Working Mothers

I agree so much Kim! I was an avid reader, and I loved it from the time I could read on. We put heavy limits on TV watching in our home, and instead sit down with books several times a day. It's great to see my oldest, who is now four, beginning to 'read' for fun. She looks at pictures, tells stories, 'reads' to her animals.It's so important to teach kids to read-to take the time to do so. You are right, it is such an imagination builder!

Bravo on the blog post! I have also said that these times are forcing more family togetherness, and that is a wonderful thing!! Families have gotten away from being the central unit in one's life and have literally moved to acquaintance relationships. I have spoken with many friends and they have all made comments about the things they are doing now, and they all seem to be more family friendly. I know that times are bad, but I think the pendulum is swinging back the other way. I almost hope that it takes a bit longer. We have, as you said, been playing keeping up with the Jones' for too long and need to re-group. People will maybe start to realize that spending time together doing simple things and enjoying your family is not so bad.

I am an avid reader. I love, love, love to read! My problem comes in when I start a book; I have trouble putting it down! It can cause a problem when you are trying to go to sleep or go to work!! Kids today just don't read, and I can't say that I blame them; they have so many other activities to attend. I used to take my boys to the library and they were amazed that you could look at newspapers from 30 years ago and find so much information! I really don't think my enjoyment of reading kicked in until I was older and could read more for fun and not because I had to for school. I can spend hours upon hours at a local bookstore or library. If your kids have a good imagination, they can go anywhere through books! Great idea for a way to have fun and keep the cost down!

Hi Amy,
Thanks for your comment. I know how you feel, as my fear really held me back in the beginning as well. But like you my husband was always very supportive. In fact, he was the one who told me that if i wanted to change my career path, now was the time to do it! Knowing I had X number of years to make this work, I started, despite the fear.
It is hard to imagine giving up that paycheck and stability, even when you do not like what you are doing, and trying something that is not 'stable' at first. But if you have the support of your husband, I definitely believe you should explore the options.
And please keep us posted along your journey! Best of luck to you!

...

This is exactly where I am right now. I own my own business and work (miserably) part time for someone else. My business could be totally successful, if given time & energy, hich I don't have right now due to said job. What's stopping me is fear, and the fact that my kids need to eat. My husband keeps saying just do it, we'll be okay, even if we have to struggle for awhile, but there are so many fears that are stopping me. Thanks for the article, it's good to know that I'm not alone.

Thanks for posting an exciting opportunity!

I have raised 3 sons, as you know by previous comments, and I used to do this with my children. There were times we did good just to get by and didn't have extra money for trips. We would go to the zoo in the next town or spend a day at the lake. Quite frankly, I don't think they ever realized we were not far from home. It's a great way to break up the routine!

Someone would love to be doing what you are doing. I love that! It is so true. And how many times do we get to do what it is that we want to do and then after a bit of time want something else?!

I saw Maria on the Today show and she was talking about this as well. She had a funny story about her son. When being introduced to someone in front of her son, he stated that she was a housewife. She said she was appalled at first. Not that she thought being a housewife was not a full time and fulfilling job, she just had never considered herself a housewife. Later, upon asking her son about his remark, he simply stated that's what she was. She told him, "No, I'm a journalist. Then, no, I'm a First Lady." Her son looked at her and said, "No, mom, that's what you used to be. Now you're a housewife." She brought up a great point after this and stated that we all grow and change throughout our lives and no matter what we do, we should never be "just" anything. I agree. Be proud and enjoy what you do. There is someone else out there who would love to be doing what you're doing. Remember that.

Yes, many of the hosting companies out there do offer site builders. If you have some time on your hands, this is not a bad option for starting out, though I always say to steer clear of anything free that puts ads on your site, as these are really unprofessional.

But I also feel like a few bad designers give many great designers a bad name-you know, one bad apple in the bunch.

I posted a while back about a hosting company that was overcharging a client of mine before she switched-the price was unbelievable! Not knowing about hosting, she had no idea.

The key to all of this-hiring a designer, or going to the doctor, or buying a car-is being informed. Doing some research, knowing what questions to ask and finding someone reliable is key.

...

