There are a lot of factors that have allowed me to successfully work from home, but the number one, without a doubt is my husband. We’re partners in every way, when he’s home he’s as much “on” for chores and child care as I am. He cooks when he’s home at the right time (weekends mostly), does dishes ALMOST to my standards, does the grocery shopping and watches the kids on Sundays so I can work in the yard (which I love to do). We do laundry together and take turns putting the kids to bed. He’ll even do the bathrooms and vacuum when I’m too busy. And he never grumbles when I have to make grilled cheese for dinner because I was working until 6:15.

If your significant-other is not pulling his or her weight, and you’re drowning in a to-do list, you may have to spell it out. The first few years I was working at home, Matt somehow had the impression that I had all the time in the world because I was averaging six and a half hours of paid work and I didn’t have a commute. He seemed to think that I had an extra three or four hours of free time. Even so, he did help in whatever way I asked. He’s a good catch, and he now understands that taking care of the kids and house is not an easy job when it’s all jumbled up with a paid job. Though, when I have time between projects… I get a little bit nuts and start cleaning and organizing… he says he’s afraid that he’ll come home one day and every item in the house will be in its own little organizer box.

Matt also had only grudgingly accepted Megan’s part-time daycare, but after being laid off for five months earlier this year, he is its biggest supporter. He learned a big lesson about taking care day in and day out of our little “firecracker”( as somebody very delicately called her one day). And he didn’t even have to get WORK done while doing it!