Home working and the dreaded GCSEs

It’s THAT time of year, and households throughout the land are coping with the fall-out of GCSEs.

Trainer Jane Binnion describes how working from home allows her to help her teenage daughter during a particularly stressful time:

I’m aware that many parents choose to work from home when there is a new arrival in the family, which is such a great decision. I went back to work when my daughter was 6 months old (when the maternity pay ran out) and I‘ve never been happy about it.

I finally went self-employed so that I could work from home after my daughter was diagnosed with dyspraxia (and then so was I ) just before she started high school.

I‘d always assumed that when your kids become teens they don’t need you any more, or certainly not as much, but working from home has allowed me to be more in tune with my girl and I‘ve learnt that they need you just as much, just differently.

Anyway, here we are well into the first week of GCSEs. I’ve long dreaded this time because of all the horror stories of stress and rows between kids and parents. And the amount of pressure young people are under is just crazy.

Being dyspraxic for us means being bright, intelligent and creative, but it also means we don’t learn in the style that schools insist on teaching. The run-up to GCSEs has been difficult because of school’s expectations, and stress makes dyspraxia worse, so I decided to be there and do whatever was needed to ensure my daughter remains emotionally and physically well.

Being self-employed and working from home means that I’m in charge of my own diary, which has allowed me to plan my time around the run-up to and the sitting of her exams. I’ve been there to work with her to figure out what she needs.

I help her to organise and plan (not a dyspraxic’s greatest strength). I’m here to do morning yoga with her, to get her a great breakfast, to welcome her home from school and listen to the tales of her day. I’m here when she cries with frustration because the sciences won’t stick. Essentially I’m her manager and you know what, I’m pretty good at it.

I plan her time, encourage breaks and remind her to get back to it. I get her to walk the dog with me, and eat well, and we have a laugh. We are closer than ever and despite what people say about teens, she notices the support and appreciates it.

For about 3 months this is my main job. I’m still working, but differently. Sure I’m earning less money, but never, ever would I swap this for money. All too soon she will be gone.

To have had the opportunity to support her through this is possibly my proudest time as a parent. I know that I wouldn’t have been able to do it this well if I worked outside the home. She would have liked to have been home schooled and I regret that as a single mum I didn’t have the resource for that. I think this is me making up for it.

I’m proud of my girl, I’m proud of me as a parent, and it’s great to know that we can do things our own way, which was absolutely my intention when I went self-employed.

Jane is a Lancashire-based, award-winning social media and ethical sales trainer. She is passionate about encouraging people with disabilities to consider self-employment as a viable work option, and has a 3 legged dog, who she says is the perfect home worker’s pet!