It’s been six months since I worked outside the home.  In many ways, it feels like just yesterday that I was pulling into work.  In other ways, it feels as though I haven’t worked for years.  I am, by no means, an expert at being a stay-at-home mom.

If you were to ask me in college, where my kids were going to go to school, homeschooling would have been my last option. I had so many preconceived notions about what homeschooling was and the families that chose to participate in it.

Stepping up to the plate isn’t always easy when it comes to volunteering your time for anything. Most moms are busier than ever nowadays and are professional jugglers. The fear of dropping the ball or taking a misstep at any time can be worrisome to most moms. Have no fear, you can do it.

I love story time.  Story time was one of the first activities I brought my girls to when I became a stay-at-home mom.  I have only had the opportunity to attend the story time at the Weyers Hilliard Library in Howard. But, there are many different story times offered throughout the Brown County Library System.

What if your child couldn’t eat candy? That would take away a HUGE chunk of Halloween. This was the problem Becky Basalone, a mom in Tennessee, faced in 2012. At a local Trunk-or-Treat event sponsored by her local food allergy group FACET, she offered non-food treats out of her car’s trunk.

Meet Karen DeBaker, a local mom whose mission is to spread good.  Take a moment to read how she is changing the world with one random act of kindness at a time and learn how you can become part of the movement!

Packing a school lunch for the first time. Should be easy, right? Thoughts rush into my head of other people actually seeing what I feed my child at home — some days are great, I am supermom — I actually made dinner that night (rare occasion). Most days are an agglomeration of what I know she likes and will eat, and me attempting to sneak in some veggies (nearly impossible).

They have to feel some sense of ownership and power in what is happening, but I am still the parent in charge.  So giving them choices throughout their day is our solution.  It seems simple enough, and I know many others do this as well, but we really make a conscious effort to use them all the time.  

The day was winding down, and the mess from the party had been cleaned up.  I no longer had a 4-year-old, but a 5-year-old.  Despite her obvious tiredness, my daughter was still beaming from the day's festivities.

I can only begin to imagine how I’ll feel when my girls are old enough to start school. For now, I am flooded with the thoughts of parents around me.