Looking For Affordable Advertising? Join Our Banner Rotation

Rainy day activities

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

I thought summer was supposed to be all about fun in the sun and playing outside. It is not supposed to involve being stuck inside while that storm that just won’t go away sets records for the most days in a row with rain. It has been a long two weeks, and me and my little ones have been getting antsy. We finally broke down and went puddle-jumping during a break in the rain yesterday, and today I went on the hunt for fun crafts and activities that we could do while we wait out what will hopefully be the last few days of this round of rainy weather. Here’s some of what I found at Crayola.com.

Alpha-Pockets
Get out the fabric paint and have fun crafting up a great learning tool. Using a shoe organizer or two create pockets for each letter and then have fun sorting items or word strips into the pockets.

Big Beautiful Flowers
If you can’t spend time outside, then bring the outdoors in. Spend some time observing a flower garden, either through your window or in pictures. Then, use watercolors to paint your own big, beautiful flowers.

Big Bright Bugs
After you’ve created your own flower garden, populate it with some big bright bugs. Don’t worry, they’re harmless, no bites or stings from these critters.

Color Match Card Game
So simple, but it will still keep a young shild busy for a while. Let them create the cards themselves, and then play whatever version of a matching game is your favorite.

So, don’t get down the next time you get caught in the rain. Instead, just spend time crafting with your kids. And before you know it, the sun will come back out.

Have you entered our Summer Contest yet? If not, read the latest update and then go enter!

, ,

Looking For Affordable Advertising? Join Our Banner Rotation - ONLY 3 SPACES LEFT!

TOP FOUR GREAT Independence Day Recipes for Kids!!!

I have been perusing the web for some GREAT Independence Day Recipes. I have been looking for some that are one creative, two fun, and three easy to make. I want my kids to enjoy them and have fun making them as well.

Here are the top FOUR recipes that I found for making Independence Day a bit more FUN!
Recipe number 1:
This recipe comes from Kids Cooking Activities.
Recipe is taken from the Kids Cooking Activies Website.

Firecracker Cakes
Clean and empty Soup can with no lip
Cake mix
White, red and blue frosting
Sprinkles, optional
Choose a can that doesn’t have a lip extending over the opening of the can. This will make it hard to get your cake out in one smooth piece. Clean out empty soup cans and grease well with shortening and flour. Prepare cake mix and pour into cans about 2/3 full. Bake until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool. With a knife loosen cake from edges of can and cake should slide out. Decorate sides and top of cake as desired.

Recipe number 2:
This recipe comes from Recipe Kitchen.
Recipe is taken from Recipe Kitchen website.

American Flag Giant Cookie
This is more of a fruit tart than a cookie.
1 (15oz) pkg. sugar cookie mix
2 tbl. vanilla yogurt
2 tbl. powdered sugar
1 tbl. lemon juice
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1 (8oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
blueberries, raspberries and strawberries
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Follow the package instructions for
the sugar cookie mix. Lightly grease a cookie sheet and then press
the cookie dough into a rectangular shape that is about 1/8″ thick.
Press your thumbs into the edges to create a scalloped look. Bake for
8-10 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Remove from the oven
an cool.
While the crust is cooling, mix the cream cheese, yogurt, sugar,
lemon juice and lemon rind. Spread over the cooled cookie.
Arrange the fruit in an American flag design. Blueberries will form the
blue field in the upper left hand corner. Raspberries and/or strawberries
will be the horizontal stripes.

Recipe number 3:
This recipe or idea was from Idea Box.
Recipe is taken from the Idea Box website.

4th of July Breakfast Pancakes
Make blueberry pancakes and serve with strawberry sauce, and top with a dollop whipped cream.

Recipe number 4:
This recipe comes from Family Corner.
Recipe is taken from the Family Corner website.

Fruit Sparklers

24 large blueberries
24 strawberries
3 bananas, cut into 8 pieces each
24 cherries
24 large marshmallows

8 wooden skewers
8 each red, white, and blue ribbons, 1-foot lengths

Skewer fruit and marshmallows on wooden skewers in a red, white and blue pattern, using for of each item on a skewer.

Tie red, white, and blue ribbons to the bottom of the skewer.

Safety tip: When finished skewering fruit, break off sharp tips of skewers to prevent injury.