Good advice for those beginning their website goals. For those on a really tight budget they may consider doing their own website through one of the many out there that are offered inexpensively. Yahoo!, Google, and others offer website hosting and give the customer templates to run up to designing your own for a nominal cost. Website designers are outrageously expensive and the bad thing is, you have to keep paying them every month or you lose your website. Be careful and maybe try it on your own first??

It's called "stickiness" and we're seeing it here in Seattle, too. Our market is more robust than yours and spring is proving busy. While market times have lengthened this year, many sellers are remaining firm on price and getting it at the end of the day. As a former Los Angelean, now selling real estate up here (see my real estate blog on Allbusiness), I hear your frustration. When I lived in L.A. in the eighties, home ownership was inconceivable for most of us. Things have changed little it appears. The good news for you when you do get into the market is that, assuming your in your home for the long haul, you'll realize your own appreciation gains. The market may continue to slide, but it will rebound eventually. We have decades of data to prove it. In the meantime, I'd hold off on getting that van.

You are right. It's funny, but something like a hand written note signed by someone in the company really does stick in the mind. And I should practice what I write about and do this as well. In fact, I think I'll go out and buy some thank you cards tomorrow :0) ...

On all orders over $200 we send a hand written note written by me to thank the customer for their business. We also send $15 gift certificates to our loyal customers and the especially sweet and thoughtful customers get up to $50 because niceness goes a mile! www.mymiraclebaby.com ...

The saying "Work smart and not hard" is great, sometimes, as you find. I however, cut it in half and just say work smart. It doesn't mean to me not to work hard, it just means to stay on top of things. If you can't work smart, you find yourself floundering and not getting any work done. Maybe if we cut some of the better sayings in half and think of them as a way to improve work habits, not cut down work time we won't feel so bad for answering that late night work phone call!

Thanks for posting a link to our blogging webinar. I guess I will "see" you on the webinar next week. Mike Volpe VP Marketing HubSpot http://Blog.HubSpot.com ...

Can childhood obesity be connected with working moms? I doubt it. I think the reasons are more similar to the sources of increase in adult obesity. Yes it's a different world but ask our parents and grandparents and you will hear the same refrain. We make decisions and have the ability to model good behavior every day. I am self employed and can be working from home, at a client for a few hours, facilitate an all day session or occasionally travel. It's not hard to find healthy food that can be prepared quickly. Last night my younger child had turkey meatballs with tomato sauce that I microwaved and a salad I poured out of a bag. And yes he ate this on the way to swim team practice after homework and playing with a friend. Perfect, far from it. Do we try to sit down for the recommended family dinners? Yes when all the stars are aligned. My kids get instructions on the healthy choices when I am not around and I make sure they have milk or fruit with their cookies when I am. Do I lapse? Certainly, try 5 hours of airport delays and french fries and hot dogs were the dinner of choice over the salad I know I should have eaten. And the boys love pizza if there is too much going on. Exercise patterns are like eating. If a parent has the TV on all the time guess what the child will do? If the parent takes a bike out and invites a child along or says yes when the child asks this sets the right pattern. I think we can strike a balance and instill the same good habits that we should be maintaining.

Wow, first of all, I can't even imagine how it must have felt to have a child go missing! I don't believe that fear must ever go away. I'm sorry you went through this. I can absolutely see how it is easier to pick something up in your circumstances. My mom was a single mother as well, worked three jobs, and we did the same at times. She also cooked, though, when she had the time. Of course, as a kid I was more than happy to live on mac and cheese and some other foods that would probably not be considered healthy in today's standards! Yet as you said, I do believe that a lot of today's problems are related to not getting enough exercise. I was always outside playing. And I can see how the involvement of extracurricular activities, which is important for development, can almost cause some issues with the diet! How do you cook a meal when you work until 6, pick the kids up, need to bathe and feed them and get them in bed at a decent hour? It's a tough situation. I'm so glad you shared your comments! For me, I think that the obesity problem is based on many facets, but can't be blamed completely on the fact that mothers are out there in the workforce.

