One Mom's Journey

I think we are all pretty much in the same boat.  We live busy lives, and we have young children that require supervision when we are away.  Well, it is time to admit to ourselves that we need date nights.  Here are 10 signs you are in need of some serious one on one time with your partner.

10. You Dread your Daily Routine

Every day is the same old. Wake up, get dressed, gets kids dressed, feed, clean etc. Fill in the blanks with how your daily rolls out.

Wake up.  Change diapers.  Make breakfast. Clean.  Maybe take care of yourself.  Clean again.  Prepare more food. Clean up some more.  Play.  Play some more.  Hubby is home, day is over.

Being an entrepreneur means that after my kids shut down for the night, I usually hit the keyboard at a fierce pace.  Research some content, write some content, sometimes multiples in one night just to try and stay ahead of the game.  Work on my online store, my website, read some awesome Social Media Examiner, then hit the hay.

Networking is a must, and we need to do it one on one.

This routine I just described is pretty typical of a Stay at Home Mom (SAHM) with a small business.  This is why I wanted to focus on some other methods of conducting business.  Networking.  Whether it is a dog walking company, a tutoring business, an online store or a massage therapist - networking is a must, and we need to do it one on one.  Let's step away from using only social marketing and join a local networking group.  Why you ask?

Depending on how you perceive couponing or deal sites will depend on your strategy here. In my case, being a self-published and new author, I would consider using a site like this for pure reach and free advertising. If I earn sales from the deal site, that is great, but be warned, your 'take home' is not huge.

Sites like Groupon, Wagjag and Sweet Deals will typically ask for a minimum discount on your product or service up to 90% off the retail price. Then they will take up to 50% of that number as profit when it sells. For example, my books currently retail for $14.50, I would offer them for $8.50 and the deal site will take $4.25, leaving me with a 'take home' of $4.25.

Why would a company ever use a site like this if it cuts so deep into profit margins?  Strategy is the correct answer.  These are a few reasons why it may be a good tactic for your business.

Reach

Before anyone knew what a digital footprint was, we all just posted, and status updated, and pinned,

and tagged to our hearts content. Later, we finally become educated and realize that everything, and

I mean EVERYTHING, that we have posted online will remain there, eternally. And this is searchable by

employers, future partners and your very own children.

Here are some ways to clean up that digital footprint and get ready for whatever the future holds.

#1 – Facebook Profile Settings

You will want to check your privacy settings and make sure that have your Facebook account is set to

friends only. Otherwise, anyone can see your timeline.

Rewind to 2010, when my daughter was born.  First time mom, lack of sleep, a baby that constantly suckled on my breasts, lack of sleep and did I mention lack of sleep?  My husband and I did it.  We committed the ultimate sin (according to some).  We gave our baby a pacifier...and guess what.  We slept.  It was wonderful, it was glorious!  I had no regrets - until she turned two.  It was crazy.

This is where I began to refer to her soother habit as an addiction. Because it was just that.  This is also when I started noticing the shifting of the teeth, so I asked around and researched and sure enough, it was recommended to try and wean a toddler of a pacifier no later than two because of the damage it can cause to the upper mouth and teeth alignment.  But, I had another new born, and it was soooooooo easy to just plug that soother in my two year olds mouth as the solution to EVERY SINGLE PROBLEM.  I am not sure looking back if the addiction was hers or mine...because that pacifier was my savior.

Yes, I did some research on soothers, but at the end of the day, sleep outweighed the potential negatives 100 per cent.  I thought you may find it useful to see some of the research I came across along the way.It may help you come to terms with the pacifier/soother vortex you have just entered and/or support your reasons for never giving a soother in the first place.

Positives:

The oxford Dictionary word of the year for 2013 "selfie" 

I really dislike selfies.  There, I said it.   Why, you ask?  Because I feel like they are self-fulfilling, self-esteem needing, self-involved photos.  I get it, once in awhile is not a bad thing.  Sure, you want to show off how darn good you look dressed up to go to a wedding - why not?  You rarely do it.  BUT YOU!  The one who posts a new selfie, kissy face, peace sign every hour on the hour - seriously...why?  I think I may start un-friending obsessive selfie takers.

Oh and you - ya you!  You know who you are - the friend who constantly comments on the obsessive selfie taker telling them how great they look and how pretty they are - do you know what you are doing?  You are encouraging them to post over and over and over again!  You are just as bad as they are.