There are a few recipes that stand out to me.
Please look for these recipes on this site.
————————————————————————————–
Stacey Walker has a Homemade Gourmet Home Business. She uses her Homemade Gourmet products regularly for cooking fast and easy to prepare meals. She is currently using Homemade Gourmet in her meal planning and when teaching her children to cook. Visit her website at www.4minutemeals.com

, ,

Looking For Affordable Advertising? Join Our Banner Rotation - ONLY 3 SPACES LEFT!

Easy Independence Day Menu

I was looking through some cookbooks that my mom had given me and found this cute cookbook for kids published in 1980. The cookbook is called Special Dishes for Special Days, A Cookbook for Children by Miriam B. Loo. My mom had bought it for my brother and me when we were little people.
I thought I would share with you the Easy Independence Day Menu that Ms. Loo had put together.
4th of July Picnic For 6 Menu
Hot Dogs with Buns
Baked Beans
Deviled Eggs
Tossed Salad with French Dressing
Fresh Fruit
Lemonade

Make the day before
Deviled Eggs
French Dressing
Make the morning of
Lemonade
Baked Beans
Tossed Salad
Prepare the day of Picnic
Hot Dogs with Buns

Tossed Salad (Directions for kids)
Have Ready
1 Head of Iceburg Lettuce
1 Cucumber, pared and sliced
2 Tomatoes, sliced
salt and pepper to season

You’ll Need
Paper towel
cutting board
knife
large bowl with cover
tossing spoons

Directions:
Rinse Lettuce with cold water and let drain. Pat dry with a paper towel. Tear into bite-size pieces. Rinse the cucumber and tomatoes. Slice on a cutting board. Toss together lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate. (Makes 6 Servings)

French Dressing (Directions for kids)
Have Ready
1 cup Vegetable Oil 1 teaspoon instant minced onion
1/3 cup white vinegar 1 teaspoon dried mustard
¼ cup of ketchup ¼ teaspoon celery seed
1 tablespoon sugar 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika 1/8 teaspoon pepper

You’ll Need
1 pint jar with lid
measuring cups
measuring spoons

Directions:
Measure all the ingredients into a jar. Cover tightly and shake well. Chill in the refrigerator for several hours. Bring to the picnic in the jar. Shake thoroughly before serving. Pour enough on the salad to coat the vegetables evening when tossed. Save any leftover dressing for another time. (Makes two cups)

**I have found that my children are dippers. They like to dip their food into things. I was able to get them to begin eating salad by putting the salad dressing on the side. My children would then dip the vegetable into the salad dressing and eat it. This made eating salad fun for them, and easier for me.
Deviled Eggs (Directions for kids)
Have Ready
6 Eggs, room temperature
(helps to keep shells from breaking)
¼ cup real mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
1 teaspoon dry mustard
¼ teaspoon salt
dash of pepper
paprika

You’ll Need
Medium-Sized saucepan measuring cups
slotted spoon measuring spoons
medium-size bowl teaspoon
knife serving plate
small bowl plastic wrap
fork

Directions:
Fill a medium-sized saucepan half full with warm water. Carefully lower eggs into the water with a slotted spoon. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat down immediately to simmer; set timer for 15 minutes. Remove eggs from the saucepan with a slotted spoon to the medium size bowl filled with cold water. Let the eggs stand until cool. Carefully crack and peel the eggs and halve lengthwise. Remove the yolks to a small bowl, being careful not to break the whites. With a fork, mash and stir the yolks until they look like fine crumbs. Add the remaining ingredients, except the paprika; mix with a fork until smooth and fluffy. With the teaspoon, lightly mound the yolk mixture in the egg whites. Lightly sprinkle with paprika. Place on a serving plate and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate. (Makes 12 deviled egg halves)

Lemonade (Directions for kids)
Have Ready
1 12 ounce can frozen Lemonade concentrate
ice

You’ll Need
can opener
plastic container with lid
mixing spoon

Directions:
Mix the lemonade according to the instructions on the can. Put the lid on the container and place it in the refrigerator. Before leaving for the picnic, add ice to the lemonade. (Makes 6 servings)

Baked Beans (Directions for kids)
Have Ready
2-16 ounce cans pork and beans, drained
2 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons real bits of bacon
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons prepared mustard

You’ll Need
medium-size saucepan with lid (Use a saucepan that Mom won’t mind being used on the grill)
can opener
measuring spoons
mixing spoon
potholder or mitt
serving spoon

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cover with the lid utnil ready to cook. Refrigerate. When the coals start to get warm, put the pan near the edge of the grill, uncovered, and let it simmer until the rest of hte meal is ready. Hold the handle of hte pan with a potholder or mitt to stir occassionally to prevent sticking or burning. (Makes 6 servings.)

