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Like it (parents) or not (students), homework has become an
ingrained part of the school landscape. At its very basic level, homework
reinforces what students are learning in class and gives teachers a quick check
to see if their pupils understand the material.
While homework has been around since the introduction of
public schooling in America, the homework of the early 20th century looks much
different from the homework of the 21st century—and I’m not talking about the
actual worksheets and problems, although that has undergone a metamorphosis of
sorts as well.
What has changed is the fundamental understanding of
homework. It used to be understood by all—teachers, parents, pupils—that
homework was the sole responsibility and domain of students to whom it was
assigned. Nowadays, homework involves not only the student but his parents as
well—all with the full support and encouragement
of teachers.
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Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici/
FreeDigitalPhotos.net |
For one of many examples I could cite from our children’s
teachers at the local public elementary school (and let me state that we think
the teachers are doing a bang-up job teaching our kids overall), take a look at
this recent note from my second grader’s teacher:
“Some students are still not writing down the books they
read at home or having a parent sign their planner. This is part of their
homework, so please help your child remember to do this every night.”
Now read it again and see if you can catch the irony in that
simple request from teacher to parents. Here’s the words and phrases that
jumped out at me: their homework,
that is, the students’ work. Then, please
help your child remember, that is, the parents
need to help their child remember the
child’s homework.
Let’s return to the matter of whose homework is it: The
child’s, of course. So why does the teacher
request that the parents get involved
with helping the student do his own homework? If the child is
supposed to be learning to be responsible for his own homework—which is the
goal of this entire planner thing, in which the kids write down their homework
each day—then how is a parent reminding the child going to help the child learn
that responsibility?
The short answer is that it’s not. And the more we as
parents “help” our children “remember” their own homework, the more our
children will “forget” to do the work (or even how to do the work). I guarantee
that every parent who reminds their second grader to write down the book they
read and to bring the planner to a parent for a signature will still be
reminding that same child until the end of the school year. That kind of “help”
is not going to make our kids progress to the point where they don’t need our
assistance.
In other words, if we don’t put the onus of remembering
homework in the first place and if we don’t allow our children to turn in
incomplete work or imperfect work, we are essentially creating an dependence on
others for work that by its very definition should be completed, alone, by the
child. If the child really doesn’t understand the material, then the teacher
needs to know that. If the child can’t “remember” to have a planner signed by a
parent, then the teacher needs to know that too—and grade accordingly.
Our second grader has a rather spotty record on the planner
signing and book title writing down in planner. We knew that teacher’s note was
talking about our second grader (and probably others in the class as well).
However, we simply said only, “Your teacher said you are not writing down the
book titles and having us sign your planner.” That’s it. We didn’t remind the
second grader every day to do this. We didn’t hound the second grader to get
this down. We put the responsibility firmly in his hands and let him sink or
swim on his own. He has improved his performance in this area, which wouldn’t
have been the case had we gotten involved and started shouldering the
responsibility for his planner.
How do you handle homework—and is that way working for you
and your kids?
Until next time,
Sarah
Q: My 9-year-old son
(a triplet) is in third grade (as is his sister and brother). Lately, his
grades have declined into Bs and Cs. All of his teachers say that his behavior
in class is the reason for the drop in grades, which is that he struggles to
stay focused on class work (they even mentioned the possibility that he might
have ADD). At a recent meeting with his teachers, we all agreed to work
together on his behavior: They will let me know if he isn’t meeting expectations
behavior-wise at school, while I will enforce consequences at home.
If he’s not
interested in something, he barely puts any effort into it and won’t stay on
task. He’s the same with chores as he is with school work. Two months ago, I
removed all video games but that has ceased to motivate him. Currently, I make
him study for 45 minutes to an hour each school night, but he only puts in
minimal effort. His teachers say he’s smart, and with focus, I think he could
get straight As. What suggestions do you have to motivate him to do better in
school?
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FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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A: The simple answer is that he won’t be motivated to do
better in school until he has a “reason” to do so. As you say, he's simply not
interested in doing what he is capable of doing. You don’t say what behaviors
he exhibits in school other than he seems unfocused on his work.
