If you are a working mom who is raising a special needs kid, you know just how difficult it can be to balance your home and work life. You have more going on at home than the average parent, but you still need to work in order to be able to support your family. Often, it can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. All you need are the right tools to help you create that balance that you need, so you are able to get the bills paid and still see to all of the care of your special needs kid. Here are some tips that can help.

• Talk to Your Employer – It is a good idea to discuss your situation with your employer, and ask if they are able to accommodate you with special hours. For instance, you may want to ask if you can work part-time, and only during school hours when you don’t have to be at home with your kids. As long as your special needs kid is school-aged, not being at home during these hours shouldn’t be a problem.
• Work at Home – Today, many companies are allowing their employees to work remotely. This would allow you to set your own schedule, and you will always be there when your special needs kid, and the rest of the family, need you. If your current employer doesn’t have any remote work opportunities, check out freelance sites such as Upwork, where you can find a variety of remote work opportunities.
• Bring Your Work Home – If you can’t work remotely, there are always things that you can do from home, or any place else, that don’t need to take place in the office. For instance, you can check emails from home, take calls after hours, etc. By doing some tasks at home, you may be able to leave earlier or arrive later, which is going to give you more time to take care of everything at home.
• Find a Different Job – It may be that you will have to find a different job that is going to be more flexible in hours, so you can spend more time at home. You will need to make sure that you include all of your work experience on resume applications. Make sure that you know how to include contact information on your resume as well, including your home and cell phone numbers and email address.
• Look into Childcare – You will probably have to look into childcare, and this is going to take time. You need to be certain that the person or daycare center you choose is experienced in working with special needs kids. You may have to spend some time watching how the caregivers interact with kids in their care, including your own. Once you are satisfied that they are capable of the job, you can relax and concentrate more on your work.
• Have a Backup – In addition to hiring childcare, you should also have a backup family member or friend who is going to be able to help you when you are in a pinch. This is also going to benefit because this will be a person who your special needs kid is already familiar with, and the adult will have a good idea of what they need to do, because they have been around for most if not all of your kids’ lives.
• Divide Responsibilities – If you have a partner living in the home, it is important that you divide responsibilities equally. Both of you are responsible for caring for the kids, and both of you are responsible for making sure that the bills are paid. Sit down and create a plan, deciding who is going to be responsible for which jobs, and then keep track of things so you both always know what has been done and what is left to be done.