Working Moms

Years ago when I held an office job, I remember some coworkers complaining about the results of the Dancing with the Stars episode the night before. Evidently, the results were just plain wrong. My coworkers (and evidently even the show's judges) deduced that not as many people voted for the shoo-in because she was a guarantee, a no-brainer. Instead, they invested their votes to the contestants whom they felt needed the help. That example comes to mind often when I think about parenting.  It's a tough gig. It's not for the faint of heart. I knew before I became a parent that I was willing to rise to the occasion. I love a good challenge, and there's nothing quite as challenging...

One phrase I hear more often than not when it comes to being a solo parent with a somewhat demanding job is, “I don’t know how you do it!” Most days I don’t know myself. I do know that I rely heavily on prayers and coffee, amirite?! So in case you're wondering, here is what a “normal” day looks like for me: 6:30-7am My tiny alarm clock goes off, and 2-3 nights a week he ends up in my bed. This means it is a precious wake up call where he squeezes my face and says “I love you so much, can we turn on the TV?” 7am I turn on an episode of Mickey (or whatever the flavor of the...

 A few years ago when I was assisting managing a retail store, I did what all career driven millennial women did: I read Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg. It absolutely changed my life. Entrepreneurship is something that I've dreamed of for as long as I can remember. Reading Lean In really gave me the confidence and push to take the next step. I had the opportunity to purchase an existing business, and I settled on a childcare facility. I loved children, did extensive research on state regulations, and was already familiar with business operations. I found one locally and SURPRISE! It was the exact center that my son was attending for the previous two years. In my mind it...

I just made it to the second trimester with my second child, so I'm in preparation (and saving) mode for what will come in five short months. And while the planning becomes more real every day, I can say with most certainty that I am beyond ecstatic to be out of the first trimester. See with my first pregnancy I was nauseated, got sick once or twice, and then figured out how to keep it from happening. I never felt great, but it was manageable. Thinking I had it all figured out from the first time around, I assumed this one would be a breeze. WRONG. This kid has already thrown me for a loop. Morning, afternoon and night sickness....

So many stay-at-home-moms want to make money without working outside the home but don't know where to start. I was one of them. About a year ago, I realized that although I consider myself very fortunate to be able to choose to be a stay-at-home-mom, I needed more in my life than toddler play, diaper changes and temper tantrums. And, after having worked for over 15 years before becoming a stay at home mom, I really wanted to contribute something to the family income. I knew I didn't want to work outside the home, but I also knew that after getting a quality education and working in marketing at a fast growing tech firm for nearly a decade, I had something...