I don't know what your corporate job would be, but I'd sugggest you ask yourself which job is closest to the real YOU. Which job brings out the best in you (both professionally and personally)? I personally am in a totally ill-fitting job (working on changing that) so I am a strong advocate for working in a situation that feeds your soul...the rest will come naturally.

I say stay! Just do what makes you happy!

Hi Kamyra,
As a single woman with no children working full time, I say keep things as they are. I cannot image the freedom that comes with being freelance and being able to stay home and care for your child and husband. The part of you that was fearless enough to embark on a freelance career will be fearless enough when you need to come up with additional finances for your son, household, etc. If your husband is not pressuring you to go back full time, I say stick it out! Freedom to do your own work on your own schedule is so much more worth it and so is your son! Wishing you all the best!....

I'm not going to offer you advice because I don't have children, and I don't know what's the best for your situation. I'm just starting my career, and currently have a great, dependable job. Eventually (five years or so) I would like to have my own business or work as a consultant much like you, but face a similar dilemma, as my current job is so secure.

So, although I can' really help you, I wanted to say that I really admire women who have the guts to start their own consulting/writing business, and I also admire women in management - whatever your decision, you'll be a great role model for those of us starting out. Rock on.

Staying home is not for everybody. But I can honestly tell you that it was the best decision I ever made. During my six year marriage I have worked and stayed home with my kids - staying home is definitely better. And while I sometimes miss working outside the home, ie., the commraderie, the social opportunities, I do not miss the office politics or having to answer to a boss at all.
That said, I recently got a gig as a freelance writer and I am also pursuing another business on the side. Money is only something, our children and their well-being is everything. Good luck in your decision, you should do what's best for your situation.

Kamyra, I can't comfortably tell you what I think you should do because everyone has differing needs. I will share my experiences with you with regards to making a similar decision. After a Graphic Design career I chose to stay home once my son Jax was born. I felt as you do about taking time to be with my family and devote myself to caring for everyone. I now have three boys and often feel like I am not contributing enough to the income with small freelance Graphics jobs here and there. What makes me know that my decision to stay home is still the right one is that every time I try to come up with ways to work in the corporate world again I can't. It does not work on paper, which tells me that I need to continue on with what I am doing until the right opportunity presents itself. As for my not being proactive toward hunting for the perfect opportunity I feel that I might open endedly search with no results. For now my two youngest children fill my days with joy and I fill theirs with morals, values and life lessons that I want them to take with them always. We have groups of children we play with regularly and they love having me there. My oldest son is in School and when he asks me to bring his brothers to have lunch with him or go on field trips as a chapperone I can answer yes right away. When one of my children are ailing I do not have to call in sick. This has worked for me and I still have plans to enter back into the harried Graphic Design world ... but not now!

I'm a Mom who works FT b/c my husband feels we need to...BUT...for all others, if you can do it, stay home with those precious ones. You will only be able to hold their hands for a short while...the years go by so fast even though the days seem long. A career can be found down the road....and if not, you will always be a mom and find activity and comfort in helping out at the school, etc. (thankfully, I am able to juggle school volunteering as much as the opportunities present) Time is precious...take it NOW to be with the children...

I believe that if you look in the mirror and see what is right rather than what is wrong, that is the mark of a truly healthy person.

I wonder if the "unexpected" the spiritual answer to your questions. The traditional way of management with benefits has left many people jobless at an early age without benefits. Corporate loyalty has not been handsomely rewarded as it once was. On a positive note working from home can become quite isolating. If this is not a problem for you and you can network each week with other freelancers I wonder if you could fill that financial need. Best of luck in your travels!

The comments made are all admirable - staying home with children is commendable and something to be proud of - however, I do feel that being dedicated to one's career is not something to be ashamed of, either. It's not only about the money - There can be a great sense of achievement in devoting time to work outside the home and doing great things in your career, especially if your work is in some way meaningful - such as making a difference to people, animals, or the environment, for example.
You have to do what's right for you as an individual. In an age of equality, making your career a priority can be rewarding, fulfilling and make a difference in the world, and not necessarily to the detriment of family.
Our children can know we love them even if we don't work from home. I could not achieve half of what I do now if I worked from home and I always make sure to show my children how important they are in creative, special ways. Simply working at my home desk instead of venturing to my office during the day is no substitute for proper quality time after work and at weekends, finding shells on the beach and looking for fairies in rabbit holes.
Don't be made to feel guilty if you do decide to make your career a priority. Your son will still love you and might even be proud of your accomplishments, too - at's all about balance.

In the magazine, you said the current problem you're wrestling with is whether or not to get pregnant again. With so many women struggling to conceive after 40, can you comment more about how you and your husband might consider becoming pregnant again? Have you found the best fertility specialist in the world, or are you considering egg adoption? Please share...

