The one that probably brings most of us here though is trying to find a good balance between being a Mom and working from home. It is by far the hardest job that I have ever done. And I know that I am far from mastering it. It seems like every day and every year there are changes that I have to learn how to deal with.

What exactly is a good balance though? Is it dividing up the hours in the day and giving equal time to both your kids and your career? Is it making sure that your mom to do list and your work to do list have the same amount of tasks?

Honestly I think it this is such a personal answer. What works for one family will not work for another. Some moms have children that are in school for five hours a day and are able to devote themselves entirely to their children when they are not.

Others are the sole caregiver to their children during the day and have to squeeze work projects in on top of that. Their children may have more time devoted to them rather than work.

I think that the answer is finding what works for your family. There are no wrong answers and one versus the other does not make you a bad mother or a better WAHM.

You have to decide if being a huge success means less time with your children will work for your family. Or on the flip side maybe spending more time with your children and earning less makes you happy.

As your children get older their needs change as well. What worked when they were 3-years-old will probably not work when they are 5.

What is a good balance in your life? Does it change for you?

Warmly,
Mia

This post originated from It's A WAHM Thing, a magazine for work at home moms.

You have two choices for the summer. You can either cut back the number of hours that you work or you can find ways to become more productive. For most people cutting back on work (and thus their paycheck) is not an option they can choose.

So how can you become more productive in the summer? Today we will discuss ten ways that you can make the most of your summer work schedule.

1)Get up early. Most likely your children want to spend all of their waking hours with you and will not give you time to work. Use the time when they are sleeping to get major projects done. You will probably be able to sneak little ones into your day here and there. This might mean cutting back on the number of hours you get to sleep every night, but as long as you are not doing it every morning you will probably be okay.

2)Hire a Mother’s Helper. School is out for everyone in your area, including for high school students. Many of them are probably looking to earn some extra cash this summer. You can hire them to play with your children while you are home. Your kids will like having someone that is a bit older to teach them new games and you will still be around in case they need you. Find someone that is willing and able to prepare lunch and snacks so that you will not be pulled away from work.

3)Plan Your Day. Create a schedule for everyday and stick to it. If you have activities planned every day you will probably have 20-30 minutes here and there that you can sit down and work on your own projects. Make 10 am free play with modeling clay so that mom can work time.

4)Go Out. Take your children to the local library or perhaps a restaurant with a play center. Any place where they can play while you can watch them and set up an on the go workstation. Our library has a great play area with puzzles, crayons, and blocks to play with. You could even combine lunch with letting your children play at a play area while you work. There are many restaurants in my area that have some sort of indoor play area.

5)Take Your Kids to the Park. You may have all kinds of fun things in your backyard but your kids can still get bored doing the same old thing all the time. They will love the new landscape and you can set up a mobile office at a picnic table. Plus some fresh air will do wonders in getting more work done.

6)Be Prepared. You never know when your children might become engrossed with building with their legos or cooking a seven course meal in their play kitchen. Have tasks ready that you can pick up at a moment’s notice and start working on.

7)Prioritize. Decide what needs to be worked on now and what can wait till later. For instance phone calls to clients will probably need to be returned during regular business hours. Writing an article or preparing orders to ship can be done after your children go to bed for the evening. You want to figure out ahead of time what you can work on when so that you are not scrambling to get it all done.

8)Invite Friends Over. A great way to entertain your children is by inviting a friend over to play. They can run, build, create and talk to each other, all while you are crossing tasks off your to do list. They may take breaks to ask you for snacks and drinks but they probably won’t be asking you to play with them.

9)Play Dates. The opposite of asking a friend over would be your child going to a friend’s home. Obviously this would depend on your child’s age and their comfort level (and yours) of going to another’s home. This could give you several uninterrupted hours to work.

10)Relax. It is summer after all. Spend time with your children. Go to the beach, ride your bikes, go for a nature hike. The main reason you are working at home is to be with your kids, so take advantage of them being home for the summer. School will be back in before you know it and so will plenty of time to work.

