How to be a a Stay at Home Mom while Earning an Income

 Have you ever wanted the flexibility of being a Stay at Home mom yet need the stability of bringing in an income for your family? 

That is where my heart was when I started my journey of being a WAHM 10 years ago. I was a mom of a 18 month old and we were expecting a second. I didn't want to be away from my babies so I sought out searching for any avenue I could find to help me to contribute for our family. 

Fast forward several years and I am beyond thankful for the opportunity that I have. I'm blessed to not only be able to be home with our now 4 kids but I also can share my experience with other moms who are seeking out a similar need as I was. 

So you might be wondering... "How can I be a Stay at Home Mom and Earn an Income?"

1. First and for most do your research. This decision needs to be treated with true honesty and peace of mind. What are your interests, likes, dislikes, abilities and restrictions? Being real with yourself as well as finding a company that fits your needs is a process. For me it took months before I decided upon the path I have taken. I'm so thankful I took that time!

   

   You need to ask THESE questions before starting any business!

2. Be prepared to educate yourself. With any business or job there is a learning curve. This is a time to learn the ropes and find what works best for you. Never stop learning, reading, listening and being around others who can lift you up to that higher level of ability.
3. Create Balance. This is hard for so many of us in our lives. Balance as a WAHM comes in many different forms at our house. Three things that help me the most to find balance... 

• My calendar and day planner. Scheduling action, knowing my time limits, events/activities with our kids and creating a plan daily, weekly and monthly. 
• Knowing that some days my house will not be clean and my kids might eat cereal for supper. Yet as I end each day, I know that I was the one who was here to hug them good morning, help them off to school and kiss them good night, that's what makes my journey worth it.
• Starting my day in prayer. I have so much more peace, structure and abilities when I start my day this way.

Remember as your searching that there IS A Light at the End of the Tunnel, keep searching and looking for a legitimate avenue that fits your families needs! 

 

30 Days of Praying for your Business

Happy August Friends! 

I love the first day of each month, it symbolizes a fresh start to me. 

A friend of mine and I we're talking about our businesses and how we want to be doing God's work through them. That's what inspired me to create this printable for myself.

 {To print right click, save to your computer and then print}

I encourage you to spend time in prayer daily for your business, whatever it might be and see where the Lord takes you.

 

 Day 1: "May my business be what You Father God want me to spending my time on. I commit my work to You that You will help establish a plan and help me to grow in the direction You have set out for me. "

How to SUCCESSFULLY Work From Home with Kids

For the past decade I've been working from home (You can read more about what I've been able to do with that income HERE) with little ones at my feet. At times I've felt like pulling my hair out with lots of little needs, but there are a handful of things that do help me to accomplish more. 

1. Calendar... EVERYTHING 

I use my day planner for everything, not exaggerating. I also use highlighters to highlight times for making calls, sending emails, trips to town, school events etc. This truly helps me to visually see what I'm doing each day and know what MUST be accomplished. 

I found this cute printable 2016 day planner HERE.

 

2. Office space for 2... or 3 or 4.

My office is where I do the majority of my work. But the beauty of working from home is you can bring your kids to work with you. I find that having a spot that my kids are welcome to come and sit and "work" with me helps them to feel a sense of ownership and they have a better grasp of why mommy is working.

3. Organized Play

I keep baskets of toys around the house. When someone is feeling like their board or don't have something to do while I'm working I pull out a basket. This helps them to focus on something different and keeps them contained to one area. 

You can read more about Organized Play HERE.

 

4. Take it outside

Sometimes a change of scenery is good for us all. I often find myself taking my phone and kids outside to make phone calls, return texts/emails or posting on social media.

 

5.Take a Break! 

If your finding your not accomplishing ANYTHING, take a break as long as you don't have an appointment scheduled. Spend some quality time with your littles. For me, my kiddos are the reason I work from home. I have to remind myself at times that I need to value that more and spend all of the moments I can loving them up. Even 15 minutes can change the way my kiddos act for a few hours. 

