For moms, it is hard to juggle parenting, marriage, and working at home. Parenting itself is a tricky job. The role of the mother is something that most men do not understand mostly because their physical makeup does not prepare them for this type of role. This difference between men and women is most obvious in the fact that women are naturally equipped to carry babies and breastfeed them. Most women are born with some natural understanding of the special role of a mother, and it is not something that a woman can express adequately to her husband. This article does not seek to take credit away from men who are the primary parents of their children. They do a great job but have to tackle it from a different perspective.

Does your spouse understand you? Does he know that mothering is a job in itself? Does he understand why the dishes aren't always done, the floors aren't always mopped, and you don't really have free time during the day? Does he understand that just because you are going to the park or shopping with your child does not mean that you had a chance to relax?

The typical day with a small child when you stay at home involves a constant challenge of keeping your child fed, bathed, clothed, changed, entertained, and educated. In the middle of all these activities, it can be difficult to get your own work done. What if you try to work during times apart from naptime? You have narrow windows of time each day when your child does activities that allow you to make something or type up something on the computer. However, this time is not even fully productive because part of your attention is focused on what your child is doing.

Here are some tips that you can use to help your spouse understand that you are working very hard to take care of your child and your household while also making some money at home:

First, your spouse needs to understand the many things you do besides meeting your child's needs. Start by making a list of chores that he may not perceive as chores. Examples might include: shopping for groceries, picking up things around the house, opening the mail, and driving in your car to pay bills. Most moms spend a lot of time in the car just going to and from errands and activities for their children. None of this time appears to be perceived as work.

Second, try to create a time for yourself each day that your husband and your children have to respect as your personal time. When you are the only adult at home, you may get some peace during naptime, but there are a thousand things you need to accomplish during that hour. You need another time alone. It may be an hour at the gym or an hour after bedtime where you get to do something uninterrupted. This period may also be the time where you get to work on your home-based job without distraction.

Third, use regular communication to help your spouse understand that your work is important to you. He may not perceive your home-based job as regular work because you are not making a lot of money doing it, especially when you are first starting. However, if you are making any money, that money is flowing into your household budget. In this case, he is not the only breadwinner. Communication can also help your spouse to understand that the value of your presence at home goes beyond the savings of daycare costs. You are providing a better role model and guardian for your child than a staff of childcare workers. There is not a dollar value truly available for your work.
Finally, stay positive. If you stick with the goals that you have set for your home-based job, eventually it will pay off. It may take a long time for your spouse to appreciate the value of what you are doing, but when the money starts to pour in steadily, he will have a new respect for your ability to be a mother and increase the household earnings.

Antoinette Costello-Sharpe is a happily married mommy of six that runs a successful and rewarding home based business helping individuals and families save on their healthcare costs as well as helping people find their financial freedom at home.