What are some of the ways you get work done in the summer? Do you find you don’t get as much done?

Warmly,
Mia

This post originated from It's A WAHM Thing, a magazine for work at home moms.

It is also a little too hot to be outside, so we have been cooped up in our house. If you are in the same situation and looking for something cool to do with your kids, then look no further. Today’s recipe is for No Bake Cookies.

These cookies require no time in the oven and no using the cook top. In fact they even spend a little bit of time in the refrigerator, so they are nice and cool to work with. And they are yummy too! Sounds perfect.

Here is what you will need:

3 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 -14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)

Mix together the sugar and cocoa powder in a large bowl. Add the condensed milk and vanilla extract. This may get hard for your child to mix, so you may need to help out. Add in the coconut and nuts and stir or knead until mixed thoroughly. Place the mixture into the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Take out and roll or drop into 1-inch balls onto a cookie sheet. Place back in the refrigerator for two hours. Store in an airtight container (if any are left-over).

These cookies are a perfect summertime treat. The do not exactly like the hot weather though, so if you do have any leftovers keep them in the refrigerator. Your children will love making them and eating them.

What is your favorite no bake treat? Do your children love to help in the kitchen?

Warmly,
Mia

This post originated from It's A WAHM Thing, a magazine for work at home moms.

It can all seem very “talk of the moment” that is easy to brush off as just being the latest news story. I for one think it is an important topic to consider though. I want my daughter to respect this planet that we live on and hope that it will be a beautiful place to live for future generations.

I would like to give some ideas for greening your home office. If everyone makes just a few small changes we can make quite a difference in the world.

You are already working from (or about to I hope), so you have done one major thing to go green. No commute, which means no gasoline and no automobile emissions for trips back and forth to work.

Change the incandescent bulbs in your workspace to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL). CFLs can last up to 15 times longer than an incandescent light bulb and use only one-third of the electricity. They do cost more but can last up to five years and reduce your electrical bill by 12%.

Reduce your paper output. Stop printing off emails or ebooks and instead read them online. The paper that you print on requires that trees be cut down and then a mill to process it, which also uses water and electricity. Try to buy recycled paper with a high post consumer waste content. If you must print something, print double sided or set to print 2 pages per sheet of paper.

Make sure your computer is set to a power saving mode. This will shut your computer down anytime is sits for a set period of time with no activity. If your printer or scanner is not in use then make sure they are off or unplugged. Also do not keep your cell phone charger plugged into the wall when not in use. They are still using electricity even when not charging your phone.

What are some of the ways that you are green in your home office? Is it something that you think about on a daily basis?

Warmly,
Mia

This post originated from It's A WAHM Thing, a magazine for work at home moms.

Started in 1868 by Joseph Ray Watkins, it was based on selling remedies for health ailments. Their product line expanded into items for the kitchen, including the product they are most famous for, Vanilla extract.

Offering start up packages that will fit every budget this can be a very economical company to join. Depending on your upline you may join a support team that offers extra training and experience. I have heard good things about the Summit Group.

Watkins sells products for the kitchen, the home and the medicine cabinet. Last year they introduced a line of environmentally friendly cleaning products. Their best sellers are Vanilla extract, Cinnamon, Pepper, Red Liniment, and Petro Carbo Salve. They also have a full line of nutritional supplements.

Pretty much everything in their line of over 300 products is consumable, meaning customers are more likely to reorder from you. It is also a company that appeals to both women and men.

Products can be ordered in one of four ways. They offer catalog ordering, a toll free hotline staffed by operators, and ordering online through their website. Products can also be directly ordered from the consultant and you would fulfill orders from your own inventory or by placing an order with the company. They even have a home party plan program designed to let people try before they buy.

There are a few downsides to the company. Despite its long history it may be difficult to find people that have heard of Watkins. To combat this, the company started a brand awareness program at various retailers around the country. They sell some of their most popular items at large chain stores to get the word out that Watkins is still around. There has been criticism by some consultants for this program.

