Being 'Mom'
Mar 01, 2007
'Homework' Is Great
A MBA in Human Resources, I worked for a year before I got married. As my husband is in the naval forces, we had frequent transfers. Our first posting was at Vishakapatnam where job opportunities were few. I decided to start a family and had my first daughter.
We moved to Mumbai when she was a year and a half old. I took up a part-time job and would be away from home for three hours. I used to leave my daughter with a full time maid.
Within six months, we were posted Lonavala where I had our second daughter. Soon after, we were posted to Pune where I taught spoken English in a school. In between transfers, I took up more teaching jobs and hired full time help for my daughters. I eventually did my BEd and joined Mumbai's HR College as a lecturer.
But I found continuing the job tough as my elder daughter would leave the house at 7 am and return by 2.30 pm while I would leave for work by 1 pm and return by 7 pm. It was only after 7 pm that I got to spend time with my daughters. I almost decided to quit my job because when your children need you the most, you are not there.
It was then that I met a friend who asked me to work from home as an HR consultant. I lapped up this offer as it gave me the best of both worlds. Now, I can monitor my kids in peace, supervise the maid and also stay connected with work.
Working from home needs discipline and hard work. I work for almost nine hours a day and have to let the kids know that there will be times when mom has work! I do not answer phone calls in the afternoon and work from a separate room, which I lock.
You have to handle all the pressures at the same time. Your child may cry and you may be on a client call while the door bell rings. You need to make sure that you make the arrangements for everything to get taken care.
- Rekha Khosla
A MBA in Human Resources, I worked for a year before I got married. As my husband is in the naval forces, we had frequent transfers. Our first posting was at Vishakapatnam where job opportunities were few. I decided to start a family and had my first daughter.
We moved to Mumbai when she was a year and a half old. I took up a part-time job and would be away from home for three hours. I used to leave my daughter with a full time maid.
Within six months, we were posted Lonavala where I had our second daughter. Soon after, we were posted to Pune where I taught spoken English in a school. In between transfers, I took up more teaching jobs and hired full time help for my daughters. I eventually did my BEd and joined Mumbai's HR College as a lecturer.
But I found continuing the job tough as my elder daughter would leave the house at 7 am and return by 2.30 pm while I would leave for work by 1 pm and return by 7 pm. It was only after 7 pm that I got to spend time with my daughters. I almost decided to quit my job because when your children need you the most, you are not there.
It was then that I met a friend who asked me to work from home as an HR consultant. I lapped up this offer as it gave me the best of both worlds. Now, I can monitor my kids in peace, supervise the maid and also stay connected with work.
Working from home needs discipline and hard work. I work for almost nine hours a day and have to let the kids know that there will be times when mom has work! I do not answer phone calls in the afternoon and work from a separate room, which I lock.
You have to handle all the pressures at the same time. Your child may cry and you may be on a client call while the door bell rings. You need to make sure that you make the arrangements for everything to get taken care.
- Rekha Khosla
Mail this Topic 
A Network Eighteen Venture
Tell us what you think…