Once upon a time, I was an elementary music teacher. I really enjoyed teaching children. Watching them grow into little musicians was such a treat.
Meanwhile, back at home I had two babies within 16 months of each other. And then I became pregnant with our third child.
And as much as I loved my students, I didn’t love being told that I had to choose between my job and going with my sick baby to the hospital.
I didn’t love the politics at the local level, or the national level, or anywhere else.
And I didn’t love being forced to constantly prove that my job mattered (since music is often the first thing cut from a struggling school district’s budget).
A Dream Come True
When our family could finally wiggle room for me to be a stay at home mom, we made the move. The summer my third baby was born, I put in my notice and gave up my teaching job.
Sometimes it feels like that was a lifetime ago…and I suppose it was my third born’s lifetime ago! But no sooner than meeting our goal of staying home with our kids, I began to hear a certain question. If you are also a stay at home mom, you probably get this question as often as I do.
“When are you going back to work?”
Let me clarify that it doesn’t bother me when people ask this. I think it’s a natural question, since we so often identify with each other through work.
But I tend to hem haw around that question. There’s not a great answer. I doubt I’ll ever be a full time teacher again.
In fact, I’ll let you in on a secret… I don’t want to go back to work for someone else.
What Else is There?
If you’re a “road less traveled” kind of gal, you have the same kinds of thoughts. There are so many ways you can contribute financially to your family, even without a traditional job.
When you start out as a stay at home mom, more work is probably not doable. Caring for a young baby or toddler, especially while pregnant and not getting enough rest, makes taking on additional work at home nearly impossible.
But as your babies grow, you’ll start to find more space in your day. That’s time that you can start to put to work for you, if you want to.
Starting a New Dream
With new found free time on my hands, I decided to try blogging. And I’ve learned that I enjoy blogging for so many reasons!
- Create something all your own.
- Connections with other Moms you might otherwise never meet.
- Using the blog to create a business and make some extra money for your family. Extra money that would mean paying down debt more quickly. Extra money that would mean being able to make larger contributions to worthy causes and people who are truly in need.
My blog is still pretty new, and I haven’t made any money from it yet. I’m still learning how to blog and where I fit in on the world wide web. I want to be very deliberate about what I do here. I want to be sure that the choices I make don’t benefit my wallet more than they benefit my readers. So I am still reading and researching.
Becoming a Money Making Mom
That’s why, when I learned that the title of Crystal Paine’s newest book was Money Making Mom, How Every Woman Can Earn More and Make a Difference, I couldn’t believe the timing. Just as I was ready to join the world of entrepreneurs, there was a perfect book just waiting for me. It was like an amazing God wink.
Crystal generously offered me an advanced copy to read. I have to tell you, this book is encouraging. She has a way with words that makes you feel like you can accomplish great things.
Money Making Mom offers real world advice that any Mom with an entrepreneurial spirit can follow. She gives real life examples from women who have their own businesses from a variety of backgrounds.
This book is unique from other entrepreneurial books I have read. In addition to discussing the whys and hows of beginning a business, it also talks about keeping a good balance in your life between work and family. (That’s a struggle I think all working Moms can relate to!) And her words about generosity are truly inspiring.
I am not a person who typically purchases a lot of books since you can get them from the library. But I would definitely purchase this book to keep as a resource.
It’s that good.
And I promise you that I wouldn’t promote anything that I wouldn’t truly purchase myself.
If you aren’t sure yet (or if just want more great resources!), you can try a free 5 day course about how to Make Money from Home.
Have you ever considered starting a business? What is stopping you from beginning or from being successful?
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I'm Jamie, and I want to help you afford a beautiful life with your family. 
Wow, this story is so similar to to mine! I was an elementary music teacher, and this year I’m staying home with my two children. I’m eagerly anticipating Crystal’s book! Glad to hear it was helpful to you!
That’s wonderful that you were able to make it work! Definitely check out her book, you will not be disappointed.