Have you heard of Watkins? Are you consultant with the company? We would love to hear about your experiences!

Warmly,
Mia

This post originated from It's A WAHM Thing, a magazine for work at home moms.

Sending your children to daycare is always an option, but you lose time driving them there and picking them up. Plus they are not longer at home which may be one of the major reasons why you work from home.

Hiring a nanny is something to look into, but that is usually the most expensive child care option. A nanny may charge around $600 a week to watch your children for 45 hours.

An option growing in popularity is to hire an au pair. According to a recent article on CNN.com there are more than 22,000 au pairs working in the United States.

Au pairs are young foreigners allowed to provide live-in child care and take classes for up to two years — unlike nannies, who generally are already in the United States and caring for children as a career. Under State Department rules, au pairs work up to 45 hours a week. The aides, who must be at least 18, get room, board, and stipends.

The French name and globe-trotting nature might give it a rarified image, but many families say they hire au pairs for down-to-earth reasons: flexible hours, relative affordability, convenience and individual attention.

The US State Department administers the au pair program. They work with twelve approved agencies to match families with an au pair. A family must pay a fee to the agency that goes toward training, travel, and medical insurance for the au pair. There is also a weekly fee paid to the au pair depending on the amount of hours worked.

Families that have employed an au pair say it is like adding a new member to the family and a cultural exchange all in one.

Do you need child care in order to work at home? What is your child care solution? I can see that an au pair may be a great solution for many families.

Warmly,
Mia

This post originated from It's A WAHM Thing, a magazine for work at home moms.

I’m guessing that most of you, like me, have very little opportunity to get away from your children on a daily basis. Today we are going to talk about 10 easy hobbies that you can do at home with your children around.

1)Scrapbooking. This is a super popular hobby right now. Every craft supply store has aisles devoted to it and there are whole stores specializing in selling the supplies. In my area alone there are three really great scrapbooking stores. To get started you really just need some specialty paper, pictures, adhesive and scissors and/or a paper trimmer. You can set everything up on your kitchen table to “crop” while your children are playing. Check out Scrapbook.com or About.com for ideas.

2)Knitting. This may conjure up visions of old women knitting little baby booties, but knitting as a hobby has definitely undergone a resurgence in popularity. Doctors and lawyers are knitting for stress relief. Montessori and Waldorf schools teach children how to knit as a regular part of their curriculum. Knitting is a great hobby because you can knit just about anywhere, but you only need to bring your yarn, needles and pattern with you. I am a huge fan of knitting socks myself and my daughter loves to play with yarn scraps while I knit. Knittinghelp.com, Knitty.com, and Ravelry.com are all wonderful places to learn more.

3)Reading. This can be one of the most inexpensive hobbies to have, especially if you utilize your community’s library. My daughter and I often go to story time at the library and while there we will check out some books. I always make sure that I get one for myself, everything from chick lit to books on parenting. I may not have more than 15 minutes here or there to read, but I always like to make time for it. The best moments for reading are in a nice hot bath after a long day.

4)Gardening. Some may call this a hobby and others may say it is a chore, but this can be a very relaxing activity with a nice reward if you enjoy it. Tending to your plants in the garden and inside can easily be accomplished while your children play. They may even want to help you out. Watching your flowers, trees, and vegetables flourish can be very fulfilling.

5)Sewing. This one brings back memories of home ec class. This can be a great way to save money on clothes, plus make custom outfits that will fit you and your family perfectly. I know that I have the hardest time finding pants that will fit my daughter and this skill would be a great one to have. My local craft store offers a beginner’s class and I am guessing that yours probably does too.

6)Jewelry Making. This is another hobby that you are sure to find supplies for at your local craft store. Beads, string or wire, and some simple tools are all that you need. You will be able to create great pieces to accessorize your outfits with, plus make beautiful gifts for family and friends. About.com has a very comprehensive site on how to get started.

