Toddlers are fun to have around and are usually full of energy. That’s great when you have a lot of time, but many at home parents eventually come to the conclusion that they’ll need to work at home in order to stay at home. That’s when some decide it’s time to become a medical transcriptionist. How do you manage that with an active toddler in the house?
The first thing you have to do is take medical transcriptionist course. I suggest an online course because there are some excellent ones available and they allow you the flexibility to work around the needs of your child. If you can get most of your studies done while your toddler is napping, in bed for the night or before he or she gets up in the morning, you may be able to get enough studying done without your toddler being underfoot or feeling ignored.
If you need more time than that, as many parents do, you will need help. Most times you can ask your spouse, another family member or a friend to help out, but if that’s not an option you will need to consider paying a babysitter, mother’s helper or signing your child up for some time in a daycare program. If you need the income, sometimes that’s what you have to do.
Toddlers are perhaps the most difficult age to have around when you want to work from home in any job. They aren’t quiet and don’t usually stay distracted long enough for you to get serious work done, which is a problem both when you’re studying to become a medical transcriptionist and after you find work. You need to figure out during your studies how to handle the situation so it doesn’t become a problem once you start working.
Even though you aren’t getting paid, and most online medical transcription courses don’t require you to keep to a particular schedule, I strongly suggest you keep to a schedule. This will help you get through your studies quickly and will build valuable habits for when you find a job. It’s all too easy to slack off when you work at home, so learn to fight that temptation before it’s your job on the line.
One of the best things you can do is set up a home office where you can close the door. This will help keep distractions out of the way, not just your toddler, but other family members and the noise of other people in the house. Toddlers won’t fully understand when they can and cannot open your office door, but you’ll only really be able to close it when someone else is caring for your child or they’re asleep anyhow.
For those times when you just have to work and there’s no one else there to help with your toddler, have supplies ready for the situation. Keep some toys that are only available when you need a bit of quiet time. It’s always smart to prepare yourself for when things aren’t going quite right.
Be prepared to take a few months on your studies, and don’t assume a job will be available right away. One might be, but just as with any other industry, sometimes it’s hard to land that first job. Make sure you keep your skills up even if it’s a bit difficult to get that first job, so that you test well when you get to that point with an employer. You want them to be confident that you’re a great fit for their company.
Finally, don’t give up when things get difficult. If this is really what you want, find a way to make it work. There’s no career that goes perfectly all the time. Choosing one that allows you to be home with your toddler changes the challenges, but they’re still present. Plan ahead and you’ll have a better idea for how to deal with them.
