Do you struggle to juggle?

[emmad]

I love doing nails and building my small empire but I love my hubby and my two boys as well (6 & 3 yrs). Since having my first child I havent gone back to full time work, instead I took some time out and eventually trained in nails which is where I am today. I do feel fortunate to have been able to do this.

It was a desperate struggle to get my NVQ 3 and other training, finding people to look after the children, school runs etc. My husband works abroad alot and isnt around much mon-fri so its hard.

My eldest in in school and my youngest goes to nursery 1 full day a week and 2 mornings at preschool so you can see where all my appointments get scheduled. It results in my being able to see 3-4 clients a week which leaves me a bit deflated. Theres so much I want to do, competitions, more training and to build up my business but I just cant seem to find the time. I'd like to have more children too but I know my self esteem and yearning to work in nails will suffer even more.

Nursery fees here are about £40 per day, I could really do with putting my youngest in for more days and perhaps a childminder for after school for my eldest but I cant justify the cost whilst I dont have enough clients. I cant advertise to get more clients as I dont have the time. Its catch 22.

How does everyone else with young families juggle everything they love?

 

[nail angel]

Hi, in our area all children from the age of three are entitled to a funded place at nursery/certain pre schools. My daughter has a morning place and goes five days a week (2 1/2 hours a morning) and all we have to pay are her snack fees. This is for all children regardless of the family income. Do you have a local state nursery near you, if so it might be worthwhile checking out if there are any places available for your child. Hope this helps. xx

 

[emmad]

Yes the preschool he goes to is free and I could have him do more sessions there but by the time I get home and leave enough time to collect him, I can only fit in 1 x 1 1/2 hour appointment. We do get some assistance with the day nursery fees but its pennies really.

I wonder sometimes whether I should wait until the kids are older before emersing myself in the business any more.

 

[nail angel]

Its a real shame that fees are so high, do you have another local mum who would take your child for a day a week and then you could take theirs for a day (if that makes sense). At least it would free up some time for you to focus on your nails but stilll giving you time to spend with your kids.

 

[emmad]

Although I do have a few freinds locally who are understanding, none of them are in a position to help and to be honest I'm not very good at asking for it. Also my eldest is autistic and although hes actually quite "normal" socially etc, he does need someone who is able to connect with him and who can be on his wavelength so I cant just have anyone look after him.

 

[fats28]

I find it terribly difficult. I can't afford to cut my hours at work and I haven't got enough time in my "spare :lol: time" to build up enough customers to cut my hours, with the kids etc. I'm actually still training and I don't even find enough time to get the hours in to get the practice in to get any good its soooo frustrating:cry:

 

[VHunter]

I do sincerely understand where you are coming from.

I'm a stay at home mom.
My hubby works 6-7 days a week, 8:30 to 5, gets home about 6pm.
I take clients Monday through sunday night - 6:30 to 10:30. Some really like the evening hours as they too, are working during the day.

It's hard.. struggling to make ends meet... but it's a lot easier than a year ago when I first started.
I can't afford daycare either until I have a steadier influx of clients, and then I can add say one or two days a week and get a mother's helper in.

Now that it's summer, see if you couldnt find a neighborhood teenager to work out a deal with you.
Your services in exchange for hers? That's what I'm doing. And she's EAGER to get her nails done.
Perhaps by offering more hours, you'd then find more clients?

As for advertising, do you have a friend that could do free photocopies for you at work? You could create a flyer on MS word, and have her print them for you? a Bit at a time?
Then when you have a huge batch, distribute them yourself OR have them added to the local paper or with the other grocery flyers distributed?
And when you go out, everytime you're in a food court or in a public washroom, leave some there. :wink2:
Approach some people that work with the public: at the bank, a clothes boutique etc... and offer them a set at a rebate price and tell them that for every 4 or 5 clients they send you, they'll get a freebie of their choice (fill or whatever)..