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Tuesday's Tip: Gratitude

Welcome to MARCH!

I'm so excited for the new month and inching closer to Spring! 

 

As your preparing for a new month and building your business I want you to think of this tip... Showing Gratitude to your Customers, Business partners, friends and family. 

Take a quick watch of this John C Maxwell video on Gratitude...

 

Isn't that awesome? 

Showing Gratitude to your Team

1. Write a Note {And Mail it}. There is such power in getting an handwritten card from someone who took the time to make the extra step in snail mailing something to you. This could be a "Thank You" card or words of encouragement.

2. Call. Call someone on your team or a customer and learn about whats happening in their life. Show that you care and be genuine. 

3. Give a Public Gift. What I'm talking about here is a public post sharing how grateful you are for their purchase or that person joining your team. 

4. Practical Gift of Knowledge. Give them a book that will help them to better use your products. If you represent a Essential Oils company give them a resource on how to use oils. If you represent a part of the Food industry give them one of your favorite cook books.

5. Celebrate your Customers Birthday. If you know their birth date, send a card or some sort expression that your glad that it's their day and want to bless them with a small token. 

6. Spend Time with Them. Ask your customer/team mate out for coffee or enjoy their fellowship. Build that friendship! 

7. Support their Cause. If you have a customer that is passionate about children's safety, give a donation as they are planning a walk or fundraiser. 

8. Send Cards on Unique Holidays. It's fun to be thought of and have something to brighten the day. Celebrate your customers anniversary with your company.

9.  Create a "club". If your local to one another have a Friday afternoon coffee club to celebrate the weeks success. 

10. Celebrate a major milestone in their family. A new birth, new home, weight loss.

 

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My 9 Year Work Anniversary

9 years ago I took a huge leap of faith and started my journey working from home with an incredible company. Looking back I'm beyond grateful that I took that first step. I've received a pay-check every month while holding my babies, watching first steps, getting to go to school events, being available to help my husband, paying off debt, creating the best friendships and helping other families just like mine.

Beyond Thankful to be able to celebrate this Anniversary. 

Not everyone get's to be home with their family by their side while earning an income! 

Be Blessed!

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Hey Mom, What You Need to Know About Woring From Home: Week 5

 Can you believe we're in the 6th month of 2014!? It's Amazing how fast this year is going. If your building a business from home you should ask yourself this...
"What am I going to do for the next 6 months to look back on 2014 and know I made it a great year?"

If one of your answers is to expand your business, your in the RIGHT PLACE!
This week we're talking about Marketing!!!! This is one of my favorite topics. It's one of those things that has been a learning curve and is consistently changing yet brings such gratification as you see your business growing.

This short video share's 5 Way's that you can Market Your Website for FREE

Online Marketing is HUGE but don't forget you need to do other things as well:
1. Business Card Marketing
2. Paid Ads
3. Car Decal
4. Fliers

The main thing is to stay consistent. With that consistency will bring great rewards.
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Hey Mom, What You Need to Know About Working From Home: Week 4

 

Have you ever wondered why some home business professionals are really Extremely successful and others struggle? The past 4 weeks I've been sharing What You Need to Know About Working from Home. These practical tips have helped me to be successfully working from home for several years now. 

When I started my business I wasn't looking for the best make up, best kitchen tool, cutest bag or to do surveys. I was simply looking to make money! I didn't understand the power of being a product of the product. Think of this, if you we're the CEO of a Ford car dealership would you drive a Chevrolet? Of course not! You would want to represent the company you we're a part of. 

5 Way's you Can Be a Product of YOUR Product Starting Today!

1. If your company recommends a particular starter pack, BUY IT! I'm not a fan of buying things that are un-necessary. I work with a company that has everyday necessities and things that help me save money that I use regardless so this was a no-brain-er  for me.