Hot Dogs with Buns (Directions for kids)

Have Ready
1-16 ounce package hot dogs
hot dog buns, as many as are needed
relish
mustard
ketchup

You’ll Need
long handled forks
oven mitts
serving spoons

Directions:
When the coals are ready, place the hot dogs on the grill or hold them over the coals with long handled forks. You might want to wear mitts to keep your hands from getting hot. Cook the hot dogs until browned, about 5 to 10 minutes, turning often. Place the hot dogs in the buns. Top with your favorite toppings.

All recipes were taken from the Special Dishes for Special Days, A Cookbook for Children by Miriam B. Loo, published in 1980.

————————————————————————————–
Stacey Walker has a Homemade Gourmet Home Business. She uses her Homemade Gourmet products regularly for cooking fast and easy to prepare meals. She is currently using Homemade Gourmet in her meal planning and when teaching her children to cook. Visit her website at www.4minutemeals.com

, ,

Looking For Affordable Advertising? Join Our Banner Rotation - ONLY 3 SPACES LEFT!

Does Anyone Have a Liner??

I have a slow cooker or crock pot. I love it. But I have to confess, I don’t always wash it out right away after using it. Occassionaly, I let it sit in my sink with some water in it, so that I can scrub off the bits of the meal that was cooked onto the sides of the crock pot.

Well ladies and gentleman, hold onto you seats because there is a wonderful invention that can save us all a bit of time. Woo Hoo! Let me hear you say, “Yeah!!!!” It is a SLOW COOKER LINER!!!! This is the most amazing invention since sliced bread.
I love to use this in my slow cooker. It has saved me hours of cleaning and scrubbing. This is what you do. Go to the grocery store and purchase a slow cooker liner. You will find them in the section with the other plastic storage bags. The slow cooker liners should be right next to the over bags. At this time, there is only one company that I have found that makes these types of bags, Reynolds.

There are two different ways that you can use the slow cooker liners. The first way is to place the liner in your crock pot. Place the ingredients into the slow cooker liner and cook away. I have done it where you wrap it around the edge of the slow cooker. I have found that some times the moisture will leak down the side of the bag. I think this depends on the way your slow cooker is made though. The other way I have used my slow cooker is to tie it at the top so that all the moisture stays in the bag. I really like this when I make my Italian Chicken Dish.
Another thing that I like to do as well is prepare my slow cooker meals ahead of time and place them in the freezer. I like to take the slow cooker liners and put all the ingredients for my meal in the bag. I wrap top tightly and place the slow cooker bag with the ingredients into a zip top bag. This makes crazy mornings manageable because all I have to do is take the meal out of the freezer and place it directly into my crock pot. Turn the crock pot on, and I am set for the day.
————————————————————————————–
Stacey Walker has a Homemade Gourmet Home Business. She uses her Homemade Gourmet products regularly for cooking fast and easy to prepare meals. She is currently using Homemade Gourmet in her meal planning and when teaching her children to cook. Visit her website at www.4minutemeals.com

, ,

Looking For Affordable Advertising? Join Our Banner Rotation - ONLY 3 SPACES LEFT!

Are you selling internationally?

If you aren’t selling internationally, you are missing a huge part of the ecommerce buying market. According to www.internationalworldstats.com there are 1.1 billion internet users around the globe. If you aren’t offering international shipping, you might want to reconsider.International shipping is not hard or complicated.

It just requires a different procedure. You’ll prepare your package just the same, and the post office now offers free international mailing supplies. If you want to use your own packaging, you can get very reasonably priced poly mailers all over the internet. You can also get free boxes from your local grocery store or liquor store. You can use the free mail supplies from the post office, but I have found that shipping First Class International (you can’t use the free supplies for this mail class) is much cheaper and just as efficient (for lighter weight packages). I sell on eBay, and ship 5-10 packages a week abroad. The items usually arrive within a week, without a hitch.

