[sudosteph]

Yep, my Mom worked from home fairly often when my sister and I were growing up, and it was actually a really positive experience overall. We learned early on how to respect her boundaries (ie, keep noise levels reasonable, pass notes if we need something when she's on the phone and wait patiently for her to write back) and she communicated to us frequently, ie - letting us know when she was going to have a particularly long call or when she was planning on finishing up so we could help her get ready for dinner. We weren't home schooled though, so it was just typically afternoons after the bus dropped us off (3PM - 6PM) or during the summer / school holidays, so that probably made it more bearable.

I actually think in some ways, the time I spent overhearing her interact with coworkers - especially on conference calls where she often used speakerphone, was really helpful to my professional development. I learned all about setting a professional tone, call-muting etiquette, getting people's attention, and voicing disagreements in a professional setting long before I ever stepped into an office.