2. Share your testimonies with those who surround you.

3. If you are promoting healthy eating, eat healthy. If your promoting kitchen gadgets, make sure you like to cook. If your promoting skin care products, Educate yourself on skin care products and listen up... Make Sure YOU USE THEM DAILY!

4. Share on social media in a positive way. Most readers don't want to see constant posts saying "Buy my xyz" or "I need 3 hosts by the end of the month". But they are more apt to be a customer/host/business partner if they see positive messages and photos. Here's an example... My industry promotes living debt free and financial freedom, so sharing a photo of a Financial Freedom Award that I have won would speak volumes vs. other tactics.

5. Believe in the company you represent! Having belief in yourself and your company shows. So if you don't have belief - you better gain it, quickly. If you don't believe in it no one else will.

Make it a great Wednesday!

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Hey Mom, What You Need to Know about Working from Home: Week 2

 

 Welcome Back! I'm glad you've made the commitment to become knowledgeable in Working from Home! Last week we talked about How to Earn an income from home. This week we're going to dive into one of the most important tasks in working from home, Scheduling!

 With an type of business you MUST Schedule! I recommend using a day planner with hour's carved out for each day or an online tool similar to the Google calendar.

What to Schedule?
 1. Highlight family Events (Kids activities, school plays, Dr Appointments, etc.)
2. Your Business Hours - These are the time's when you plan to do income generating activities.
3. Personal Growth - Times when you'll educate yourself and have personal development.



My Calendar is such an instrumental part of my day to day and help me to Leverage my Time. I write all over it as you can see and I can't imagine how unorganized my business would be without it.

How do you use your calendar? I love comments, share your tips with me below.

What You Need to Know About Working From Home
Week 1: How to Earn (Click HERE)
Week 2: Schedule

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Hey Mom, What You Need to Know About Working From Home

 

Have you ever thought about Working from Home? I think everyone has at some point in their lives. I started working from home in 2007. It's been such an incredible journey and has allowed me to put my kids schedule above mine yet still contribute to our finances.

When I started this crazy journey of working from home I had no idea what I was doing. Keep plugged in through the next 10 weeks to gain some insight in what can help you be successful in Working from Home, no matter what type of business you have.

 Week 1: How to Earn

Before we put the horse before the cart you need to decide How to Earn an income from home. Here are 10 ways to Earn an Income from Home.

10. Etsy Shop
9. Babysitting/Daycare provider
8. Become a Customer Service Agent
7. Become a Virtual Concierge
6. Blog
5. Tutor 
4. Gardener/Lawn Care
3. Baker 
2. Party Planning Business
1. Consumer Direct Marketing

Obviously you need to be talented in your area of expertise for each of these options. Some businesses require special tools. For example, to be a gardener you would need a lawn mower or pair of clippers. No matter what kind of business your looking at you will always have a start up fee of some sort. I chose to go into the Consumer Direct Marketing industry because it fit all of my personal needs.

As your looking at these options ask yourself these three questions:
      1. Do I feel passionate about it?
      2. Am I educated in this area?
      3. Do I like who I will be working with?

Once you have decided what area you want to direct yourself in it will help you to move forward in the right direction, create a business plan, and start to put action into place.

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10 Things I Wish I Would Have Known About Being a SAHM

I feel that I have the best job in the world as a Stay At Home Mom but it does come with it's ups and downs at times. It's amazing how I learn something everyday about my "Career" of choice that I didn't know the previous day.

Here are 10 things I wish I would have known before I had kids

1. Hold the Baby... It's really amazing how in the moment you feel bonkers and think of all of the other things that need to be done. But looking back on my kids little lives, I don't remember those "things" that needed to be tended to, but I do remember holding my babies.

2. Laundry will NEVER be done! True story. But as I'm doing Laundry I often look at this little sign I have hung over my washer....

