I am a SAHM running a licensed bakery out of my home for the last 1 1/2 years. I know this time of year is crazy with consults, inquiries, etc., but I am feeling overrun with paperwork and emails!! Between trying to reorganize for the new year and keeping up with my 2 and 4 year old boys, I am feeling overwhelmed (never knew how much time went into the business end of things!). I love being at home with them, and I really try to only work at naptime (now!) and after they go to bed so that I can enjoy the whole reason I stay at home with them, but the older I get the harder it is to last on little sleep. Then as I run through my orders, by the time I pay for insurance, advertising, etc, the profit margin never quite equals what I think it should with the hours I put in.
Sorry for the long post! I love being able to stay at home with my boys and am grateful for a supportive husband and the business is going well, it just gets overwhelming and sometimes I need to vent

I run my buisness the same you're right it does cost quite a bit to run the business and it is very time consuming unfortunately it is next to impossible to run this type of business and take care of young ones. Unfortunately you may have to star working the cost of daycare in there too! good Luck!

I'm a SAHM but pretty much a hobby baker at this point. I've had busy weeks with lots of cake to make though, so, I can empathize with cake taking time from the kids or functioning on impossibly small amounts of sleep then STILL having to do more cake and take care of kids. I hope it starts to balance out better for you soon, wish I had advice for you rather than just consolation.

Yes, I have 2 at home as well. My phone is ringing off the hook, which is awesome. But earlier I checked my messages and there were 12 in a short period. It's so much, so many to call back. I am exhausted as well-it is very overwhelming, but great to be in demand as well.

Child-free (B'H'') and have a storefront, and I know the feeling. At least a twelve hour day at work (longer during wedding season) and then an hour's worth of paperwork. More paperwork on Sundays. Payroll, bills, ordering, blah blah blah. Doesn't leave much time for DH, the cat, or friends (everyone but the cat understands).

Luckily this year I have 2 days a week where they are both in preschool for 3 hours. While its not quite enough time to sanitize, bake, and clean-up, it does let me return calls, run errands, and pick up supplies without having to drag a little one around This summer should be interesting; I think I'm going to hire my teenage niece to come at least every other Friday to entertain the boys. They love her and I can have 8 consecutive hours to work! I know it will get easier when they get older, and I know I really don't want to rush it. Its crazy how even a year ago I was dying for orders!!

Honestly, and you my hate me for saying this after all is said and done. After my son was born my cake business began to flourish (I took my pregnancy off) and I had a licsenced home kitchen, and let me tell you...the GUILT you feel at night thinking of all the times you had to "Shush" them while you were on the phone and try to feed them while watching cakes bake, sit and answer 25 emails while they are just dying for your attention...in the end (I AM SAYING THIS FOR ME!) I decided I wasn't really a SAHM-I was a business person feeling neglectful of my child-I had him in a Mom's Day Out too-2 days a week 9:30-1:30-the thing is you can't do it all. you can't be a succesful business person and be a great SAHM with them-no one can physically be 2 places at once and ultimately our children mean MORE to us then to feel like they run second to our dreams...FLAME AWAY! But, I am stating how I felt...so what did I do? Once I was to the point were my in-laws and parents were just so taxed trying to help me out in ALL my harried times, I just felt I wasn't being a good mom! I decided I could either BE a SAHM and focus solely on HIM! Or be a working mom and put him in a 3 Full day program-took as many cakes as I could and the 2 other days a week were JUST ABOUT US! I rent from a commercial bakery now-so home IS HOME! No cakes allowed! Now, he is older and does full-time and I pull him out early for 2 half days a week, I am happy when I am with him now, he seems more content and I book cakes like CRAZY! Once you realize you can't do it all, it will make since, was it expensive-YUP! I made cakes to cover child care at first, THEN worked on my speed and took MORE cakes and now turn a great profit! Do what works best for you of course, just had to get that off my chest!