However, he won’t become motivated himself as long as you’re
“making” him study for 45 minutes to an hour each night. Why are you involved
so much in his homework? Until you give him complete control over his school
work and homework, he will not care one iota about it. He knows that you are
more concerned about his grades than he is.
Being in third grade means there’s plenty of time for him to
get himself in gear academically. But--and this is a huge but--you and his teachers have to be prepared to let him sink or
swim on his own.
Have a meeting with his teachers. Say you appreciate their
concern, but that you think--and they have backed you up on this by saying that
he’s capable of doing the work--your son needs complete ownership of his third-grade
work. State that you will no longer be making sure he does his homework, that
you expect the teachers to give him the grade his work deserves, and that you
are fully prepared for him to repeat third grade if his effort falls short of
the benchmark. Be prepared for shock and perhaps dismay, but stand firm. Also expect
that he might repeat third grade if he completely flubs the rest of the year.
Tell your son that you’re sorry for your over-involvement in
what is his domain—his school work—and that from now on, you are going to let
him handle his homework, projects, tests, etc. You will be available for any
questions, but his school work is his business and his alone. Add that you have
informed his teachers that you fully support whatever grade your son’s work
deserves, and that you also support his repeating third grade if his
performance at school doesn’t turn around.
Then stop talking about it. Let him tell you about his day,
but don’t ask about his homework, etc. (and this should encompass his siblings
as well--you don’t need to be involved in their school work or homework, either!).
When report cards come home, meet with each child individually to talk about
the grades in a FYI-type manner.
Remember, repeating third grade isn’t the end of the world,
especially since you are giving your son a lesson that will last a lifetime—that
he is responsible for his own actions, whether that be behavior or school work.
That’s a lesson worth learning on his own.
In the business world, motivation has been a hot topic of late, and companies are spending a lot of time and money on figuring out how to motivate their employees to work better and smarter, and how to motivate their clients or customers to spend more and support the business more.
All this motivation talk has filtered down to families, with parents now concerned with how to motivate their children to do well in school, to do chores around the house, to practice an instrument or sport, etc. Many times, moms and dads think that motivation has to do with rewards--the proverbial dangling carrot--and so offer a lot of quid pro quo scenarios, as in:
If you clean your room, we'll go get ice cream.
If you get an A on your science test, I'll give you $20.
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Image courtesy of Tom Curtis/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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But what that type of motivating will quickly stall because of the Saturation Principle, which basically says each child reaches a certain point with a reward system in which the reward is no longer enough to motivate the child to a particular behavior. In other words, $20 for an A on a science test might work for the first one or two tests, but then the child will need a bigger incentive to do the same thing $20 previously "bought." Or a clean room would soon need a triple fudge sundae as reward when a plain vanilla cone used to be enough.
What the rewards-based motivation parent fails to realize is that a child needs to learn to do something for that something's own sake, not for the carrot dangled in front of him. The old maxim A job well done is its own reward has a lot of truth in it, one that should be taught to children and should be lived out in our lives as adults.
The fact is, there are many jobs and tasks that we have to do because they need doing--housecleaning, cooking, shopping for groceries, etc.--most of those are pretty non-glamorous and rather boring for many of us. If we teach our children that any work must be rewarded as a way to motivate them to complete the task, then how will they learn to find the inner will to do things as adults when there is no longer an enticing carrot being offered for cleaning their room?
As I tell my kids, do the job, task, homework sheet, test, etc., to the best of your ability with a cheerful heart. Sure, sometimes there will be a special treat after a particular thing has been accomplished. We did celebrate with ice cream when the end-of-the-year testing was completed at school, for example. But most of the time, we expect our children to do well without an outside reward, and sometimes, they surprise us with how well they do the task at hand (sometimes, we're not surprised when the job has to be redone because of haste!).
Use rewards as motivation sparingly, and you'll be helping your children to find their own inner motivation.
Until next time,
Sarah
Springtime can be a lovely time of year, and it can also
bring out the imp in our children when it comes to school work. I’ve noticed in
my own family that school work can take a nosedive this time of year, what with
the gorgeous weather calling kids to play and ditch homework. But what do you
do when your child refuses to do her homework or school work correctly, despite
her capability?