I can see both sides of this argument. I am a single mother who raised 3 boys, now grown. For the majority of their lives, I worked outside the home. I can honestly say that there were times when I got off late from work and rushed to get the kids from daycare before the "late charge" took up my whole check. I was more prone to picking up something for dinner just to save some time knowing that we still had the normal nightly routine to go through. I have heard now of companies that actually home cook your meals and you can stop and pick them up on your way home. Wow! What a concept! I'm afraid I would have used them quite often! It seemed as time went on the later we ended up eating because of working outside the home. You also have to consider that when your kids are involved in extra curricular activities you have that to contend with as well. I'm not saying that I stopped cooking, I did actually cook most of the time, but as they were growing and our schedules conflicted more and more, it was easier some nights to eat out. With all that being said, I see the other side of it as well. Just because I picked up dinner sometimes doesn't mean that I didn't feed my children properly. I think in today's society there have been many changes that have caused the obesity problem in children. The number one culprit? EXERCISE! When I was growing up we never watched television when we got home from school. As a matter of fact, I don't think we ever even thought of it. We ran out to play with our friends and hated to come inside. Kids today don't do this. I used to argue with my kids about this, until one of them went missing. It was at that point that I realized society was not the same, and it is even worse today. You can't let your children just run outside and play anymore without someone keeping a relatively close eye on them. Television may be a part of it, but I think society and how it has changed as a whole is a huge part of the problem. (And I did find my son, but that didn't lessen the anguish I felt at that time or the thoughts going through my head at what might have happened.) ...

I have been doing this for years... I use my time off in small little increments and I find that this rejuvinates me very quickly. I also think that the older you get the more you need these quick little refuels... enjoying the blog. Deb Charles www.thisissimplyquality.com ...

I am so glad to hear this news! It will be a great opportunity for many stay at home workers! I get so very frustrated when I call a company and get someone overseas! They cannot understand me and I certainly cannot understand them. I often wonder what these companies think about their customers to ship us off like that! I have left more than one company that does business this way. If I cannot get a person that speaks clearly and can understand me as well, then yes, I have hung up and called back. If it is a repetitive thing, then I simply change the company! I know that being only one person, this company could care less about losing my business, but if we all did this then it would make a huge impact! I am all for job opportunities around the world, but when you need customer service centers (or call centers), they should really stay at home. At the very least, they should make sure that their call center employees can speak clearly and understand the language of the caller. Sorry to vent, but did I mention this is frustrating??

I completely agree about the working late-and I will post something on this! It is so easy to fall into the stay up late, get up early trap-and then get so worn down you can't do anything. I can always tell when this is happening but it is hard to get out of that groove.
By the way, I started to multitask this morning-actually listening to an online lecture on one subject while trying to do another-and I stopped myself. It is hard to do though!
And I'd love to see you do the puzzle while reading the blog and checking the email lol :0)
Ok kids are up, computer is going off for now.
...

Great advice for those starting up! You can never be too careful about doing your research and being cautious on which way to go with all those decisions. There is a lot to be said for being in business for yourself, but there are a lot of downfalls as well. It's worth the chance! Good luck to the woman of your story; I hope she succeeds!

You mean I can't do the Soduko puzzle while reading blog posts and checking e-mail? I recently stopped the using the computer while spending time with my kids. Why? They started to notice. When my two year old pointed to the computer and said "Mommy's" I knew it was time to stop. Can you post something about not staying up until midnight working? Or that it's not healthy to work for someone else while running your own business? ;) ...

I completely agree! I also think that it shows you have not done your research. I mentioned your comment in my post today because I thought it was so true. I just see too many business owners starting off without a real 'plan'. Doesn't mean it has to be a set in stone business plan, but it has to be a researched plan. Thanks for the comment Kim!

If you haven't researched your product and what prices are currently being charged, yes, you are in trouble! If people know that you are going to lower your prices if an item is not sold, they won't buy it until you lower the price! It's a catch 22 situation and it is catastrophic for a sales company, or can be depending on the type. Don't you think that it can scream out desperation to competitors and clients alike if you start slashing prices before you have a chance to test the market? I believe that's why they say you can count on being in business about 2 years before you start actually making any money at it!

