Guide to Solutions for Work-At-Home Parents

Find support

Working at home creates challenges that your traditional colleagues may not understand. Find a network of other at-home working parents to swap advice and commiseration.

I recommend: Entrepreneurial Parent and Work at Home Moms are two sites dedicated to supporting and information at-home working parents.

Get household help

Consider investing in a cleaning service or grocery delivery service to ease some of the stresses of working and living in the same place.

I recommend: Simon Delivers is a nationwide grocery home-delivery service. The Cleaning Service Directory can connect you with a local cleaning service to lighten your load.

Take advantage of short-term or virtual offices

Meeting in an office outside your home may look more professional to clients.

I recommend: HQ can provide you with rent-by-the-hour office space or a "virtual office" including mailing address, voice mail and access to private office space.

Hire childcare

If your kids are at an age where their needs can't be put off, hiring a mother's helper or in-home sitter can help you stay close by — while somebody else fetches snacks and changes diapers.

I recommend: A Nanny On The Net is a nationwide agency placing full-time nannies, while Welcome To NannyVille hooks up parents with part-time nannies and mother's helpers.