12 Tips For New Stay At Home Moms, Thanks #MSNKnowNow

Being a stay at home mom is no joke, being a work from home mom isn’t a walk in the park either.  adjusting to working from home, well it’s totally different I can honestly say I love it and I feel blessed to be able to be home with my family.  It’s been about a year since I realized how badly I needed to be home for my family.  I think many women come to a point where they feel their place is at home with they’re family.  I knew my family needed me, so I worked hard to see that I was able to be there for my family.  I worked all day at the bank 10-12 hours, came home and often only slept an hour or two.  To be honest over the last year I don’t think I ever slept more than 4 hours, unless my husband was home and he would make me sleep in.  Anyway, I’m excited it’s all over.  I’m now a work from home mom, and my family is getting the attention they deserve.  Too bad things are not always that easy, lol.  They never are you know…

I was doing my daily reading on the New MSN, and realized OMG, it’s almost Father’s Day, I mean we still have time to do something super special for dad on his special day.  It just made me stop and realize that since I have left my job I do not even know what the date is.  I know my kids are done with school on Thursday, my birthday is next Monday, and today is Sunday.  That’s about that, I have to set the important events in my phone or something like that.  Wow being a work at home mom is going to take some getting used to isn’t it?

Which really got me things, there is a few things I’m going to have to do differently as a work at home mom.  After spending a little time researching the subject on the new, totally awesome, super-fast, MSN, which I love so much.  It’s always been my go-to-place when I need to know something, want to check the news, and just about anything else.  Anyway, since I realized that being a stay/work from home mom is totally different from when I used to get up and go to work.  I decided to share a list of things I feel is important to focus on while making the transition from working outside of the home, to now working from home and being mommy.

Ask questions:  I’m known for figuring things out my life, some call it the hard way.  I like to say I’m independent, lol.  However, when it comes to my daily life, remembering holidays, and making life better for my family I think I’m going to swallow my “independent” pride and talk with other work from home moms, and stay at home moms.  In my line of work I know tons of work from home mom, and stay at home moms.  I am going to ask more question when I chatting with them.  I’m a firm believer that we can all learn something from one another, and the only dumb question is the one that goes unasked.

Take a deep breath: I realize that everything is going to take time.  I might need to find the right time of day to work, and try different times to see what fits in my family.  I used to feel like there was not enough time in the day, now I don’t know how to schedule my day.  I’m going to take a deep breath every single morning, look at my wonderful family, and remind myself how lucky I am to actually be home with my children.

Schedule/Organization:  I have only been home a few weeks, and have had no schedule or organization in my life other than what time kids go here and there, dinner is on the table, and kids to go bed.  I have worked since I turned 15, work ethics were drilled in me since I can remember.  It’s almost natural for me to work until everything is done.  I’m now blogging full-time it extremely important for me to have a schedule.  Not having a routine, has had an impact on me and my children.  I think it’s only fair, after all that’s why I wanted to stay home so bad, to spend more quality time with my family.  Plus when I have a schedule I tend to get more work done, rather than fiddle around and slowly get things done.

Mom time: I have always heard when you’re a stay at home mom be sure and make time for mom.  No need to worry, I will be making mom time.  Theirs is several things I enjoy doing and I’m super lucky that my husband is always understanding of mom time.  He stayed at home with the kids for two years when he was out of work, so he’s always more than supportive when it comes to things like this.

Enjoy, Enjoy, Enjoy: I have always been a workaholic, well until I had my children.  Since I have been home I have noticed that I need to control my workaholic nature.  I need to focus some of my energy in other areas of my life, not just work.  It truly will be a learning experience, but I’m up for the task.

Set goals:  I know myself all too well, I have to always have a goal I’m working for.  Something that makes me feel good about myself.  I think we all do, and it’s important to keep that up when you’re at home too.  I can see how it would be easy to get sucked into the world of worrying about other, and forgetting about yourself.  I’m actually really glad I still have this blog, it’s a great way for me to feel accomplished each and every day, while contributing financially.  Sure setting goals to do things around the house is good, but those are goals that are for everyone else too.  While that is good, and I’m am in no way saying they are not great goals.  I believe that having something that’s yours, and only yours helps you remember that YOU ROCK is important.  Have your own little thing that makes you feel warm and fuzzy on the inside.

Stay sharp:  Don’t let everything you learned from your working years go to waste.  Keep your brain active and learning take an online class, work from home, get involved with church or other organizations that interest you, read, write, volunteer, or anything else that keeps you up and active.

Don’t do everything:  With six people in this house you can bet your bottom dollar I’m not going to do everything.  Assigning responsibility to everyone in the house not only helps me but it helps them as well.  I believe it’s important for children to have some type of responsibility.  It’s just nice that now I’m here to see it get accomplished, and show my children that I’m thankful for their help, and remind them that hard-work doesn’t go unnoticed.

Date Night: Yes, this is my favorite and something my husband and I have been doing at least every other week for the last two years.  Continuing our date nights is extremely important to me, and I know it is him as well.  If you have followed my blog for a while, you might have read a time our two about our little falling out.  When we got back together we made some permeate changes that have helped make our relationship stronger than ever, and having our date nights is one of them.

Dates with the kids: While having date night with the hubs is extremely important, having a date with the kids is important as well.  I have four children, we do things together all the time especially now that I’m not leaving the house for work all day.  By date with the kids, I mean taking each child out for some one-on-one time.  I try to do something once a week with each child.  We might not head for the movies, but I will take them with me on an adventure to the store, a drive, anything that just gives us time to connect and remind them how special they are to me.

Get out: This one I think I have covered, lol.  It’s important to get out of the house and interact with adults, and let your children interact with other children.  I just signed my youngest daughter up for dance class, and am part of a mommy play group.

Be open-minded:  Being a new stay at home mom is a total flip from what I’m used to, and I need to remember to be open-minded to change until I find a routine that works for me and my family.

I knew staying home was something that needed to happen, it would be better for the entire family.  Which is why I have worked so hard on my blog the last year.  Once I realized that blogging could be my way to be home with the children and make enough money to keep my husband and I on track, I set a goal.  I gave myself one year, I worked hard, my husband supported me 100%, he worked hard stepping in for me while I was working, and it’s finally here.  Everything paid off, it’s something I teach my children.  If you work hard at something and don’t give up, it will work out the way it’s supposed to.  I teach my children that hard work pays off, and I’m grateful they were able to see me work so hard to be in their lives more.

All in all, I cannot tell you how blessed I feel to be able to work from home and be here for my family.  The difference in my family is a complete flip-flop.  My mother-n-law came to me last night, and the first thing she did when my daughters and I walked up was hug me.  She told me, “thank you for making her son and grandchildren so happy, thank you for giving up my career, and thank you for loving them as much as I do.”  The difference is so dramatic that even she feels it when she is in our home and around us.  It’s made that much of a difference, the kids are doing better in school (even though it’s almost out for summer, lol), my kids are so much happier in general, my husband and I’ relastionship feels stronger, and I’m so much happier.  It’s amazing, and I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am that I’m able to be home with my family.

I love that my daily snoops on MSN often lead to so much more, lol.  Really, I cannot tell you how many blog post ideas have come from my daily reads at MSN and anytime I have question, or need to do research that’s my go to place.  Incase you have not noticed how much more awesome MSN is, be sure to read: Why I Read MSN Rather Than Watch The News or head over and visit the NEW Awesome MSN NOW.

This post was created in partnership with MSN. Find out more about the all new MSN experience at allnew.msn.com or see it in action on Windows 8, Android, or on iOS at msn.com