Moving On to the Next Thing

"On to the Next Thing" -- Ross Perot used to say this, and we can't even remember the precise context—but the application for work-at-home moms and dads is simple. Remember Ross Perot? The guy who was running for president several races ago? He was refreshingly straightforward -- almost folksy -- in his use of uncomplicated language that didn't exclude the simple and the plain-spoken.

All of that to say, Mothers Working From Home, that when you've had your head in the proverbial ovens of web design and internet marketing for several hours a day, and you've decided to take a mommy-break, you need to consciously lay down the Marketing-Director-In-Training hat. Understanding the concepts and seeing how they all work together might well be fascinating for you, but rest assured, it is less so for the moms coloring in the children's section of the local library.

Keep in mind that networking with other moms, in your capacity as a parent, is just as important as learning html, returning phone calls, and making business contacts. The other thing to keep in mind is backup childcare.

Last week, I was fortunate enough to get an appointment at my doctor’s office the same day I called. My little one and I went to my neighbor’s house, intending to take advantage of a recent babysitting offer. She wasn’t there. The other neighbor we thought of was on her way out the door. Unable to think of anyone else to help get me out of this pinch, but bound and determined to keep the appointment, I packed books, toys and an array of snacks, and buckled my daughter into her car-seat.

When the doctor came into the room to examine my throat, we were sitting on the floor, reading. Snacks and juice-box were carefully laid out on my coat, which we were using as a picnic blanket. I tried to pay attention to my conversation with the doctor, while keeping a watchful eye on my child, whose curiosity about the cabinets and drawers was getting the best of her. Later, we both climbed onto the table. I held her in my lap with a thermometer in my mouth and the little one’s head resting on my chest. Good grief, I thought, staring at the ceiling tiles. If there were other moms in the waiting room, they had obviously found a more suitable childcare solution.

I wish I had known about backup childcare services. I will certainly breathe easier next time I have to spend a couple of hours at the mechanic's. Such services are often available through childcare centers, and sometimes through agencies specifically designed to enable parents to get their annual auto inspection, get their hair cut, or just take a break from being the One In Charge long enough to be the Patient.

copyright 2003-2005, little-turnips.com. All rights reserved.

Tricia Wellington is the mother of one preschooler. She is the founder of http://www.little-turnips.com and Sweet Girl's Cookie Press.

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