Many times, the problem gets lost in a flurry of
explanations, generally along the lines that she’s too bright and the work is
boring. However, part of life is learning to do even the boring things to the
best of our ability because—and this is the cold, hard truth—we all have to do
boring things throughout our lives.
To the problem at hand, a child won’t change unless she’s
the one who is concerned about her school work. Here’s my radical solution that
should get a child to do the work she’s capable of doing in a manner acceptable
to her teacher.
Step 1: Meet with
her teacher (without the child present) to get her on board. Tell the teacher
that you fully expect your child to get the grades she deserves based on her
actual work, not her potential. Say that you are fully prepared to have her
repeat her current grade if her work does not radically improve in the next two
months. Be prepared for the teacher to suggest ways you and your spouse can
“help” your child with her work. Be firm by saying that if your child isn’t
able to complete the work on her own, then she shouldn’t advance to the next
grade.
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Image courtesy of imagerymajestic/
FreeDigitalPhotos.net |
Step 2: Kick her
out of the garden for at least two months. That involves stripping her room of
everything except her bed and some clothes (but not her favorites). Tell her
that if her grades on all her school work, including tests, in-school work, and
homework, do not improve within two months, she will repeat her current grade
next year. Tell her that she will be totally responsible for turning in all her
work as her teacher wants (legible, neat, answered correctly, on time, etc.),
and that you will not ask her about her school work. Her school work is hers
alone.
Step 3: Well,
there’s not really a step three, except that you must be prepared for tantrums,
even worse papers coming home, and an “I don't care” attitude, from your child.
Things generally get worse before they get better.
If your child is as smart as she seems to be, then her work
will improve 100%. If she doesn't think you're serious, then she'll find out
that her current grade isn't as fun the second time around. And for those who
gasp at such a harsh “sentence” of repeating a grade, remember that it's always
better to address these things in elementary school instead of high school, and
the way she was going, things were not going to improve on their own. If she
can't do the school work in her current grade, then she's obviously not ready
to advance.
Until next time,
Sarah
Q: Our son, a
freshman, has had a difficult adjustment to high school. Socially, he seems
fine, but he is exhibiting anxiety issues. He completes his homework on time,
but it’s not always his best effort. However, he’s been flunking tests and
quizzes. He has been saying that school is boring and he doesn’t see college in
his future. I think he’s afraid of the future, which is why he’s given up on
school. How can we help him to reach out to the school for help and get him to
do his work?
A: High school is definitely a different animal than middle
school, with harder subjects and more distractions. The good news is that he’s
doing well socially. The not-so-good news is that his interest in friends could
be contributing to the problem if he’s more interested in his social standing
than his academic performance.
The bad news is you can do nothing to help him. It’s his
work, not yours. If he wants to flunk out, then there’s little you can do to
stop him. But do not despair! You can motivate him to solve this problem on his
own. I’d recommend a weekly report that your son has to give to each teacher on
Friday for their signature. The teachers would have to assert that your son is
passing their class with a grade of “C” or better and is not missing any
assignments. The report is cumulative to ensure consistent, good performance.
Get the teachers’ buy-in before implementing the report by scheduling a meeting
with them and going over the report. The report should be simple for the
teachers to fill in.
Needless to say, it will be your son’s responsibility to get
the teachers to sign the report each week. If he does not get “passing” ratings
from all his teachers, then he’s under full restriction—no special events,
after school activities, phone calls, electronic devices, etc.—until he brings
home a report with all “passing” ratings.
The purpose is to put the responsibility for his grades on
the shoulders of the only person who can solve the problem—your son. A system
like this gives him clear expectations and a weekly chance to do well in
school.
Do you have a
parenting question you would like to see answered on this blog? Email Sarah
through the contact page with Parenting Question in the subject line.
Q: My daughter takes
a long time doing homework after school. She’s in the fifth grade, and her
teacher says the assignments should only take 45 minutes to an hour. My
daughter’s at the table for upwards of 90 minutes, sometimes even two hours.
She does have the tendency to be perfect in everything, and I’ve seen her erase
and redo math problems to get the numbers just right. The teacher says she’s capable
of doing the work, but having her pour over her work for so long is really
eating into her play time and other activities. Help!