What I find hardest is keeping house clean LOL It's sooooo hard to do it during the day with my 2.5 & 4.5yr old girls running between my feet. Especially since they want to be outside in the summer sun...
But.. I bump along and do my best.
One day at a time.
In the beginning, it's the hardest, but it does get easier.
Hang in there and hugs
:hug:

 

[*JOANNE*]

:hug: ok you going to have to either cut yourself some slack and put things on a back burner or pay for childcare, i know its seems harsh but you really have to sit down and really think, do one thing at a time...first finish your nvq before you even think about more training, competing etc. it is frustrating when you find something you love doing but cant fullfill it because of other commitments.
i have never had anyone to help so had to put my life on the back burner till my youngest started school. even now the only person who looks after the kids home job etc is me because rob works way and has done for 13 years and has never been their either and i dont have the family to help as they all have lives and jobs etc.
i work around my boys they are all at school so i can work during the day and as they are so good i can work again from 8pm every evening or 5.30 the odd time.
i have banged my head against a brick wall because like you there is so much i do want to do but......i have to be realistic and understand as the boys get older then it will be time to fullfill my dream of having a salon, whilst they are still at this age 11,9 and 8 i have to sacrifice some of what i want to do.
you youngest is 3 so in 2 years you will have all day from 9.30 till 3 to either get some more training under your belt or build your client base from home or mobile...i know its pants but........if you cant rely on anyone youll be proud of yourself in the long run to know you did everything yourself.
you cant do what you cant fit in...sorry i cant offer encourage ment but i have been there...frustrated and such but after years of putting the boys first now they are at school i have a good client base, i can undertake training which i craved for.....you wont have to wait long.:hug:

 

[VHunter]

Yes, as harsh as it might sound, Joanne is right:!:
I've given up TONNNNNNNNNNES.
I have given up some friendships even, as I dont have the time.
It'll all pay off in the end.

take it one day at a time.

 

[emmad]

:hug: ok you going to have to either cut yourself some slack and put things on a back burner or pay for childcare, i know its seems harsh but you really have to sit down and really think, do one thing at a time...first finish your nvq before you even think about more training, competing etc. it is frustrating when you find something you love doing but cant fullfill it because of other commitments.
i have never had anyone to help so had to put my life on the back burner till my youngest started school. even now the only person who looks after the kids home job etc is me because rob works way and has done for 13 years and has never been their either and i dont have the family to help as they all have lives and jobs etc.
i work around my boys they are all at school so i can work during the day and as they are so good i can work again from 8pm every evening or 5.30 the odd time.
i have banged my head against a brick wall because like you there is so much i do want to do but......i have to be realistic and understand as the boys get older then it will be time to fullfill my dream of having a salon, whilst they are still at this age 11,9 and 8 i have to sacrifice some of what i want to do.
you youngest is 3 so in 2 years you will have all day from 9.30 till 3 to either get some more training under your belt or build your client base from home or mobile...i know its pants but........if you cant rely on anyone youll be proud of yourself in the long run to know you did everything yourself.
you cant do what you cant fit in...sorry i cant offer encourage ment but i have been there...frustrated and such but after years of putting the boys first now they are at school i have a good client base, i can undertake training which i craved for.....you wont have to wait long.:hug:

Joanne, thanks.
I finished my NVQ a year ago so I am chomping at the bit to get some more training days in. I've contacted my trainer to get my masters day sorted out. Hopefully i'll be able to do that and feel better.

 

[Anna Lee]

im in a similar situation... my older one is 6 and my younger girl is 4... the older one goes to school full time and the yonger one goes to nursery from 9:00am to 11:30am which means my day is broken up cos i do 3 school runs per day..... and it leaves only the 9:00am until 11:00am time slot for me to do clients...

im a mobile manicurist at the moment and like you im also currently doing a nail extension course... after realising that i wasnt going to be able to do 'full time' work cos of my daughter.. ive decided the best thing to do was to set this year aside and concentrated on learning all the skills i need to become a fully qualified nail tech (i have also enrolled myself on a nail art course in july ).... so hopefully by september - when my younger daughter is in full time school.. im able to have more time to make more money....

i know what you mean by wanting to do so much and have no time.. my head is full of ideas and i have so much that i want to do and learn... last week i was offered jobs from two salon owners.. but cos of my situation with the children ive had to turn both of them down... i get so frustrated but then i guess all mothers have to go thru these similiar stages of bringing up children....

 

[Anna Lee]

p.s. i agree with vhunter.... i believe that things will get better and easier.... our children will grow day by day.. and our lives will change as they grow.....

 

[emmad]

I dont want to sound like I'm blowing my own trumpet but I seem to have given the impression I was a student. I've been doing nails for 3 years or more, got my NVQ a year ago and I am fully qualified. I started out as mobile after initial training, opened a salon of my own which eventually closed when I had to have surgery on my back and I am now working from my treatment room at home.
I'm not the best by any stretch of the imagination but because I have all the "tools" as it were my frustration lies in not being able to practise my skills more and being torn between nails and family and getting the balance right for me.