I'm asking for advice about some business arrangements I have in mind. Following is my business plan proposal for 2008: I own six properties in Maryland. Five of them are individual houses, rented out to tenants, as they have been for several years. The sixth property is a small horse farm, including main house, stables and outbuildings. The farm house is vacant, recently renovated, in great condition. I live in another house close to the six properties. Up to this point I have always declared all income and deductions, filed taxes, and acquired properties with mortgages as an individual investor. I want to establish at least four, possibly five corporations this year: Three corporations will be LLCs: Two rental properties each will come under the first two LLCs; a single rental property under the third LLC. That will give me some liability protection. The fourth corporation will be an S Corp, with a stated mission of "Property management, property acquisition, property improvement." I've been doing those things as an individual investor for several years, but I want to incorporate those duties into a company. One reason for this change is liability and bankruptcy protection. The other reason is I hope to interest a bank to invest in further property acquisition and improvement, at some time in the future. The fifth corporation I want to create would be for the farm, though I'm not sure about the details of that enterprise. I hope to use that business to cover liabilities, expenses and income for its agricultural activities. Since I intend to rent out the farm house, that would be the farm's primary income source for several years at least, while agricultural activity will be slowly developed. My accountant told me this arrangement may prove unworkable, though it seems very straightforward to me. As I envision things the property management company will manage the income, expenses and future expansion for the six properties, with their individual corporate structures set up as I outlined. Do you see any pitfalls, mistakes, oversights or bad ideas in my plan? Would you offer any suggestions for the year ahead? I hope to start the incorporation process this month if possible, but I want to have a clear idea of what I'm up to before I begin. Thank you!! Homestead200 ...

I also live in the big city and always hoped that I would find a small town to settle into one day. So far it hasn't happened, but who knows what lies ahead?? You are so right, the small businesses need everyone's help to keep them going. It's just so easy to stop at the popular national chain store where you can get everything under one roof, but you miss the customer service of a small business. There are a few here in my neighborhood that I make a point of stopping by and "visiting" whenever I can. At these stores you don't shop, you visit. They are always there to greet you with a smile and amazingly remember that you haven't been visited in two weeks! I was reminded today however, that anyplace can have that small town atmosphere. I had the pleasure of going to the post office today, and yes, I said post office. The gentleman behind the counter was so nice and jovial to everyone, you would have never known you were in the big city. He greeted everyone as if he knew them and actually made my visit to the post office one of the highlights of my day. It was refreshing to come across this in the midst of all the Christmas rush. Happy Holidays!

Anyone else seen this imedicor site? It looks promising.

I read this and your giving thanks blog. I will get the book, I think the ideas will work for long drives too. But, we have started a little tradition at dinner of giving thanks and it always lightens the dinner table atmosphere. It is usually funny because of young kid perspectives on the day. It also provides a moment of clarity and peace from the rush of getting food on the table and the rush to go play. Thanks for the tip.

I work because I want to offer my child better opportunities such as private school, an excellent college, travel, sports, and other education. I also want to save for retirement and invest money where possible. Staying at home would mean one salary and limited options.

Oh, how right you are. When your kids are grown you will look back on this time in their lives with fond memories. My kids are now grown, the youngest turning 20 soon. Nostalgia hit me this last week with Halloween; I remembered fondly how I used to dress all three of them up and we used to go trick or treating together. It was not only for the time that we spent together back then, but also for the time period that it was. No, it was not as safe out there as it was back in the 70's when I ran the streets trick or treating, but my kids still went in our own neighborhood as they grew older. Now, most parents seem to take their kids to the fire departments for their Fright Night parties, or to the school dances in lieu of trick or treating. It's sad that we can't give our kids a ritual that we all had growing up; something as simple as running around the neighborhood in costume and being able to dive in and eat some of your candy before you got home. Now, with the official start of the holiday season upon us, I know I will be deluged with memories of when I worked so hard to keep my kids believing in the magic of Santa Claus. So, cherish these times that you have with your children as they grow. When you look back on them, you will realize that the worries you think you have right now should not have been so important as to take time away from your kids that you will never get back.

I wish you the best of luck with your business! It is such hard work, but worth it in the end. Please let us know how you are doing.

I agree! I do think people fall into the negativity trap and it is so hard to get out of. Thanks for the well wishes on the run!

Doing what you love for work is a wonderful thing. Remembering why you started doing it in the first place is a key to getting back to loving it. All of us have those times that we wish we had done something different or question where we are and what we are doing. That's human nature. But be careful of the self-fulfilling prophecy. If you think negatively about your job all the time or even about a person all the time, it is extremely difficult to get back to loving your job or that person. This holds true to all aspects of your life. Try to keep a positive attitude and it will show through and keep you going in the rough times. If you constantly cut down your job or career choice or even your relationship partner for that matter, you will soon find yourself making a change in your life. You may be getting rid of something that was once your life's passion and actually still is, you just can't see it anymore because of all the negative thoughts. As you say, think about what made you love it or them in the first place and try to block out all the negatives for a short while and you will see a huge improvement in your disposition towards you job or your mate. Good luck with the marathon!