Once your package is prepared, all you need is a customs form.They are available at the post office or through usps.com. If you aren’t sure what to do, just ask a clerk. They are always glad to help. Filling out the customs form only takes a minute, and then you are on your way. Some of my best customers are international. You’ll have an edge over the competition because alot of sellers don’t offer international shipping.

If you offer Paypal on your website, Paypal does all the currency conversions so you don’t have to do any complicated math - you just get paid! If you run into a language barrier with an international customer, try www.freetranslation.com - a free on-line translation service. You can have your message translated into about 10 different languages, free of charge. The translation may not account for slang or expressions, but at least you will be making an effort to communicate with your customer and he will appreciate your effort.

Through my eBay travels and several hundred international transactions, I have discovered that people in other countries love American products. Ironically, they also love products made in their own country, but it is often cheaper for them to purchase them over the internet than to purchase them locally. For example, I sell apparel in my eBay store. Many items are made in Italy, where some of the finest apparel in the word is made. Often times, items made in Italy are purchased by Italians, and shipped right back over to where it came from! The sales taxes in Italy and some other countries are astronomical, so these international customers have learned that buying on the internet is a cheaper alternative than buying locally.

Bottom line: Give international selling a try. You might be surprised at the results, and make some new interesting contacts in the process.

Suzanne Wells is an eBay Power Seller, eBay Consultant, and single stay at home mom of 2 in Atlanta.

, ,

Looking For Affordable Advertising? Join Our Banner Rotation - ONLY 3 SPACES LEFT!

Fridays Feast #7

Today’s Friday Feast is prepared for you by Eleisia.

Appetizer
How many pieces of jewelry do you wear most days?

Wedding ring and pierced earrings

Soup
What is your favorite instrumental song?

Theme song from tv program “Atlantis”

Salad
Who has a last name that you like?

I like my last name but if I chose another, Brightman after Sara Brightman the opera singer

Main Course
Name a popular movie you’ve never seen.

I’ve never seen any of the Shrek movies.

Dessert
Fill in the blank: Nothing makes me __________ like ____________.

Nothing makes me happy like my husband’s smiling face.

, ,

Looking For Affordable Advertising? Join Our Banner Rotation - ONLY 3 SPACES LEFT!

Summer Potlucks - Add Your Favorite Recipe

Had you visited a colonial home 225 years ago without giving your host or hostess prior notice so they could prepare a proper meal, you would have eaten whatever was in the oven pot, taken a chance, taken pot luck.

Webster’s Dictionary defines “potluck” as

“the regular meal available to a guest for whom no special preparations have been made.”

Today people enjoy spur-of-the-moment potlucks as family members, friends, or neighbors join together, each providing a part of the meal. Or the potluck might be more organized such as a family reunion, an office or church potluck, a holiday picnic, or an annual summer party. Each guest brings a dish to share with the other guests. Everyone gets to sample a variety of tasty dishes, and no one gets stuck doing all the work.

Potluck Tips

The ideal potluck menu includes dishes that complement each other in flavor and texture; foods that travel well; and recipes that can be made in advance and require little, if any, last-minute preparation.

• ~Ask guests to bring specific dishes that will be needed to round out the menu. This eliminates the guesswork for them, too.
• ~Some guests are always asked to bring a particular dish or recipe for which they are well known. My sister, a fantastic cook and mother of 8 children, makes the best cinamon rolls you’ve ever tasted. Her made-from-scratch recipe makes several dozen rolls so every guest gets to taste her delicious contribution.
• ~Ask noncooks to bring beverages, chips, rolls, plates, utensils and napkins, or decorations.
• ~Use a sign-up sheet when possible.
• ~Ask guests to let you know ahead of time if they’ll need refrigerator, oven, or stovetop space and make sure they bring serving utensils for their dishes to avoid last-minute scrambling.
• ~For large gatherings, suggest guests write their names on their pans and utensils to ensure they’ll get them back. Or use disposable containers.