I was a successful human resources director before I stayed home with my boys and then homeschooled them. I loved my job, but I loved raising my boys even more. Yes, it was tough as times, but oh so worth it. Now my boys are teens (one in college and one a junior.) I went back to school. Studied to be a health coach and now I am working on getting my business out there. I love working with my clients and am so happy to have started my own business. I never want to go back to work for someone else. I started a blog a few months ago and absolutely love writing about health. So glad you know what you want to do – raise your kids and blog.
Thanks so much for sharing your story! I love that you found a way to do what was right for your family.
We have a lot in common. I used to teach before I had kids. Now I have four kids. I loved teaching but I’m not sure I would have the energy to go back and be the best parent for my kids. Blogging has been such a joy to me too! Thank you for linking up at #100HappyDays!
We do have a lot in common! I really enjoy your linky of happiness. 🙂
I can relate, I’ve had a few jobs since we had our first son and by our 3rd I realized just as you did that I didn’t want to have to choose work over taking my child to the hospital (for asthma as well). mh husband and I decided that it’d be best for me to stay at home both got myself and the boys and Ive yet to regret that decision.
I agree, I am so happy I made that decision, too. It’s been well worth it to be home for my kids whenever they need me. Thanks for reading!
This book sounds awesome!
It’s very uplifting and empowering!
I was a stay at home mom for most of my son’s childhood and although it involved making sacrifices, it was absolutely the best thing for our family. I still consider myself a housewife even though I have been writing and blogging for 13 years now and our son is grown up. I think you have to do what works best for your family and I’m so pleased your decision is working out so well for you, Jamie. Having said that, a little extra money always comes in handy! Money Making Mom sounds like a great book! Thank you for sharing it with us at the Hearth and Soul Hop.
I am still trying to find a good balance between blogging and family time, but ideally I want blogging to be a way to spend more time with my family and less time working.
I really love this post! I am only 22 and do not yet have any babies, but I’d love to be able to stay at home with them when the time comes. It’s something I feel very passionate about, but I worry about the questions such as the one you mentioned, or others that I’d get. Great post, I loved reading it!
Great article thanks for sharing.
I think what you are doing is great. I am too far into what I am doing (Sped teacher) to give it up. But I got less than eight years before I can retire and I will at the first opportunity I can. The politics of education are getting stranger and stranger every year. (In a big city near me, someone I know got elected to the school board, her mom told me that it is a shame because she shouldn’t be allowed to teach a dog to roll over because she is a little off).
But anyway, I think do what what makes you happy and you enjoy. Raising your kids is more important. More Money is nice but it can’t replace time spent with your kids or happiness.
Thanks for the follow Jamie. I am also following you. You have an exciting website. Your information is written in a concise manner. Great for you site visitors. All the best to you.
Marilyn
LOVED this post! Although I am a Grandma with four grown up kids and a few grand kids, and blogging was not a “thing” when I was raising my children, I wish I had had this chance back then. I actually chose to become a teacher so I could bring my kids with me to work. LOL It worked, but it was crazy! NOW, I’m still teaching–near the end of my career, and I just started my own homesteading blog a few months ago. I’m really hoping to have my primary income be from blogging and not my retirement check–which is going to be pretty measly. AND I have found that I love writing. Thanks for mentioning Crystal’s book—I just clicked through and purchased the Kindle and the Audible styles and I’m really looking forward to the read. Look forward to more of your posts!
Wow, thank you so much! I always said that I hated to leave my kids, but if I had to work teaching was a great job for a Mom. I had more time with them than I would have otherwise.
Great post! I became a stay at home mom shortly after I had our first child and had returned to work. I just couldn’t handle it. There weren’t enough hours in the day and I wasn’t spending the quality time I really wanted to with my little girl. I was also pregnant with my second child, my kids are 14 months apart. I am currently pregnant with our third.
I don’t regret for a second leaving my great paying medical job. Not for a second. I love being home with my kids, teaching them, learning new things, and finding non-conventional ways to contribute to our finances. We have definitely made sacrifices, but they’re worth it!
Thanks for sharing with us at the homestead blog hop!