It's unfortunate that only 43% of women business owners earn less than 10,000. It's difficult for mothers and women to overcome the gender gap, as well as their duties to their children. Fortunately, I think women are slowly evolving and working harder to bridge the gap and be even more successful business owners. If you're having a hard time getting your business over the next hump, it may be time for a loan or funding to grow it to the next level. There's this really great contest that I found called ?Make Your Dreams Come True with Mirassou.? that may help out. They are awarding one aspiring business woman $50,000 plus a team of highly professional consultants to help kick start your business. Check it out here http://www.mirassou.com/women_in_business/dreams.asp for more info and to enter. It would be a great asset for you future female leaders of tomorrow. I work with them, so I have the inside scoop.

I took 5 years to decide going into business and leaving my home country for Hong Kong. I am a partner in a jewellery and fashion accessories manufacturing company and I spend 13 hours a day 6 days a week in the office. I support the Kim's notion that "you can tell a woman is that she can't do something - then just watch her fly!" I am blessed to be part of a growing business but it is difficult for a small all women owned business to expand aggressively overseas... with a new factory ready at the end of this year we will need more business so if there are anyone interested in working with us please let me know.

You bring up an excellent point on how we have been groomed to take care of the household and the family and men are to "conquer" the world. I think for a woman to take on the unsure outcome of starting a business takes an enormous amount of courage, even in today's world when it is much more accepted. We do tend to hold back in the fear that it may impede our relationships with our family if we become successful even though it is our dream to be a success. I have been self-employed for ten years and opened up my own branch in the mortgage industry this year. Needless to say, with the market taking a downward turn, it has not been a great year, but I know it will ultimately be more successful. Of course, if I would have known that the market was going to plummet the way it has, I would have waited another year or so, but there is no going back and I am determined to make it work. During my time of self-employment I was successful and making more than your quoted 70% of women in business, so I have no doubt I will get back up there. I can add though, my success really kicked off after my children were grown. It's wonderful if you have a good support group behind you but not all of us are that lucky. I think that determination is a key factor and being able to use all of the cynicism that you may encounter from others for your benefit. Sometimes, the best thing you can tell a woman is that she can't do something - then just watch her fly!

I think if you do not have the support of your spouse, or family you will undoubtedly fail. When I started Jamie's Painting & Design 5 yrs ago out of my home I had to get help. Now that it is out of the house I have more freedom - but your family needs to understand the sacrafices, the money it costs and the uh, packing material may be stashed all over the house :).

It is definitely a great idea to have some money put aside when you start your business. In most business adventures, you can count on two years before you start making any money, especially depending on what type of business you are starting. Your business plan and goals are a great beginning, but be sure you stick with them and put them in a place to remind yourself what they are and possibly even check them off as you go. That can be a great confidence builder for you. Also, be sure to check in your town to see if there are any restrictions for your type of home business and if you need any permits. It's always better to be safe than sorry. Good luck!

I think it's great that companies are finally realizing that being a "Mom" is not a bad thing for an employee. I am a single parent of three sons and have had my share of interviews that literally died when they found out I was a single mother. How wonderful it is to see that times are changing, even slowly. Flextime is a wonderful advantage to working mothers and is sometimes paired with job sharing. This is a great benefit to those who have a position where it is imperative that they, or someone else, is there and can pick up where one leaves off. We all know that no one likes for their kids to be sick, but it happens and if you are job sharing, then your counterpart can be there. That can relieve pressure from you so that you can focus on getting your children well and not feel guilty for having to take time off. Working away from the office is a great benefit for those who can attain it. As time goes by, companies should realize that it is a huge benefit to them as well, and will have more productivity out of their employees. However, working at home can be distracting as well. You must have discipline in order to achieve your goals and need to treat it as though you are at the "office" for a certain amount of time per day.

