How to Succeed as a Stay-At-Home
Mom
by: Donald Lee
Stay-at-home moms are no longer just the co-stars from Leave It To Beaver,
the Brady Bunch, and other television shows from a bygone era. Taking care
of the kids has become the cool thing to do again for women in their 20s
and 30s. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are at least 5.4 million
stay-at-home parents in the United States alone. These are a dynamic bunch
of women, and men, who see opportunities in their domestic role, especially
the opportunities presented by the Internet.
Sure, many of these parents gave up exciting careers and important roles
in their community to take up the time-honored tradition of rearing their
children. You yourself may have put goals and dreams on the back burner
when you accepted the commitment and responsibility of raising your little
ones. You understand the importance of a parent being there for those firsts:
the first crawl, the first step, the first “momma” and “dadda.”
At the same time, though, you may feel like you have taken on too much.
Not only do you have the pressures of bringing up a smart, well-behaved
child. You worry about being able to make ends meet to provide everything
your child needs.
If this sounds all too familiar, take a deep breath, turn off the television,
and log online. No, don’t think you’re going to surf the Web to just pass
the time. The Internet is your portal to transforming your stay-at-home
life. In between the diaper changes and feedings, bedtimes and burpings,
you can reach beyond the walls of your home and access the outside world
as never before. The benefits are as close to limitless as the millions
of sites on the Web, including:
E-support system. Whether you’re searching for other stay-at-home moms
to lean on, folks with the same health ailment as yourself, or even just
other Oprah fanatics, the Internet is like one big community center where
you can find them.
Friends and fun. Through e-mail, chat rooms, and instant messaging,
the Internet is one of the easiest ways to keep in touch with old friends
and family members, as well as to meet new acquaintances.
Cyber community. Look for your neighborhood’s Web site for information
on shopping, festivals, town hall meetings, and other local interests.
If you can’t find your town’s home on the Internet, take a leadership role
in creating it with the help of your neighbors.
Cap and gown. Many community colleges and universities offer e-courses.
You never need to step foot on the campus to earn degrees in finance, English,
accounting, or whatever else suit your fancy.
Steals and deals. If you’re looking for some of the biggest discounts
and best selection for anything from electronics to groceries, books to
automobiles, the Web is your marketplace.
Cash flow. The Internet can work for you, as well, if you are on the
other end of the cash register. The Web provides an unparalleled avenue
to sell goods. It can link you to interested buyers if you’re only looking
to unload a few knickknacks to unclutter your home. If you have enough
stuff to open a garage sale, you can do that, too, without time or space
constraints. Or try your hand at a full-time online business if you get
bit by the entrepreneurial bug.
The Internet can open up the outside world to you for all of these
benefits, but you need the right set of keys to open the door. Your first
“key” is the type of Internet access you use. You’ll need to weigh your
budget versus how fast you want to navigate on the Web. Cable and DSL hook
ups provide zippy access but can cut into your profit margins. Dial up,
on the other, can be cheap or even free, but can slow down your productivity.
Once you have your hook up established, you’ll need to get your feet
wet before you do heavy surfing. Find trusted sites for your activities.
Look for certified schools to take courses at and secure shopping zones
to purchase at. When selling or starting your own business, do your research
to find the most trusted and thrifty auction and classified sites. The
right classified sites can be like your neighborhood paper, except they
reach millions of people around the globe. In many cases, the best classified
sites will also charge no start up or transaction fees and offer safe ways
to communicate and do business with clients.
Settle these basics, and you can be virtually ensured to become the
a true M.O.M, a master of multitasking. In the time it takes your child
to take a nap or watch an episode of Blues Clues, you will be able to earn
4 more credits to your finance degree, buy a new mp3 player, and sell a
closet’s worth of stuff.
Copyright 2004 Donald Lee
About The Author: Donald Lee is the public relationship manager for
Buysellcommunity.com.
Buysellcommunity provides free classified listing services for individuals
and businesses to market their products and services online.
For global and localized classifieds, visit http://www.buysellcommunity.com
"Finish each day and be done
with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities
have crept in; forget them as soon as you
can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with
too high a spirit to be encumbered with your
old nonsense."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
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