Please dont take this the wrong way I dont mean to sound picky, I do need all the advice I can get because my situation gets me down, I just wanted to clear that up.

 

[*Garfield*]

Hi, Im in exactly the same position as you, I have 4 kids, all under 10, the youngest is just 7 months. I work from a home salon, and would love to do extra training and increase my hours, but I have had to realise that im not wonder woman! Unfortunately the nails part can wait, and for now my family comes no 1. I work around my husbands hours so that we dont have to pay childcare, and I have had to learn to say no to people - much as I hate to turn them away!:lol:

I know this is what I really want to do, so I am prepared to wait a few years for my career to really take off, for now Im just happy plodding along and earning a little bit of money.:green:

 

[louge]

Hey another geek local to me..it is a small world. I know what you mean with childcare costs and nurseries being expensive in this area. Im a full time shift worker (prison service) and have a five year old daughter who has just started school full time. It helps so much as I now have more free time during the day now that I dont have the nursery run.
My mum is also a childminder so I am very lucky and grateful there.
I fit in tanning and nails around school and shifts as well as on going training so hetic is probably the word to describe my life but I love it. Eventually looking to cut the hours down at work so I can free up more time.

I think you just have to prioritise everything, as much as you want to pursue more training you also want to spend time with your family and save as much as you can. I try to put money aside for training and plan ahead so that I know I can dedicate time each week soley for my family and time for my business.

Good luck with whatever you decide Im sure it will work out

 

[~shelley~]

Hiya, dont know if this will help but here is my situation..

I have a 2 year old well 3 in less than a month!! I did nails & beauty etc from home on an evening until April when i moved to Hampshire & I got the chance to rent a room, i took it & at first i used a full time childminder & she was very cheap @ £20 a day, she had my little Girl 4 days which was £80 a week, but tbh she was rubbish so i stopped her looking after her & got her a place in a morning Nursary 4 mornings a week @ £6.50 per day so £26 per week @ another childmnder who i was reccomended who picked her up form Nursary & then my Husband picks our little girl up @ 4.30pm & she charges £3 per hour which is very cheap as she is the best childminder i have ever come across.
Anyway I was feelin very drained and missing my Lil girl as my hours were all day mon, wed, thurs, fri (until 8pm) & sat so just this week i have started taking a monday off too so i work wed, thurs, fri & sat - on a friday i work 9-12 then pick emily up from Nursary then go back 4pm - 8pm, so my childminding fees & Nursery fees only come to about £37 a week & i work 30-35 hrs

In school holidays my childminder has my little Girl from 10am - 4.30pm so thats not too bad & from September she will get the Morning Nursary free 5 mornings a week so thats great as my childcare fees will only be about £27 a week then.

sorry to waffle on but i know its hard & even since starting renting a room a couple of months ago i have re-jigged things twice but its working for me now xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[emmad]

Thats really interesting Shelley. I guess I could do something similar. I'm going to see what I can come up with. I've had to say no so many times this week and pass up on work it makes me sick!

Thanks for the reply, its reassuring to know that it can be done.

 

[Delisnails]

I am in a similar situation, but I left my full time employment to look after my boys so they do come first, my eldest who is nearly four goes to preschool every morning and my youngest who is two goes to private nursery for two full days, I fit in as much as a can when they are not around but mainly work on an evening when my hubby is home and puts the boys to bed.

It is not ideal but I finished one job to be with my children and although I really love doing nails I will carry on as I am until they are both at school.

 

[cabinkel]

I think that every working mother has a rough time juggling! I have two boys of 6 and 4, one in school and one in playschool 3 mornings a week. I work in a local salon 25 hours a week, and am doing my best to build up a client base at home to give up the salon job. Obviously, its my home based work that I am more passionate about, and like others mentioned in this thread find it very difficult to say NO if a client phones for an appointment, (which means I can end up working till 10.30 of an evening). I think you also get the guilt thing as I tend to work on the days my husband is home, (he is a shift worker) and then I feel that we dont spend much time together as a family. My house constantly looks like a tip, and my ironing pile is as tall as a skyscraper!!!! BUT......................I love what I do, it pays for the "extras" like holidays, kids pressies ect, it gives me complete and utter job satisfaction, and I do occassionaly get to have a conversation with my husband. Yes, the extra courses that I want to do will have to wait as I cant commit the time, but the kids are young for such a small amount of time so you have to enjoy. Lifes a trial!!!