I really start to feel like I'm giving myself ADD when I multitask too much. I think a little bit is OK, like folding laundry while catching up with your soaps. But sometimes it's overkill, or even dangerous (making calls while driving). Thanks for pointing out that it's OK to do just ONE THING at a time! Susan at Working Moms Against Guilt http://www.workingmomsagainstguilt.com ...

As any woman knows, we wear at least 10 hats nowadays. Organization is key to making progress. I have recently come across a new video business directory that is free. It is www.MeetMyBiz.tv The site has just recently launched. I am among the first to join this directory. It seems to be fairly comprehensive for the everyday business owner. I am hoping the organization and variety of the marketing and networking aspects will assist in growing my business. We must continue to seek out these types of key tools.

I agree multitasking seems to be a gift us working mothers seem to develop, however, personally speaking I seem to do less the more divided my attention is. I work best with lists. I cross the tasks off one by one, spending my full attention on each task to be performed. At least this works best for me. Cheers Maria ...

Long time reader - first time poster. Oh my gosh you guys I don't know if you've heard of ""conversations with miollionaires"" but I just found out Jason Oman who did that book is going to be doing a new one for female entrepreneurs like us. Here's the page I came across so you can get updates about it too. conversationswithfemalemillionaires.com I can't wait for it because I loved his first book. I hear he's gonna have Martha Stewart, Ray Rachel, Kim Kiyosaki the wife of the guy from rich dad poor dad. You can obtain more info at http://www.conversationswithfemalemillionaires.com ...

Visit CouponAlbum to shop with great discounts, coupons and coupon codes from more than 1000 brand name stores.

I know how you feel! I can just imagine. It is amazing to me that my friends, with million dollar homes, cannot afford to get out and move because if they do they will be paying more for less. Some got 'stuck' in an area because they bought before children and now they can't get into something more child-friendly. At this time, we will wait and see what happens, though in Orange County things aren't changing much. I'm sure you are seeing the same in SF, which is even priced higher than we are here. Good luck to you!

I know how you feel. Very frustrating! The home down the road did sell. I still get a little envious at the thought when I see the sold sign, but I also understand that we aren't willing as a family to make our home the top priority . . . so, alas, we wait until prices drop to half of what they are today (or we move, I suppose!) Good luck to you!

As someone who is interested in the environment and tries to keep things as green as possible, I have never thought about housing in this respect. It is interesting to note that here in So Cal very little land is available because of the building of homes on every available inch of space. Something to definitely consider.

Thanks Lori! I am going to check out your blog now!

Kathy, I love this post about how to create a vision board. After returning from a wonderful trip to Aruba, I was just blogging about how I will follow through and create some visual inspiration. Thanks for more detail on this! Lori Richardson All Business Sales Coach Blog ...

I have a good job, and am making good money for a fresh college graduate. However, in my efforts to find a "Starter Home" in San Jose, I found that my mortgage along with taxes and insurance, will be equal to my monthly income. The only way I can buy a house is to buy a four bedroom, and hope to rent out three rooms. If I decide to get married sometime soon, I will no longer be able to afford my house, because I will not be able rent out rooms anymore.

There's a changing consciousness in the US and Europe about consumerism and the environmental consequences of our consumption. I wonder if housing prices can be understood in this light (I'm no economist!) -- maybe owning a single-family house with a yard and a garage should no longer be considered the right of every middle-class family because of the resources involved in such ownership. Maybe once "green" construction catches up to the demands of the market we'll get some affordable, economically and environmentally sound solutions for housing families comfortably in urban and suburban environments.

I love stories like this. It's so cool that she took all her smarts and experience and applied them to shape her own life the way she wanted. Thanks for sharing. Susan at Working Moms Against Guilt http://www.workingmomsagainstguilt.com ...

I don't blame families for choosing to continue renting in order to enjoy having some disposable income, rather than tie all finances up in absurdly high mortgages. We bought a house in San Francisco three years ago and, on most days, knowing that our little box here is worth a million dollars holds little comfort because the financial strain is so great. In urban areas like this owning a house is no longer a middle-class entitlement. I actually find myself looking longingly at small urban apartments, thinking how much more I'd enjoy this city with my kids if we weren't so housepoor in the fancier part of town!

Do you know what? I started my day today like this " Every day in every way I am becoming better and better" on my blog www.embroidea.com I am trying to think positive all the time. I like your style, keep spreading the good wording out there ! Congratulations ! Zileide ...