—Trapped in Homework Land
A: It sounds like your daughter needs help learning how to
manage her time. If her teacher says the work shouldn’t take her longer than an
hour, then that should be the amount of time allowed to complete the work. Set a
timer for an hour when your daughter starts her homework. Tell her that when
the timer dings, she is finished with her homework, whether the work is
complete or not. Yes, that might mean she doesn’t get a good grade on that
assignment, but she needs to take responsibility for her own homework. Part of
homework is learning how to manage your time, and only your daughter can figure
out how to get her work done in the allotted time.
One final thought: Let the teacher know you are trying this
approach and that you expect the teacher to give your daughter the grade she
deserves on the homework turned in, whether it’s completed or not. You
certainly don’t want the teacher to give your daughter extra time in class to
finish what should have been done at home, or that will defeat the purpose,
which is to help her with time management.
Do you have a
parenting question you would like to see answered on this blog? Email Sarah
through the contact page with Parenting Question in the subject line.
Each Thursday, I’m highlighting a work-from-home job or business.
Job Description: A novelist writes fiction books.
Education: None required, although a background in communications or creative writing is probably a plus.
Skills: The ability to tell a story in a compelling way.
Job outlook: As with online writers, “employment of authors, writers, and editors is expected to grow 8 percent … from 2008 to 2018,” according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Check out the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for more details.
Possible employers: Some websites or blogs are interested in publishing short works of fiction. Also, compilation books like the Chicken Soup for the Soul series also publish short nonfiction and fiction stories.
Preparation: Join a local, regional or national writers group to talk to other writers and see what’s selling in your genre. Also get involved in an in-person or online critique group to gain feedback on your work from other writers. Consider taking an online or in-person creative writing class if you need a refresher course.
Get your foot in the door: Start by working on a short story or two. Also try the National Novel Writing Month, in which you attempt to write a 50,000 word novel from scratch during November. That can be a great way to jump-start your creativity.
Testimony: Melanie, an award-winning novelist from Portland, Ore., loves writing from home. “No commute. Few meetings. Flexible schedule. Always available if my family needs me. And I can pursue the talents and dreams that God gave me. Some women are called to be caregivers around the clock. If I don’t have goals or accomplishments outside of caregiving (which is a never ending job), I feel like I’m going crazy,” she says.
Now available on Kindle and Smashwords: HomeWork, which gives details on 50 at-home jobs or businesses.
Until next time,
Sarah
Each Thursday, I’m highlighting a work-from-home job or business.
Job Description: A math tutor helps students of all ages comprehend and excel in mathematics.
Education: A bachelor’s degree in mathematics is required, although post-graduate work or degrees is preferred.
Skills: The ability to help students navigate mathematics, such as geometry, algebra, and calculus.
Job outlook: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says the teaching profession in general is poised for growth, and therefore the prospects for tutors, especially ones that specialize in math, is bright. However, some of that growth is dependent on your area and if other math tutors are already entrenched. For example, an larger city could support numerous math tutors, but a rural community, probably not as many because the student pool would be smaller.
Possible employers: Private and public schools might have tutor referral programs for all ages. Community colleges and local universities would be good places to inquire about finding clients. Homeschool groups use tutors to teach group classes or one-on-one instruction as well.
Preparation: Make sure your teaching credentials are up to date, even if you’re not interested in a teaching position. If it’s been a while since you taught or tutored, consider taking a refresher teaching or math specialty class (algebra, calculus, geometry, etc.).
Get your foot in the door: Contact your local homeschool groups to see if there’s interest in a free talk on teaching math or some other general math-related topic. Attend a local or state homeschool convention to find out more about connecting with this group. Ask your local public and private schools about getting your information available to parents, such as offering an hour or two worth of tutoring at a silent auction.
Testimony: Tami in Herndon, Virginia, tapped her background as a public school math teacher to find a work from home job as a math tutor and mentor to other math tutors. For the past five years, she has spent between ten to thirty hours a week at her job. “Luckily my job has a good amount of freedom in the schedule, so I’m able to fit my work time around my other activities,” she says.
Now available on Kindle and Smashwords: HomeWork, which gives details on 50 at-home jobs or businesses.
Until next time,
Sarah
Each Thursday, I’m highlighting a work-from-home job or business.
