the bathroom and giving them some attention once in a while. It really helps to have a certain room of the house as a dedicated office (this helps for tax deductions as well) so I can shut the door and really focus. In that regard, it's probably less distracting than an office full of chatty co-workers!<DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>When I was in school I was a nanny for a designer who worked at home. I would come over to interact with her little one and give him the attention he needed so she could get her work done. Having a babysitter who is there while you're working would be an option for a work-at-home parent, and may be a little cheaper than day care. </DIV><DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Working at home is not for everyone, but I sure love it! :) It can get lonely at times, but that's why I interact with others online. I learn a great deal from fellow designers on a design forum I frequent, and it gives me someone to talk to, although virtually, while I'm waiting for files to upload or for Photoshop to open. I also talk to all my co-workers on IM and on the phone. I have to be sure to get out on evenings and weekends once in a while or I feel like I'm trapped in this house, though. I sure don't mind having no commute (unless you call walking from the bedroom to the office a commute - lol) and for me at least, the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages. It really depends on the person and the job, it works out well for me since I do design, which is all digital anyway, and I'm pretty self-motivated, organized, and focused (well, when I want to be). </DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Just a little perspective from someone who works at home. Speaking of which, I gotta get back to work, my files are done uploading! :)</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>peace,</DIV><DIV>~megan</DIV><DIV><BR><DIV><DIV>On Feb 28, 2007, at 1:46 PM, <A href="mailto:vision2020-request@moscow.com">vision2020-request@moscow.com</A> wrote:</DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 11.0px Helvetica">There's another problem attached to working from home.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>It's the lack of validity often attached to a "working from home" job.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>I'm not talking about professional validity, but family validity.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>Maybe others have figured out how to do it, but many of the women who work from home are still seen by family members--husbands and dependent children as being there for them regardless.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>Even with an office in the home,<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>"where's the peanut butter?" or "why did you wash only one of my white socks?" intervene---you get the drift--if you aren't a husband or dependent child. <SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; min-height: 13.0px"><BR></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 11.0px Helvetica">The solution.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>Well women who work at home take their children to daycare if they can afford it and god only knows what they do with their husbands.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; min-height: 13.0px"><BR></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 11.0px Helvetica">Sue Hovey</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 11.0px Helvetica"><SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>----- Original Message -----<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 11.0px Helvetica"><SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>From: Megan Prusynski<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 11.0px Helvetica"><SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>To: <A href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A><SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 11.0px Helvetica"><SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2007 10:10 AM</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 11.0px Helvetica"><SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>Subject: [Vision2020] Panel Rejects Day-Care Rule - Working at Home</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; min-height: 13.0px"><BR></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; min-height: 13.0px"><BR></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 11.0px Helvetica"><SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>I work at home here in Moscow. It's really easy to do and quite common in my field (graphic & web design) and I know of other designers in the area that do the same thing. I work for an organization based in Virginia, actually most of our web designers telecommute, as it saves on overhead as well as allowing us to be home with our families (which for me means I don't have to abandon my "furry children" all day). I also do freelance work from home. No commute so I use fewer fossil fuels, saves my employers and clients money since there's less overhead, and I get to work in my pjs if I so desire. Win-win situation! :)</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; min-height: 13.0px"><BR></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; min-height: 13.0px"><BR></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 11.0px Helvetica"><SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>As for the day care bill, I am very sad to see this happen in Idaho. I used to intern for IdahoSTARS, a local non-profit that works to improve child care in the state (actually I worked with several of the people quoted in the article) so this issue really hits home. We definitely need better standards to improve child care in this state, and it's very sad to see that all the hard work done by the agencies hoping to improve Idaho's child care situation was in vain on this bill. It is blatant disregard for less fortunate working families in this state. How can mom stay home with the kids if she has to work two jobs just to support them on our extremely low minimum-wage? I certainly hope that things improve for child care in this state. Kinda makes me glad I don't have (human) children...<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; min-height: 13.0px"><BR></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; min-height: 13.0px"><BR></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 11.0px Helvetica"><SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>peace,</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 11.0px Helvetica"><SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>~megan</FONT></P> </BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>