You are totally right, we have to always think postive so good things can happen to us. When we think negative we will have that negative vibe so the best thing to do every day when we get up in the morning is to think that we are going to have a great day so we can have that positive vibe through out the whole day and every other day...Thanks for those special words today u put a smile on my face...Ettez N.

I've been working two jobs since my younger child was six months old -- I have a 9-to-5 job, and I teach one evening class per week for most of the year. I do the teaching because I love the work, and I have the day job because it helps pay the bills. In recent months my six-year-old daughter has begun making me feel bad about my nights at work, and I've had to stand firm in telling her that I love that job, but I love her, too. It's hard to decide how much time to take away from family time, especially when working full-time is a foregone conclusion -- any engagements on top of the day job, whether social or professional, seem a little neglectful of the young kids. I simply keep to the principle that if I'm doing things that I really like, and that inspire me, such involvement will benefit my family, too.

I am a full-time working mother about to head on "vacation," and I have to point out another facet of life with young children: vacations are now fully taken up with obligatory family visits. It didn't used to be like this -- the pressure to devote scarce vacation time to family visits wasn't so great when everyone wasn't clamoring to visit the kids. And, when we only had to buy one or two plane tickets, finances didn't limit us to the trips to visit parents and grandparents around the country. I long to live within driving distance of family -- even the in-laws -- just so it would free up time and money for other kinds of travel!

I agree with everything you're saying about gender differences. I've worked at 5-6 companies over the past 20 years, and there clearly is a difference between how men communicate with each other and also for women. One consideration that you didn't cover is that men need to be especially careul when communicating with women bosses, peers and subordinates. I've seen a clear change toward much more PC conservatism over the years, due to lawsuits and such.

My doggie day care that I occasionally go to has streaming video. Log into their website and see your dog being chased around the yard. I assumed they had that for human day care as well.

I liked your article alot, yes I think it happens that way. What I am feeling right now is that its also difficult to make a come back. No one is ready to call you even for a interview because of the gap in your work history. I am a mom of two and took approx. 2yrs break and trying to get back to work from last 4-5months and you know what it is difficult even to get a interview call. Thats what it is a horrible world not for moms who already feel little out of dated and out of touch with everything because they need to stay home and when they prepare themself up to fight back no one even care to call back.

We learn more from real life stories and experience. It was nice of you to mention the poster and how she bartered. Bartering helps those who want to reduce cost at the starting of a business. This primitive practice may have still other advantages which would be helpful for us in many ways.

May I ask what it is that you do? I have been reading some of your working mother blogs with interest. I recently (last week) opted to end employment with a stable company to set up shop at home and provide a more flexible family schedule for my family. Your blog that really got my attention was the impact of adding a second child into the picture....keep me posted, as that will soon be my exact situation. Thanks for the comments, Judy.

This is so true. I have a 2 year old and a 5 year old and although my husband stays home with them while I work, it's still very difficult to maintain any type of routine for more than a couple of weeks at a time (particularly when they get sick, which is often) This is a great blog - I've linked to it from my own blog, theselfemployedmom.com (which has been a respository for my column of the same name). I intend to post more commentary along with my articles and mention resources such as this.

Proper child care is the need of the hour where mostly the mothers are wroking ladies & in todays world children are exposed to various thing which they should not have to.

proper child care is very essential becoz it is the need of the hour, becoz in todays world childs' are distracted towards several evils starting from our home PC to social environment. thank you.

Am a single working mother in Kenya. My son is two years old and goes to play group. I am an Advocate (Attorney), and need at least 12hours a day to complete my timelines and meet work deadlines. I have opted to be going to work at 4:00 a.m. every morning, and leaving at 5:00 to spend time with my son when he comes from school. Sometimes I put in an hour or two of reading when he sleeps at 9:30. It was hard at the beginning, but now I can see the fruits of the extra hours. I have time to exercise, watch my son as he grows up, and meet my demanding work schedules.

Women's yearning for diamonds is almost a universal truth. The recent survey result stating that they prefer technological devices to diamond was really amazing and hard to believe. I agree with you that working mothers do not have the time to enjoy the modern devices and wish that the scientists could come up with something which would make their lives easier.

