Guide to Being a Stay at Home Mom

You may have the education. You may have the dream job. However, you may not be living your dream.

What if your passion is staying at home with your children and being a full-time mom?

Would you be willing to trade in the corporate office for a playhouse, your fancy suit for jeans and a t-shirt, and your business lunches for a PB & J without the crust?

If it has always been your dream to be a stay at home mom, don’t let your reservations stop you. We can help you navigate this new and exciting path so you can be successful at the most important job there is!

The Stay at Home Mom – Your Job

For many moms, the decision to be a stay at home mom comes down to one main concern: money. Whether you are single or married, though, money does not have to affect your decision on whether to work outside the home or not. Why is this?

These days, being a stay at home mom isn’t black and white. You don’t have to choose work or your kids, you can clock your hours and still put your baby down for a nap by working from home.

According to the Center for Women’s Business Research, there are approximately 10.1 million businesses owned by women in the United States today. While there is no specific statistic stating how many of these business are run by stay at home moms, it stand to reason that a percentage of these businesses are run from home, especially with the ever-increasing use of the internet.

In reality, you don’t have to give up your hard-earned paycheck just to stay home with your kids. You can use the internet to become a freelance writer, virtual assistant, blogger, or web designer.

You can start your own daycare or flower business right in your home. If you love the field you are working in right now, talk to your supervisor. Many businesses these days are more than willing to let mothers telecommute for work and even offer flexible hours.

Time Management

Once you have made the decision to fulfill your dream of staying at home with the children, you might think that everything will run smoothly. After all, you commanded a boardroom full of executives.

How much trouble can two toddlers be?

As the “honeymoon” period of your time at home wears off (let’s be nice and give it about a week) and your children get used to the idea of having you home, you may surprised at how full your days are.

Between your new at-home job, playgroups, mommy and me classes, bath time, play time, and time for those occasional temper tantrums, your day may fly by before you realize its gone.

Time management is the key to being a successful stay at home mom. And it’s not as hard as you might think.

• Make a schedule of all the activities you need to accomplish during the week. Set specific times for your work, playgroups, and any special classes you must take. If you are working from home, make sure to plan your schedule so it is less likely to be interrupted. Such times might be during your child’s nap, while he or she is at pre-school or kindergarten, or after your child’s bedtime.

• Set aside time in your schedule for housekeeping. Instead of doing the laundry every day, designate one or two days a week for it. Make sure everyone in the household knows what day the laundry will be done, as well as the rest of the major cleaning.

• Make sure there is always time for your kids. Don’t be so regimented in your schedule that you forget the real reason you took on the responsibilities of a stay at home mom: spending time with your children. Leave plenty of room for those trips to the park, bubble baths, and story time.

Making Friends

When you worked outside the home, your days were filled with chats with co-workers, lunch with friends, and the occasional after-work drink. As a stay at home mom, the most interesting conversation you may have all week was a discussion about Sponge Bob’s jellyfish.

This full time job can get lonely if you let it, so don’t. Take steps to get out of the house and meet new friends. Join Mommy and Me classes, church groups, or any other groups for moms.

Here you can meet new and interesting individuals who know exactly what you are going through and have the potential to become great friends.

Whether you are a single mom or married, you can live the dream of being a stay at home mom, –and with a few tips here and there, you can be a successful one.

Tagged as: job opportunities, stay at home