It's That Time of Year Again . . .

Summer!!! So the question is what to do with the kids. Argh!!! Mine love the structure of school and their friends. I honestly don't have answers. My main plan is to work as much at night as possible and play with the boys. I also hope to share a sitter with a fellow mompreneur. This girl is greatly in demand so I have to get my order in early. The good news is that I cannot wait to spend time with my little dudes. The pool is calling and so is the gym. I think it is going to be a great summer.

When the going gets tough . . .

I start a business. Some might say what are you thinking? It's going to be summer and your kids are going to be home from school. How can you build a business now? My answer, that's who I am. Today was a perfect example. I worked in my home office this morning for three different clients and also for myself. Then I took time to have a cup of coffee with a friend. Then it was off to pick up my youngest from school to go have a play date with a little buddy of his. While David and Evan played, his mom (my client) worked for two hours. We both had moments where we looked at each other and said, this is what it is all about. We talked, strategized and planned while we heard giggling and playing upstairs. Tammy's husband, who also runs a business, was on duty as a giant playmate. It just doesn't get any better than that. I ask you, how could I not start a business? Be stuck in a job from 9 to 5 while my kids are parked somewhere? I think not.

See a Need and Create a Company

It's amazing what can happen when a women sees a need. You hear it over and over; here is a good example. One women realized there are women who are highly successful and capable individuals who have chosen to stay home and raise their families. They have a lot to offer but limited time. She created an employment agency for these women. That's how the Mom's Corp. came into existence. Check it out.

So there are some good things to look forward to

The good news is that moms who juggle work and family tend to be thinner and healthier when they get into their 50's. It must be the constant juggling of schedules, running from meetings to soccer games. I am actually surprised because I assumed that busy women are forced into eating junk food on the run. Feel free to check out the article yourself. Working Moms Healthier, Thinner Than Stay at Homes

So it's True!

The results are in! Someone actually took time to figure it out. Most of us already knew, all they had to do was ask us. I am just sharing this with you for your reading enjoyment.

This year, Salary.com compensation experts have come up with a job analysis and these price tags for both categories:

• Stay-at-home moms work an average 91.6 hours a week. That should be worth $134,121 annually.
• Working moms also put in 49.8 hours a week on the job at home. They should get $85,876 a year.

The compensation analysts figure the lowest paying parts of a mom's job are housekeeper, laundry machine operator and janitor. Higher paying categories include computer operator, facilities manager, psychologist and family CEO. The Salary.com numbers are sure to stir up controversy. But this is not debatable: Moms simply are priceless, and nothing could compensate them properly for all they do.

So Is Boarding School The Option?

Today was a tough day. One of those days. As I was talking to another mom, we discussed what life would be like when our kids became teenagers. And suddenly the other mom got a far off look and said, I wonder when they are building the dorms for the boarding school. We both laughed. There are days when that seems to be an favorable option. And then I got home with my boys and had a nice evening that included a bath and lots of giggles. Argh!! It's exhausting. It's fun. I feel like I am at a movie, but it never ends. I laughed, I cried and I slept. And then it was another day.

Why Can't We All Just Get Along?

You can hardly open a newspaper, browse the web or watch the news without hearing about the "Mommy Wars." Here I am writing about it. To me it seems counter productive to be pitting mothers against mothers. We are all mothers, first and foremost!!!! It does not matter whether we go outside the home to work, we have a business we run from the home or we make our home the business. We are all mothers. My thought, for what it's worth, is let's ban together and help each other. Let' support each other. We all make choices of how we live for our own reasons. Usually the choices work. More often than not, the kids turn out all right. I don't care what choice you make, there are times when you might feel like you did not make the right choice. Then there are times when you know the choice you made was the only one you could make. But the most important thing is not to dilute the reason we are making choices. Because we are individuals who are mothers. I say, give peace a chance.

Doctor is there anything I can do?

Okay, it's not that bad, well sometimes it is. I took David for his four year check up. It's always exciting! This is when I get to hear how big my boys have grown and where they fall in the percentile. They get weighed and measured. The nurses carry on how cute the boys are as they poke and prod them, and then they give their little arms a hug (take their blood pressure). After we go through the usual questions with the Doctor, yes he can jump, run and speak. He asks, "Is there anything you are concerned about?" Hmm, how do you ask a question when you know you are not going to like the answer. I said "Yes, any suggestions on how to work with a child that is full of energy and a bit challenging." There, I said it, out loud. And then I waited, as David rode the Doctor's stool around the examining room, for his words of wisdom. "Well, Mrs. Allen, you just need to be tough. When you say A, you must do A and don't get weak and give in to him. It the battle of the wills." I must say it was disheartening. I was looking for something a little less exhausting. So, as hard as it is to do, I must the be the "mean" mom until he gets over it. And I guess that's when they go off to college.

When one door closes open a window

So when last I wrote I had just come off my high of helping create a new event at our school. We are already planning the next one. It's going to be bigger and better and this time it will be in the fall so our moms can start there holiday shopping early. We also have had Spring Break, some holidays and got through Winter. The big news was last Monday when I decided to shift careers and re-think my business plans. I realized I was not living my passion. My work became that, work. I loved helping my clients, yet it did not seem to fit me. Then two things happened, one of my associates shared some insight he had with his prospects which gave me a glimpse of an idea of a need. And, I met with my "mastermind group" buds. They really showed me I was missing the boat. I was wasting all my talent. So here I am again, about to head into Summer and launching a new business. Hmm, so what was I thinking. Yes, I closed the one door, but that's okay, I am already climbing out the window. And yes, I am reaching for the stars. I'll keep you posted!!!