I am a fairly young mom, just
venturing out into the world of starting my own business. My husband
and I have been married for almost five years. We have a three and a
half year old son who is quite possibly the most adorable little boy
I've ever known. Really, I'm not biased at all!
Only a few sentences in and I'm already off topic. Sheesh!
The balancing act of trying to start a business and caring for my family has been difficult. There are weekends I spend most of my son's “awake time” at shows or hiding in the basement, frantically trying to get some work done. I've let household chores slide on more than one occasion. (After all, checking to make sure I don't have any new orders is far more important than cleaning the bathroom, right?) I've turned down countless games of Candyland and let my son watch more TV than I probably should have. Some days, I have to stop and ask myself exactly what am I trying to accomplish? Why is it worth it to take time aways from family to try and build a business?
After quite a bit of deliberation, here
are my top three answers.
Financial Benefits
While not necessarily my primary
reason, bringing in a little money has been a benefit of my small
business (even more than just funding my hobby!).
Before we got
married, my husband and I discussed my dream of being a stay at home mom. Sometimes
it makes for a really tight budget, but he still supports that
desire. I absolutely love spending the day with my little guy, but I
also want to help. When you live paycheck to paycheck, sometimes that
twenty dollar order is all that stands between our bills and an
overdrawn account. Even if it is small, I am making a financial
contribution to my family. I hope to grow the amount that I can
contribute over time.
Educational Benefits
To be perfectly candid, after even an
hour of watching shows meant for three year olds, my brain could also
use a little mental challenge, and I am learning SO much! Organizing
time/materials, financial planning, marketing, networking, analyzing
data... The list goes on. My business venture has challenged me to
think in new ways, develop new skills, balance my time and budget.
All of these concepts are actually quite useful in home management as well.
Instructional Benefits
This is my
favorite reason for why I do what I do. My son is learning from my
experience. Children are so incredibly observant. Even when he is
playing along side me, he is always watching. More important than
learning my "trade" he is learning to imitate
my ways of doing things. He is learning about the value of time,
hard work, communication, responsibility, self-motivation,
discipline, and direction. As he gets older, I am sure his
understanding of even more complex topics will grow as well.
That's what being
a parent is all about, isn't it? Being a role model and teaching our
children to uphold our values no matter where life takes them? To me
the legacy lies not in what I create, but the manner in which I
create it. That is why I am a mom, and that is why I choose to have
my “small” business.
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