Robot - Hand Stitched Quilted Applique Shirt

Carrissa from The Silver Diva has been been real busy with her Etsy shop and having 2 kids still at home. She asked for some advice on running an Etsy business with kids at home and here are some of the answers she got from Etsy shop owners in the same situation.

loriyab says:

I have two boys (4yrs & 7yrs) and I work 2 part time jobs. You just have to find time. I do a lot of my work late at night and on the weekends when my Hubby is around to help out. It is hard, I know, but, finding little bits of time does add up. It will be a little easier when they are in school.

Fit time in when they nap/sleep. My boys are in bed by 7:30pm so that gives me a good chunk of time to work.

It is not easy when you have kids, but, enjoy them, they grow up so fast!

DedeLeupold says:

I home schooled my two girls so they were home all the time. I have always made and sold things but the business I have now I invented for them as a homeschooling project. There were projects within the business that I had them do. And I paid them. I also had each one, when they were old enough to have a cooking day where I also paid them. They figured out what to make, and cleaned up after they were done. We had some really great meals and I might add they they are really great cooks! I got some work time in then. We always visited the library and got hooked on the Hank the Cowdog series. They are read out loud books, so I would have them read them to me while I worked, they are so funny and we had some great time together. When they were little my husband read out loud to all of us. We didn’t have TV so I got music that they liked and some different project stuff for them to do. when I was out of things that they could do for the business. It is a challenge especially with your three year old, is there any thing that you could do that makes them even feel like they are helping mommy? I did have to live with a lot of mess, but I felt like that was the price I paid rather that feeling like I was neglecting my children and my husband! Hope some of this is helpful.

3littlebirdsboutique says:

I can completely relate to this. I have five children(3 teens, plus twin toddlers) and my most productive times are late at night or early in the morning…making me exhausted most of the time!
If your sales allow for it, you should consider hiring a housekeeper to lighten the load. (I know I seriously am) That way, any extra time can be spent with the kids and not cleaning.
I do think once they are in school full-time things will get easier:)

Silk Father and Daughter Set

sarahnorth says:

One solution might be to find someone who has a really good nanny but who only needs her in the mornings (when you don’t need childcare) and hire her for the afternoons. This arrangement has worked out quite well for friends of mine, but can be tricky to find the right ‘fit’.

Or, maybe hire a reliable person who can take the children to activities for a few hours on particular days. I’m assuming that it can be difficult to keep the children out of your hair when they’re home from school.

It’s not easy working and caring and cleaning and cooking and being a wife all in the same time and place, so I do hope that you find a good arrangement.

CleanJellyBean says:

I get up super early in the morning. (I’m a morning person, so I’d stay up late if I were a night person, but you get the idea). I try to get up early enough so that I have at least 1-2 hours to myself before the oldest gets up and the day begins.

I would also recommend having a room or designated area for just your stuff. Ideally it would have a door and a lock so you can keep projects out and then lock it up when you are not there. That helps me keep the two-year-old out of everything and prevents the constant clean up routine.

Of course, I’m still trying to find a good balance myself, but those two things have helped me a lot.

DesignsbyBaerreis says:

I worked BESIDE my children – gave them work to do (they are in their mid 30′s and all artists now)..

multi-tasked, had lots of activities in the studio – and did not sleep much -

My children needed their sleep – did not nap much.. but whether they went to bed at 10 or at 8 they were always up at sunrise ! (I am a night person..)

So, I worked a lot a night and when they went to preschool (not much time there as it was just two hours a day, 4 days a week) I did errands and such -

They learned pretty early that I would be working while they played in the yard or at my feet.

I learned to be really efficient and get a lot done in a short amount of time and work with LOTS of interruptions without losing concentration…

They grow up too fast.. You and your little ones are lucky to be able to work in close proximity!

Silk Son Boy Necktie