Staying Home with Your Children - While Trying to Work at Home

From the minute I thought about having children, I knew that I wanted to be a full time mom. I had however put in over a decade of professional experience, made a career of climbing the Corporate ladder, and then came the day I'll never forget....finding out I was pregnant! I have never been more elated in my life, I thought that the day I got married was the best day of my life--and so it was until that moment. After the initial excited state wore off, the reality set in--what needed to be done, where did I start with planning for a baby, and most importantly how can I figure out a way to stay home with the little darling?

I spent countless hours on sites such as Craigslist in hopes that a freelance job would come along that would provide me the opportunity to contribute to our monthly income while also allowing me to use the skills I had gained in my years as a slave to Corporate America. I basically wanted it all! I wanted to stay home with my child, but also bring in a bit of "fun money". I networked more than usual, talked to other stay at home moms, and "mompreneurs" (a term that I have come to know and love), and continued to figure out what I was good at that I could use in a viable job. At last a sales and marketing job came available that would allow me to work whatever hours I wanted, while being home with the baby that was now coming soon.

Here I sit over six months later and I can tell you that it's been a tough but rewarding road. I feel very lucky to be home with my daughter, it's the greatest gift I've ever received and I thank my husband everyday. Have there been sacrifices along the way? Most definitely! Are they worth it? Absolutely! I have been successfully working as a freelance writer and marketing consultant for months now, and though I love every minute of it, I recognize that it's a balancing act and one that I will constantly have to work at. There won't always be work waiting for me, I've found that out already. Here are some tips for the mom who wants it all just like I did:

*Network as much as you can: You can't possibly underestimate how others in your situation can help you and may have avenues or people for you to talk to that will lead you to your end goal.

*Be resourceful: This sounds so cliche, but truly making looking for work part of your full time job is key. Get on the local job boards, freelance sites, look for postings at local hot spots, get your hands on resources that will allow you to find work that you can do while your little one naps.

*Try to find something that you love: I heard this advice over and over, and quite honestly blew it off. The reality is that if you can find something that you love and make a living out of it, you're a much happier person. I have loved writing as long as I can remember and have always considered myself to be pretty good at it. However I felt so confined with my writing from the cubicle I was posted at--now I'm writing about things I enjoy and my real life experiences.

*Stay positive: Believe me, I'm not the world's biggest optimist by a long stretch! However there will be days where you feel as if you are beating your head against a wall, but always remember it will get better. You will get past the dry spells and more work will come.

Whatever your passion, turn it into a working reality! Remember what's most important, and if you're anything like me that's your children!