Work at home mums often have mixed feelings about whether, or not, to invest in childcare. Some see it as a positive investment… for both their business and for quality family time, whilst others see it as a wrong turn, a decision to put money before family.

The question is often raised once New Year resolutions for our business have been made, action plans drawn and we start focusing on how we are going to achieve our business goals for the year ahead.

Many people feel the childcare dilemma is an impossible one to make any good decision on. This can lead you to suffer from a lot of undue stress, guilt and pressure, as you juggle the roles of both mother and business woman.

After all, your main reason for deciding to be a work at home mum was to enable you to spend more time with your family, whilst saving unnecessary spending…right?

So is there a right answer to the question of childcare?

The childcare issue will always raise a heated debate, with strong feelings and opinions being raised on both sides. The main reasons a lot of mums put off making a decision on childcare, are:

  • Worry about being a bad mother
  • Worry about what others will think and say
  • Worry about putting business before family

It’s easy to forget that what’s so great about the time we now live in, is that we actually have choices! We have the freedom to work (and whether that’s from home, or not), the freedom to choose our own hours, and we have the freedom on how we choose to spend our money!

And the freedom to choose to spend more time with our bubbas… as I am now, with James.

The real question you should be asking ourselves is:

What is your definition of being a positive and nurturing mother?

Investing in childcare is a highly personal decision. It is dependent on your own unique answer to this question, along with your own thoughts around nurturing yourself… not only physically, but also financially and emotionally.

In short, the question of childcare doesn’t have a ‘one size fits all’ kind of answer, it is really what works for you; it’s about making a decision that is right for you. It is about ensuring you spend dedicated, quality time on YOU first and foremost, then your business and your family… to ensure they all can grow and flourish.

What are your thoughts on childcare? What solutions have you found work for you? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.