Safety Reminders

• ~If you’re a guest and have been asked to bring a dish, be sure to select one that will travel easily and not spoil.
• ~If you are traveling more than a few minutes from home, opt for foods that are least likely to spoil, such as breads, hard cheeses, cheese spreads, marinated salads, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
• ~Remember to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Pack all chilled foods in a cooler.

Potluck Food Ideas

Raw Vegetables with Dips - Baby carrots or carrot sticks, celery sticks, broccolli florets, cauliflower florets, red, yellow, and green bell pepper strips, mushrooms

Main Dishes - Fried chicken, rotisserie chicken, baked ham, sliced cold cuts (ham, turkey, roast beef, salame), selection of cheese slices (American, cheddar, Monterrey Jack, pepper jack)

Salads - Pasta, broccoli, potato, coleslaw, mixed vegetable, layered vegetable, taco salad

Fresh Fruit Salad made with melon balls, strawberries, pineapple, grapes

Side Dishes - Corn on the cob, baked beans, garlic bread, rolls, olives, pickles

Melons - Cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew cut into small slices or wedges for easy eating

Desserts - Pie, cake, cookies

Beverages - Water, lemonade, iced tea, wine, sodas

Here are some of our favorite potluck recipes. Please add your own recipes in the comments section.

Broccoli Craisin Salad

6 cups broccoli florets
1 cup craisins (dried cranberries)
1 cup sunflower seeds
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 1/2 cups ranch salad dressing

Mix broccoli and craisins. Add salad dressing and mix. Refrigerate if not eating immediately. Just before serving add sunflower seeds and mix. Top with bacon pieces. Serves 8 to 10.

Broccoli-Cauliflower Chicken Salad

4 cups each broccoli and cauliflower florets
2 red or yellow bell peppers, cut into strips (about 2 cups)
3 cups chopped cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups regular or light ranch reduced fat dressing
2 cups Colby & Monterey Jack Cheese crumbles or cubed cheese
8 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled

Combine vegetables and chicken in a large bowl. Add dressing; toss to coat. Add cheese and bacon; mix lightly. Cover.
Refrigerate several hours or until chilled. Serves 10 to 12.

Berry Patch Pie

Pastry for 2 crust 9-inch pie
1 to 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 cups fresh blackberries
2 cups fresh raspberries
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons, butter or margarine, cut into small pieces

In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar and cornstarch. Add blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries; gently toss until berries are coated.

Line a 9 inch pie plate with half of the pastry. Stir berry mixture, and transfer to the crust lined pie plate. Sprinkle berry mixture with lemon juice and dot with pieces of butter. Top with second crust, and seal and crimp the edge.

Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 40 to 50 minutes or until the top is golden. Cool on a wire rack.

My mom always mixed the berries with the sugar cornstarch mixture, added a tiny bit of water and cooked the berries in a saucepan for about five minutes, bringing them to a boil, before pouring into pie crust.

Variation
You can use frozen mixed berries in this recipe. Allow berries to thaw before mixing with sugar and baking.

Eleisia Whitney is a Watkins Home Business owner. She enjoys cooking and baking with Watkins extracts, spices, herbs, and sauces for healthy meals. Eleisia publishes a Watkins Newsletter, Around the Kitchen Table, that brings you recipes, cooking and health tips, and contests for free Watkins products.
Read the current issue at http://www.everydaynecessities.com/june15-07newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and
http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

, ,

Looking For Affordable Advertising? Join Our Banner Rotation - ONLY 3 SPACES LEFT!

Providing Outstanding Customer Service On-line

Providing excellent online customer service can be challenging because of the impersonal nature of the internet. Anyone who has ever had any customer service training knows that providing personalized service is crucial in building good, long lasting customer relationships.

When I was a bank teller 20 years ago, part of my job was knowing the customer’s names, and calling them by name each time they visited the bank. Today, with so much business being transacted online, personal, friendly customer service has been lost and replaced with websites and email.If you sell products or services on-line, you must go the extra mile to provide outstanding customer service. In many cases, especially in the media, the internet has a reputation for scammers and dishonest sellers. It is unfortunate that hardworking, honest business people must suffer from the actions of a few. You’ll have to work hard to overcome this.

