Okay so I'm going on a limb here and reaching out to a community that seems to be knowledgeable about this. I currently work at a big retail chain bakery as a cake decorator. They do not use fondant only butter cream but I was trained in fondant and gum paste at the wilton school. I am extremely talented and skillful at all mediums. I don't like to toot my own horn but I'm a very good cake decorator. Not such a great baker, however........

I currently have had to call in to work and miss several days because of an illness in my immediate family, and am probably going to lose my job. I am also currently expecting and a single mom of 3 already, so if I lose my job I likely won't get hired by anyone else based on being pregnant. I thought hey why not do cake at home and get to use fondant and be more creative and make money to live on too? My question mainly is, if I really suck at baking (I'm talking, cake mix skill level here lol) can I have a successful at home cake decorating business? Also, how do you get enough clients/orders to make a living doing it at home?

me, i would beg to keep that job -- doing cake can be nice for a second income it can be worked up into full time money but with an infant and three kids already your plate is already overflowing -- with a cake business it's like having another baby everyday that never grows up --

if you have responsibilities that are already threatening to get you fired then you don't have the time to devote to a business for your livelihood --

just say no -- best to you

i mean who wants to fire a pregnant single mom at the holidays -- use that to your advantage -- what if you had three wedding cakes and five birthday cakes during the time you had to miss work because of those same circumstances -- how could you take a loss of eight clients not getting their orders --

APlease take the advice already given. Please look into whether you qualify for FMLA, (or generic leave if you don't qualify) to allow you time to take care of the family member and protect your right to return to a job. Please look into alternatives provided in your area to take care of the family member instead of you being the one to do it, therefore not losing your job due to attendance issues. I seriously doubt any employer would want to enjoy terminating someone during the holiday season, let alone a pregnant one. Or a sick one, or a single parent, or any other numerous reasons. But if an employer is following their attendance policy the correct way (at least in the state I live in) you interpret and follow the guidelines the same way, regardless of situation or season for every employee that is not protected by a federal act. If the employer does not, they set a precedence that nulls their own employee handbook rules. That in turn does not bode well for the employer in unemployment/wrongful termination hearings. I bring this up, because giving advice to use a health condition and holiday season as "advantage" for her situation, without stating how to do so, is a disservice. Wish you the best, OP.

AI'm sorry. My point was begging may not help. Her kids and single status may not help. Stating to her superior that "it's Christmas and I'm pregnant, you Scrooge" probably won't help. Repeated unexcused/unapproved absences, she's better off being proactive and working with the system instead of against it. Proactive as in addressing it now (with a solution) to the boss, not when she needs to beg after she gets notified of discipline/termination. And is is all hypothetical, I am sorry OP for the derail.

Aok

I am sorry to hear about your predicament.  I would say your first call should be to the local health department to find out what you can actually legally do from your home in your state / city / county.  It might be easy as pie, or it may be impossible based on your location.

I don't know if your employer offers you health insurance or if you even have it, but it sounds like you are in a situation where you really need it right now.  I would have a heart-to-heart with your employer and let them know of your various situations.  Consider taking FMLA as someone else suggested if that's an option for you.

Best of luck to you!