Job Description: A jewelry maker creates earrings, necklaces, bracelets, etc., by hand from a variety of materials. The pieces can be one-of-a-kind or similar.
Education: None required.
Skills: Creativity and the ability to fashion jewelry using a variety of materials.
Job outlook: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says that “employment of jewelers and precious stone and metal workers is expected to grow by 5 percent between 2008 and 2018, more slowly than the average for all occupations. Most jewelry is currently imported, and continued growth in imports will limit demand, particularly for lower-skilled workers. However, demand … will grow as consumers seek more customized jewelry.” Check out the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for more details.
Possible employers: Jewelry stores, watch stores and independent clothing boutiques might be interested in carrying your pieces on consignment. Also consignment stores might have space for original pieces.
Preparation: Make sure you have a variety of product available before starting to sell, as consumers enjoy browsing to find the right jewelry for them or as gifts. Many community colleges or technical schools offer classes in jewelry making that might be beneficial to see what the new trends are.
Get your foot in the door: Try out your designs at a local arts-and-craft festival by buying a space or sharing a booth with a similar but non-competing business, like clothing, purses, hair ornaments, etc.
Testimony: Debbie in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, works in a local art gallery designing jewelry on Saturdays, while the rest of the week, she works out of her home. “I just figured that was what I would do, and making jewelry is something that’s relatively easy to do from home,” she says.
Now available on Kindle and Smashwords: HomeWork, which gives details on 50 at-home jobs or businesses.
Until next time,
Sarah
Each Thursday, I’m highlighting a work-from-home job or business.
Job Description: Interpreters interpret the spoke word for a non-native speaker while translators translate documents into another language for companies, governments and organizations.
Education: A bachelor’s degree usually required; post-graduate work relating to the language a plus.
Skills: Spoken and written fluency in a specific language.
Job outlook: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) finds that “employment of interpreters and translators is projected to increase 22 percent over the 2008–18 decade, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. Higher demand for interpreters and translators results directly from the broadening of international ties and the large increases in the number of non-English speaking people in the United States. Both of these trends are expected to continue throughout the projections period, contributing to relatively rapid growth in the number of jobs for interpreters and translators across all industries in the economy.” Languages in demand include Portuguese, French, Italian, German, and Spanish, while demand is growing for Arabic and other Middle Eastern languages, and for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. American Sign Language is also expected to grow. Check out the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for more details.
Possible employers: The BLS says that “urban areas, especially Washington, D.C., New York, and cities in California, provide the largest numbers of employment possibilities.” Governments, companies, organizations, public and private schools (preschool, elementary, secondary and university levels), and associations all need translators and interpreters.
Preparation: Make sure your interpretation and translating skills are up-to-date. Take a refresher course or receive certification in your preferred language.
Get your foot in the door: Offer to translate a short document for free or at a greatly reduced rate, or do a free consultation in interpreting.
Now available on Kindle and Smashwords: HomeWork, which gives details on 50 at-home jobs or businesses.
Until next time,
Sarah
Each Thursday, I’m highlighting a work-from-home job or business.
Job Description: A telemarketer place calls for companies and organizations to get contacts to book appointments, get donations, or purchase a product or service.
Education: None required beyond a high school diploma or equivalent.
Skills: A pleasant phone manner and ability to remain unruffled when talking to upset customers. Cold-calling and customer-service experience a plus.
Job outlook: While the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t see a bright future overall for telemarketing, for those who wish to work from home in this field, there will be more opportunities as more companies and organizations are outsourcing their cold calls to third parties. These third party companies hire full-time and temporary employees, many of whom work from home.
Possible employers: Companies that hire at-home telemarketers include Intrep.com, Telemarketingfromhome.com and West.com. Also search online job boards for home-based telemarketing positions but do not pay for leads.
Preparation: Invest in a hands-free headset that connects to your phone. Make sure you have a high-speed Internet connection and working computer.
Get your foot in the door: See if some of the above companies will offer a two- or three-week trial period to see if telemarketing is a good fit for you.
Now available on Kindle and Smashwords: HomeWork, which gives details on 50 at-home jobs or businesses.
Until next time,
Sarah
Each Thursday, I’m highlighting a work-from-home job or business.
Job Description: A house cleaner cleans the homes of clients to the client’s specifications.