The best way is to communicate with your customers. Send an email after the sale, once you have received payment, and when the item has shipped. Much of this can be automated and won’t cost you extra time. Don’t be afraid to follow up if the customer hasn’t contacted you about receiving the item. Just send a short email to confirm that the customer has received the item and is satisfied. Going the extra mile with professional communication shows your customers that you are accommodating and they will return to your website. Furthermore, when you provide personal, attentive service, you have an advantage over huge online retailers. This is where the small seller can really shine.

Remember, it is much easier to keep a customer coming back than to develop a relationship with a new customer. The cost of acquiring new customers, according to many surveys, runs 8 to 10 times more than the cost of keeping existing ones. Cross-sell, up-sell, and communicate. For example, look at your bank. Aren’t they always sending you information on their other services and encouraging you to do more business with them? The more services a customer has with a business, the less likely he is to leave. Do you ever get coupons in the mail from stores where you have credit cards? These big companies know the trick - keep the customer coming back. On-line retailers can do the same. The key: Keep in touch with your customers. Communicate. Remember, without customers, you have nothing.

Suzanne Wells is an eBay Power Seller, eBay Consultant, and single stay at home mom of 2 in Atlanta.

, ,

Looking For Affordable Advertising? Join Our Banner Rotation - ONLY 3 SPACES LEFT!

Flip Flops-A Summer Staple

Nothing says summer quite like a cute pair of flip flops! With so many different styles available, you can find a pair to fit almost any mood or personality. But why spend the time and money searching for the perfect pair when you can make them yourself!

Supplies needed:
* A pair of flip flops
* Ribbon, buttons, string, fabric, or other embellishments
* A hot glue gun

To make your custom flip flops:
1. Pick out a pair of flip-flops. Any color will do as long as they are your basic flip flop style.
2. Have fun decorating them with your embellishments. Use hot glue to attach your items. Anything goes really, just have fun!

My favorite flip-flops of all time used torn strips of fabric, about 1″ wide and 6″ long and pieces of ribbon tied around the bands. I even made a matching hair tie by putting the same fabric and ribbons around a rubber band.

If you enjoy beading, try creating a beaded shape that you can attach to the flip-flop or use wire to string your beads and create funky shapes.

Need something more boy like? Try painting baseballs or superheroes onto them.

For more great ideas, or to spark your creativity, visit this page of flip flop project ideas from Michael’s craft stores.

Most importantly, have fun and make them your own! Create a pair of flip flops nobody else in the world will have.

Are you a busy mom who needs help finding time to craft with your kids? Be sure to enter our Summer Organization Contest for your chance to win a prize valued at $160.

, ,

Looking For Affordable Advertising? Join Our Banner Rotation - ONLY 3 SPACES LEFT!

Working at Home - Knowing When NOT To

If you are a work at home parent like me, you often find yourself frustrated when trying to work at home. There are so many distractions – the laundry needs to be done, the dog wants to go out, kids always want something, the phone is ringing, or a neighbor stops by. Try to plan your day so that your frustration is minimal. I am a stay at home mom and work on my eBay business frequently throughout the day.

For example, the hours of 4 – 7 PM are the worst for me. I am starting to get tired because I have been busy since about 7 AM. The kids are coming home from school and want something to eat, about every 5 minutes. They are watching TV and playing video games and making background noise. The kids and their friends are going in and out of the house slamming doors, and just basically being kids. I have to start thinking about dinner, getting my son to ball practice, taking my daughter to dance, and helping with homework. This is also known as “the witching hour.” I don’t even try to work on my business during this time. It is just too frustrating with all the noise and distractions.

If you are a stay at home parent, just remind yourself that the kids are one of the reasons you work at home in the first place. I know how it feels to have a pile of business related items on your desk, but you just can’t sit down and work because you are too distracted. You want to check your email for sales, write on your blog, answer emails, or work on a new idea.

Just remind yourself that your business will be there later and that your kids come first. Ask yourself this question: 10 years down the road, which will be more important - that email or your relationship with your child?

Suzanne Wells is an eBay Power Seller, eBay consultant, Author of The Stay-at-Home Mom’s Guide to Successful eBay Selling, and mom of 2.

, ,

Looking For Affordable Advertising? Join Our Banner Rotation - ONLY 3 SPACES LEFT!

Next Page »