3. There might be day's where you don't get dressed.

4. The Dog will become one of your best friends and a great listener.

5. Early morning baking in p.j.s will make for some of the best memories!




6. There will be day's when you feel unappreciated, yet, on that same day as your kissing your kids goodnight, you'll feel the most love you have ever felt.

7. At times getting to take a walk will feel like a real "outing".

8. Getting out the bubbles on a regular basis is a MUST!

9. EVERYONE has to work, be grateful you get to do it from home!

10. Last but not least... Remember to put on your high heels, turn the radio up and dance on the coffee table with the kids! Brings smiles to everyone's faces.



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5 Characteristics of Successful Women in Business

69% of Home Based Businesses in the US are owned by Women!
I'm so proud to be apart of that percentage and honored to help contribute to our finances from home. What a Blessing!

Are you looking to own your own business? Maybe you already are a home based business entrepreneur and looking to improve your skills. Here are 5 Characteristics of Successful Women in Business that can help ANYONE.



1. Set SMART GOALS:
Setting Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-Bound Goals will improve your business by leaps and bounds. By setting goals you know what your working for, what your WHY is and how and when you will attain it.  Remember Setting Goals = Achieving Goals.



2. Creating a Schedule:
    A calendar is a MUST! Now you have your calendar you need to be active in filling it up with income generating activities. I love the highlighting system allowing me to easily see what I have scheduled each day. By having an in-place calendar your able to find balance between family and work.

3. Organization:

Another great characteristic of successful entrepreneurs is the ability to be organized. If you are not organized with time management, phone calls, emails, helping business partners and in all your career you will find yourself in a whirlwind and not know where to turn.

4. Social:
Being social doesn't mean you sit on Facebook all day. Being social is about creating relationships, empowering others, and creating worth while posts so others will want to follow you.

5. Education:
I'm such a HUGE believer that you must educate yourself in your niche market, leadership and business in general. If you don't know the answer to something do not be afraid to do some research, watch some YouTube videos or tutorials. It will pay off in leaps and bounds.

Here's to being a successful Business Owner!

Next Read: Got Stress!

As busy moms we often find we have a lot of stress. Help eliminate it.

~The Versatile Blogger Award~

I'm so stinking excited to announce that 4MyKiddos has been awarded The Versatile Blogger award by In Love by The Beach!!! I encourage you to hop by her blog and take a look, it's super cute!

The rules for this award are:
1. Thank the person that nominated you with a link back to them. ( Thank you
again In Love by The Beach!!)
2. Tell 7 things about yourself. (see below)
3. Pass this award on to 10 newly discovered blogs and let them know that they’ve
received an award.

Seven things about 4MyKiddos:
1. I started this blog as a way to share some of our families creativity, share how being a WAHM has changed our lives and stay in touch with family. It has grown into so much more for me though!
2. I believe that in all things we do we should do them to our best ability to glorify the Lord.
3. We are currently in the process of our basement remodel, so I spend a lot of time hopping to other blogs that have done the same thing.
4. I believe everyone has the ability to change their futures and family circumstances if they make the commitment to do so.
5. I love riding horses, it's such a great way to free the mind and great exercise.
6. My favorite movie is The Little Mermaid. The girls love it too!
7. Today marks 5 years of being a Work at Home Mommy for me!
10 Blogs that I love and
awarded the Versatile Blog Award to are...

1. www.TheGirlCreative.com
2. http://craftionary.blogspot.com
3. http://rebeccacooper.blogspot.com
4. http://www.loveofmyfamilyandhome.net
5. http://coffeencherrieos.blogspot.com
6. http://tammyisblessed.blogspot.com
7. http://www.brownpaper--packages.com
8. http://www.imperfecthomemaking.com
9. http://need2bhome.blogspot.com
10. http://tools4mom.blogspot.com
    I encourage you to visit each
    one of these blogs and congratulate them on being awarded the Versatile Blogger
    Award!
    
    
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