Education: None required.
Skills: The ability to clean and manage the interpersonal relationships with clients.
Job outlook: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says that “the number of building cleaning workers [which includes house cleaners] is expected to grow by 5 percent from 2008 to 2018, more slowly than average for all occupation.” However, most urban areas, especially larger cities, that have dual-income families will likely see more opportunities for house cleaners. Check out the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for more details.
Possible employers: Ask family and friends for recommendations. Contact home healthcare companies to see if they recommend house cleaners to their clients. Try churches or other nonprofits that work with the elderly or dual-income families.
Preparation: Make sure you have working cleaning equipment. If you want advertise yourself as a “green cleaner,” make sure all your products are all natural, nontoxic or organic. Sign up for insurance, as this is a must for house cleaners. Also consider getting a background check and police record, so you can show potential clients your clean background. Draw up sample work orders that include what you will clean in each room and also “special” cleanings, such as deep cleanings or spring cleanings.
Get your foot in the door: Donate a house-cleaning to a local charity or school auction in your area. Put an ad in your local newspaper offering half-price cleanings to the first 10 respondents.
Now available on Kindle and Smashwords: HomeWork, which gives details on 50 at-home jobs or businesses.
Until next time,
Sarah
I'm happy to announce the two winners of my ebook, HomeWork: Laura F. in Fort Worth, Texas, and T. Smith in Decatur, Ga. Thanks to all who subscribed to At Home News, my free, monthly e-newsletter, over the past few weeks, and congratulations to Laura and T!
Until next time,
Sarah
Each Thursday, I’m highlighting a work-from-home job or business.
Job Description: A herb seller grows, cuts and sells herb plants and cuttings to consumers, businesses and restaurants.
Education: None required.
Skills: The ability to grow healthy, vibrant herb plants.
Job outlook: Opportunities abound for those with a green thumb in herb growing. More people and businesses, such as restaurants, caterers and bakers, want fresh and freshly dried herbs. Demand varies depending on local need and population density.
Possible employers: Try area restaurants, which are looking more and more to locally sourced ingredients. Also, local businesses that might be interested in fresh herbs include caterers, bakers, meal-preparation facilities, and cafeterias (company, schools and government).
Preparation: Bone up on the best herbs to grow in your area’s climate. Read books like Growing & Selling Fresh-Cut Herbs by Sandie Shores for specific details on becoming a seller of herbs.
Get your foot in the door: When contacting area restaurants or other companies, bring in small samples of herbs to leave with them. Be sure to leave business cards tucked into the bunches.
Now available on Kindle and Smashwords: HomeWork, which gives details on 50 at-home jobs or businesses.
Until next time,
Sarah
Each Thursday, I’m highlighting a work-from-home job or business.
Job Description: Graphic designers work with a variety of media to develop visual communications, such as brochures, flyers, presentations, books, newsletters, magazines, publications, etc.
Education: A bachelor’s degree in graphic design is essential.
Skills: Experience in a variety of desktop graphic design software is a must.
Job outlook: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says that “employment of graphic designers is expected to grow 13 percent, as fast as the average for all occupations from 2008 to 2018, as demand for graphic design continues to increase from advertisers and computer design firms.” However, competition for these jobs is growing fiercer. Check out the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for more details.
Possible employers: Associations, organizations, and state and local governments are likely candidates for needing graphic designers.
Preparation: Make sure your computer software is up-to-date and that you’re well-versed in using it. Take a refresher design course at the local college or university if you’ve been out of the business for a while.
Get your foot in the door: Let former co-workers, friends, and family know you’re available for work. If your portfolio needs updating, volunteer to design a brochure or presentation for a local nonprofit for free or a greatly reduced rate.
Testimony: Before starting out as a freelance graphic designer, Martha from Springfield, Va., talked over the basics with her husband. “We needed to determine the purchase price of computer and office equipment and to designate a work space for me within our house. We also considered taxes and what my fee structure should be based on the market rate for someone at my skill level,” she says. “God has enabled me to enjoy this type of work and has provided clients who support me as a mother and designer.”
Now available on Kindle and Smashwords: HomeWork, which gives details on 50 at-home jobs or businesses.
Until next time,
Sarah
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