Ida Arias, a Mami of Multiples regular contributor and blogger at Second Chances Girl, recently made the leap from working outside of the home to becoming a work-at-home mom (WAHM). She shared her important decision in a video and explained why it was in the best interest for her and her growing family of three children (8, 9 and 10 years old).
From Ida
My big reason for making this decision (becoming a WAHM) was because I felt like I didn’t know my children. Being a mother and step-mother, I want to be part of my children’s lives. Working full-time (outside) and then getting home to cook, clean, homework, etc., wasn’t working out for me. I missed out on a lot. This year, with some awesome WAHM options, I decided I would spend more time with them, be more involved in their schooling and have some time to myself.
From Joscelyn
Mami of Multiples was created almost 8 years ago, when for the first time, I stopped working outside of the home and became a mother to identical twin baby boys and my already pre-teen son. (We now have 4 boys).
I have been working since I was 14 years old. I received my worker’s permit in New York to begin working during the summers at my father’s office in the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center.
For 10 years, I worked as an executive in the fields of public relations and human resources for the federal government. During those years, I also became a mother to my oldest son. As part of my work responsibilities, I traveled extensively, but occasionally brought my young son (and my parents who would care for him while I worked) on trips that were held in family-friendly locations. Even though I enjoyed my job, after the birth of the twins, I knew I needed my primary focus to be on raising the twins and pre-teen. Motherhood is a wonderful experience but it can be very isolating. I wanted to blog as a creative outlet to share my experiences and connect with other mothers online – work outside the home, stay-at-home (SAHM) or WAHM.
Combining my past work experiences, the desire to care for my children at home and to continue to contribute financially to my household, helped launch Mami of Multiples and Mami Innovative Media (my communications and digital marketing company). Our mompreneur story was featured on WKMG-TV CBS News a few years ago and can be seen below.
I often get asked what advice would I have for a mother who is thinking about starting a blog but may not know where or how to begin. I like to tell mothers who are thinking of blogging to approach it like having a conversation with a friend. It’s helpful to remember that a blog is an extension of a person; it can be authentic, original, humorous, helpful, pensive…truly everything that makes up an individual. Ideas, questions, advice, resources are all things that friends share with one another and the blog is like an exchange between friends. Readers and followers will come when they feel they can relate or have a connection to the blog and its author.
If your plans are to monetize or start a business from the blog, then remember to treat your blogging work as a business from the beginning. Set up a work at home schedule to help with time management. Practice the same work ethics as if you were working at a company outside the home. If wanting to spend more quality time with the family is a priority, then it should be set as a steady or recurring appointment in the family calendar that is just as important as a business meeting.
Thinking about making the change in your life and looking for some options? Check out the following links that offer reliable WAHM opportunities:
http://ratracerebellion.com/
https://www.gijobs.com/9-companies-want-work-home/
https://www.flexjobs.com/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/laurashin/2016/01/27/work-from-home-in-2016-the-top-100-companies-for-remote-jobs
http://www.businessinsider.com/top-hiring-companies-work-from-home-jobs-2014-7
http://www.womansday.com/life/work-money/g934/best-work-at-home-jobs/
http://www.hipmediakits.com/paid-blogging-networks/ (paid blogging networks)
http://www.chantillypatino.com/paid-blogger-networks/ (paid blogging networks)
http://www.shapinguptobeamom.com/ultimate-list-blogger-networks/ (paid blogging networks)
For more tips and resources, subscribe to Mami of Multiples directly at the top corner of the home page.
Follow Ida’s WAHM journey on her Mami of Multiples contribution and her blog Second Chances Girl.