Stay home with your boy while you can. You will NEVER get this child back. You have plenty of time to make more money. It will mean the world to him when he's old enough to appreciate your sacrifice to raise him.

There is no job more important than raising your child. You have the best of both worlds - a flexible schedule and a career. Don't give it up to be chained to a desk while your son is raised by others. I am speaking from experience. After working full time from the time my boys were infants, I went to a part time schedule three years ago when they were 11 and 13 years old. The past three years have been the best of my life. You can't raise kids by just being with them in the evenings and on weekends.

Truth is, the grass on the other side will always have greener shades. When you think about more dependability of the standard job, consider things like being able to be with him when he's ill, or on snow days. When you are considering costs of college or extracurricular activities, that can-be-counted-on paycheck sure looks inviting. I have long considered a "home based" job, just for the simple fact of being able to just hang with my girls....but I would miss the interaction with other grown-ups. There are pros and cons on both sides...you have to find the best fit for your family with the least amount of cons. Good luck!

While "dependable" and "better paying" do deserve some willful consideration, the extra time and love you can provide your husband and son with a freelance arrangement is invaluable. That's personal advice coming from another self employed mother. However, don't forget to pray about it, daily; it is sometimes the only thing that helps you see the pros and cons in BIG BOLD font.

I freelanced as a graphic designer when my first son was a baby...that lasted 15-months. Truth is that it wasn't for me. I need that office interaction, good and bad, I felt so cooped up at home that I started to lose focus. I'd be waiting by the door, keys in hand, for my husband to get home so I could go wander aimlessly somewhere. Now I am a marketing director and I get to balance my professional needs with my "mommy" needs. I'll admit it was hard to leave my 2nd son at just 8 weeks old, but I do the best I can making evenings and weekends count. And, I take a "mental health day" every now and then to reconnect and do something fun with my boys. They are 5 and 3 now. I guess when they tell me I'm "the best Mommy ever", I must have made the right decision. Best of luck on your decision.

If you can financially affort to continue freelancing and do it for as long as it is feaseable for you and your family and you enjoy it, why stop? Once your child is older (and if you have other children) and grows up, you could devote more hours as required by a tradional job if that is what you are truly looking for. With two young children, I long for being able to have a flexible schedule and more time at home!

Do what you love and what is satisfying!!!! Office politics are stressful and not rewarding
After trying a traditional office job that I lost, I want to find that satisfying job I love.

I am a freelance consultant with an infant at home, and I love the flexibility I have to travel and take care of my family. It's a choice between money and being able to just be together without having to do chores every night and every weekend. When you're working 40+ hours a week "for the man" you give up a lot of the freedom and time you have.

Go with your first instinct- what you feel comfortable with and what you enjoy. Everything happens for a reason and it will all fall into its proper place. You said if you knew then what you know now you'd "have smiled more and worried less." So get on with it! :)
Good luck!

stop...don't go corporate! if you can afford not to, stick to what you are doing (so long as you are fulfilled). the freedom of being an outside consultant and not be chained to a desk is substantial...i am working my way there myself and see my friends/family who live there work lives on their time and they are honestly happier and healthier. sit down and think about what all your pros and cons are and be honest with yourself and your husband about what you would be happiest doing. it's like they say, when mama is happy, the whole family is happy! good luck!

Do what is fulfilling and that provides you the most amount of flexibility and time with family. It is too easy to get caught up in the "monetary" value of dependable, and miss the "memory" and "relational" value of being home as much as possible. After working for years in "scheduled" positions, I made the move to working as free-lance consultant for 5 years before moving from the city to work with my husband at our "dream" job. Each change resulted in less predictability and pay, but also in less stress and increased ties to family. We make less now than ever, but feel richer.

Keep writing and "can" the executive job. You obviously have talent elsewhere. Tthe time at home with your son coupled with your writing about subjects of great interest to you now will be far more fulfilling than the greater pay. Also, I've always found that when staying home rather than working outside the home, I require far less to get along, even with a young child. If you go back to the executive job, there will ALWAYS be the nagging thought of "what if?" Spread your wings and fly a little with your son - down the road, you'll be surprised that your new talents will only add to your value as an executive should you decide to re-enter that world. You got that free lance job for a reason, because maternity leaves are not that long and you needed a quick "hello" with a great big guiding hand. Listen to your heart, NOT your head. Hearts make it happen!

There will always be time to earn more money, but your children are young for only a small time. If you can adjust to a smaller income, working less might actually give you more. I have worked only part-time since my children were born; now, that they are both in school, I am working more and more. I find that schools still need teachers, even after all this time!