7)Painting. Who says you have to be an expert in order to use a brush and paint? My daughter is quite the fan of water colors and so am I. We have a great time together creating works of art to hang on our fridge. Maybe someday we will move up to canvas and oil paints. My local community college offers a very low cost course for beginners.

8)Playing an instrument. The possibilities are pretty limitless here. You can learn how to play everything from a guitar, to a piano, to a tuba. Check out your local music store for classes or look for ones online. My husband is teaching himself to play guitar in the evenings after my daughter has gone to bed with the help of lessons at GuitarTricks.com. Utimate-guitar.com is also one that he highly recommends.

9)Genealogy. With the help of Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org, filling in the missing pieces of your family tree can be very easy. I have even found some local cousins that I didn’t even know that I had by researching my family tree.

10)Drawing. This is another hobby that you can rifle through your children’s art box for. A pad of nice sketch paper and some pencils will get you started. Start out by drawing the things around you. Practice makes perfect, but the point is not to create a perfect piece of artwork. It is to have fun and to express your creative side. Drawspace.com is a great starting point.

The best part about taking up a hobby is that you never know if it may translate into a work at home business. Many people have successfully taken something that they love and created a successful business. You just never know.

What are some of your favorite hobbies? How long have you been doing them? Remember that you are never limited to just one hobby either. Feel free to experiment to find one that works for you.

Warmly,
Mia

This post originated from It's A WAHM Thing, a magazine for work at home moms.

Have you ever noticed how most kids love dirt and everything to do with it? Bugs, digging, and getting it all over their hands. Today’s recipe is for dirt pudding. Now they can eat “dirt” too.

For the dirt pudding you will need:

1 package of chocolate sandwich cookies
1 - 8 ounce package of cream cheese
½ cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar
2 – 5 ½ ounce packages of instant vanilla pudding
1 – 12 ounce tub of whipped topping
gummy worms and bugs

Place the cookies into a sealable bag. Allow your children to smash them into little pieces with a mallet. Alternatively you can place them in the blender or food processor. Smashing is more fun though. In a large bowl mix the cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar together. Add the pudding mix and then fold in the whipped topping. Mix in about ¾ of the smashed cookies, holding some in reserve for sprinkling on top of the completed dessert. Add in the gummy worms and bugs.

Get creative in how you serve this dessert. Place it into clean buckets, flowerpots or even a dump truck to play off of the dirt theme. Sprinkle the remaining cookies on top and make sure there are some gummy worms and bugs sticking out of the top. Dish it up with a shovel to complete the look.

Are your kid’s big fans of dirt? Have they ever had dirt pudding? I know my daughter is a huge fan of digging in the garden and this is one of her favorite desserts.

Warmly,
Mia

This post originated from It's A WAHM Thing, a magazine for work at home moms.

15 minutes really doesn’t seem like that much time. Quarter of an hour. 900 Seconds. It isn’t much time, but you would be surprised what you can accomplish during 15 minutes. Plus almost everyone can find 15 minutes in their day.

Here are 15 things you can do in 15 minutes:

1)Answer Emails. Spending 15 minutes to reply to emails in your inbox can mean that you won’t have a backlog of emails that will take you hours to reply to if you let it go a few days. Plus clients appreciate getting a response in a timely manner.

2)Create a To Do List. Having a list of tasks to accomplish can mean a huge difference to your productivity. Rather than spending time working aimlessly, it is best to consider the big picture and work towards a larger goal. Sit down with pad and paper or computer and make a to do list for the day, the week, or the month. It is also a good idea to have a master to do list for the year.

3)Organize Your Desk. I don’t know about you, but if I can’t find my desk I am a lot less likely to sit down and work. Take just 15 minutes to clear things out of your in box and get rid of the paper that accumulates. I’m still waiting for our society to become paperless. By the amount of mail I receive on a daily basis, I don’t think that is going to happen any time soon.