I am 3 weeks into working fulltime overnight stocking shelves at WalMart. My Hubby works f/t daytime and doesn't have a set schedule so it was either find a job that will go with the kids school schedule - or work at night. Next week both kids will be in school so I will be bale to get more sleep then. Of course I do sometimes work weekends......For the most part I come home @ 6:30 am get 1-2 hrs sleep and then take a nap on the couch while kids watch tv for a couple hours around 3pm. The hard part is not getting much solid sleep. I am very thankful when Hubby has a day off - or is off early. My kids are 4 and 7 and while I sleep have done some various not so good - but not too bad things...eat candy for breakfast, drench the parakeets cage squirting water at them, pushed a window screen out, The worst was after my first night the 4 yr old went outside and older sis went to get him, he slammed the door shut locking them both out. Thankfully we live in a nice apartment complex, the staff was coming to our bldg for a mtg and knew what was going on - they let the kids back in free of charge or violation. Atleast I have 3 nights a wk off to catch up on sleep - and then shift back into work with no problems. I have been able to stay awake at work by styaing busy and generally the struggle is at home - trying to keep my eyes open. Of course if I keep myself busy at home too - it works out well. I was never the kind to stay up past 11pm and only got up before 7am if I had to.

One of my favorite ways to save money is to Outlet Shop! I can always find a TON of deals at the stores with closeout deals! I always find out about them at www.shoppingwithshanda.com This website tells of great places and websites to shop!

One of my favorite ways to save money is to Outlet Shop! I can always find a TON of deals at the stores with closeout deals! I always find out about them at www.shoppingwithshanda.com This website tells of great places and websites to shop!

I am getting married in October of this year and I have a child from a previous relationship, so we have not really experienced a relationship before kids. I can talk to my soon-to-be husband about other things rather than the temper tantrums. It is hard to talk on a regular basis because he is working all day and when he comes home he is really tired. We do usually find the time to do some with just one another and also with our son. It doesn't even have to be something that costs money, just as long as it is us. I completely agree that everyone needs a time out to relax.

Great topic! As a mom to 2 young kids, I actually co-wrote a book by fitting the bulk of the writing into the "crevices" of the day. The best strategy for me was this: I got the boys into their bunk beds around 8pm, then popped open my laptop and sat down in the room with them. My laptop was their night light, and they drifted off to sleep with me typing away on the floor next to their beds. I often stayed right in that nice, quiet spot for hours. It turned out to be some of my most productive writing time.

I love resale shops! I have two daughters, ages 9 and 2. So far the 9-yr-old still doesn't mind buying clothes at the resale shop. She actually thinks it's pretty cool, because mom can say "yes" to so many of the items she picks off the shelf. At $1 - $5 and item, it is much easier to say yes to things I wouldn't otherwise let her buy. You do have to be careful and make sure there are no stains, and that zippers work, etc., but that is part of the fun. We also purchase books and videos there too!

I love this approach, I am about to vacation with my 3 kids, lap top and cell phone - what am I thinking and you are right I wont remember the phone calls in 10 years time. But, that said, I cant bring myself to leave the office behind, but will try.

I feel relaxed after nap,specialy near the beach that you can hear the waves splashing on the seashells makes me feel great after a nap..;-) ...

it is a good idea. I am form China and anyone who want to further discuss it ,please add my MSN: mountainhunter@hotmail.com ...

I completely agree to your views. I too believe that a proper nap is important to refresh your mind. It adds to your efficiency in everythings you do...........and Mehdi, i ve'nt heard anywhere that if you sleep in the day you would grow fat but offcourse i heard that your height increases an inch everytime you sleep.http://www.supercontactlenses.info ...

ChicagoLand North West Suburban Cleaning Lady! Located in Villa Park, I clean houses, condos, apartments and offices. No Job is too big or small! I use my own supplies and clean your house fromtop to bottom. GREAT RATES! Call today for a quote and more information! 630-832-4293 Gigi ...

to be good mamma of the kids ...

to be good mamma of the kids ...

i am like to be, the top one, software engineer ...

am like to be, the top one, software engineer ...

lol...

:( ...

creat yor own calendar ...

creat yor own calendar ...

its necessary...

its necessary...

be regular, be helpful ...

be regular, be helpful ...

little kids need more care, you know ...

little kids need more care, you know ...

read...

have read...

well, take it a suggestion ...

well, take it a suggestion ...