4)Prepare Dinner. Dinner making is an almost daily chore in my house so that time is usually always spoken for. The biggest part of dinner is the prep work for sure. The gathering of ingredients, washing and chopping of vegetables, etc. takes time. Spend 15 minutes doing that all after lunch and place it in containers in the fridge. That will make preparing dinner a breeze when it comes time to cook. You will also be a lot less likely to order a takeout pizza last minute too.

5)Make Phone Calls. I know that most of my phone calls default to my voicemail because they always seem to come at the most inconvenient time. Return their phone calls by beginning with saying that you only have 5 minutes to talk and then stick to it. You can return 3 phone calls or more this way.

6)Write an Article. You can easily write a 300-400 word article in 15 minutes on a topic you are knowledgeable in. Trust me, I know ;)

7)Update Your Blog. I wrote a few weeks ago on the importance of having a blog for your work at home business. One of the reasons that they are such a great idea is because search engines love the fresh content on blogs. They will only have that fresh content if you are actively updating it though.

8)Take a break. In most areas if you have a work out of the home job you get a 15 minute break every four hours of work. Take the time to do nothing. You deserve it.

9)Put labels on catalogs. If you are in a direct sales business than you probably have catalogs printed on paper. All of those catalogs are useless unless you have your contact information on them. 15 minutes translates into a lot of catalogs that you can label.

10)Pack orders. You could fill and address a number of orders in 15 minutes. Get inventory off your shelves and into your customers’ mailboxes.

11)Keep up the books. Filing your taxes is a sure thing every year. Don’t leave all of your accounting to the last minute. Spend 15 minutes here and there to keep everything up to do. Organize receipts, input expenses and income into your spreadsheet. When April 15th rolls around you will be happy that you kept everything current.

12)Laundry. I can sort dirty clothes, throw a load of laundry in the washing machine and another into the dryer in 15 minutes. 15 minutes is also enough time to fold a basket of laundry and put it away. Don’t let the mound of laundry overtake your home.

13)Exercise or Meditate. Spend 15 minutes doing some yoga, go for a brisk walk, or take a little time to meditate in silence. You will find your mind cleared and ready to get work done.

14)Paint Your Nails. Give yourself a pedicure or apply a mud mask. Spend 15 minutes doing something for you. It is time for pampering.

15)Play with your kids. Your children will love it and so will you!

What do you do when you get 15 free minutes? Share your things to do in 15 minutes with us.

Warmly,
Mia

This post originated from It's A WAHM Thing, a magazine for work at home moms.

We started doing a mommy and me class when she was about six weeks old and bubbles were used in every session. Her face would just light up to see all of the bubbles floating around in the air. Now that she is bigger she loves to try and catch them. My 3-year-old nephew loves to blow his own bubbles.

Here is the bubble mix recipe:

½ cup dishwashing liquid (I have heard Joy brand works the best)
2 cups water
2 teaspoons sugar

Mix all of the ingredients together in a container that seals tightly with a lid. The longer the bubble mix ages, the better it will work. Glycerin can also be substituted for the sugar. You can find glycerin at a pharmacy.

I think bubbles are perfect for outdoor and bath time fun. You can find many different shaped bubble blowers at the store. You can also used just about anything that has a neat shape, cookie cutters come to mind. Get a package of pipe cleaners from a craft supply store and bend them into fun shapes and see what kind of bubbles you can make.

Bubbles can also make bath time great fun. Generally you are in a tiled area and already wet, so why not blow bubbles? This is a great trick for getting my daughter to look up as we pour water over her head to wash her hair.

I have even seen automatic bubble blowers at the store. If you need a bunch of bubbles to catch, run through, and delight your children all while getting some work done, this may be an absolute must have in your home.

Are bubbles a hit in your home? What are some of your children’s favorite bubble blowing activities? I hope that they enjoy making their own bubble solution.

Warmly,
Mia

This post originated from It's A WAHM Thing, a magazine for work at home moms.