If you find yourself just completely baffled at what you can do, get a piece of paper and pen and start jotting down things you like to do or things you use to like or want to do when kids were small but didn’t have time for. This may even be a good time to jot down some of “new” projects you’d like to try. You might be surprised at how fast paper fills up.

Do you like to sew? Cook? Go Fishing? Climb mountains? Do crafts of any kind? Some are really getting into Scrap Booking right now. Been thinking of getting a part time (or full time) job? Maybe if you’ve been working you can change jobs or go for that promotion? Possibly, you’ve been working and now want to quit? LOL, list could be endless. It’s all about what you want to do now. Some Moms have even gone back to school and earned degrees and started all new careers.

Seems like whether we like it or not, kids grow up and we have to move on with our lives (they certainly are!). Don’t you think it’s what they would like to see anyway, that we are adjusting and moving on, after all, we don’t really want to make them feel guilty for growing up, do we? This time of our lives can be what we make it, so let’s make best of it!

Remember also, that a lot of us are starting to go through Menopause at this time of our lives, which doesn’t exactly help (alas, trials of ‘womanhood’!). So if you are really experiencing a lot of depression and finding it hard to work though all of this, don’t be afraid or shy to talk to your family doctor or minister. You may even want to consider professional counseling. It’s certainly nothing to be ashamed of. Think of your health and well-being. Try to make most out of your life and be happy and content.

For those of you who would like to communicate with other moms going though this “Empty Nest Phase” please feel free to check out forum on Empty Nest Moms, “Live After Nest Empties”. You’ll find you really aren’t alone or “going crazy” as some of members have put it, plus you’ll receive lots of support from those that know almost exactly how you are feeling!

You’ll find many topics to choose from as we have moms that are in different phases of this Empty Nest, all ready to jump in with support and suggestions.

Don’t forget, “you’re always going to be their Mom!”

Jeanine Herrin Empty Nest Moms www.emptynestmoms.com Be sure to visit new Empty Nest “On-Line” Magazine! www.emptynestmagazine.com

Lets take a look at advantages of a WAH business. You are going to be your own boss. You call shots. This gives you a large amount of freedom on how you run your business, how you treat your customers etc. It also allows you a large amount of flexibility. If you’d rather work on your website today instead of writing a sales copy, go for it. As long as you keep things balanced and get everything done that needs attention, you can allow yourself a lot of flexibility. You can also move at your own pace. There isn’t anybody (other than your bank account) that you are slowing down if you decide to spend day at park with your kids instead of taking inventory. You are also one that determines how much you make. The harder you work, and better you get at this, more money you will make. At a job you get an hourly wage or a salary that’s reviewed about once year. With a business it is up to you to generate as much income as you would like. Your own business also allows you to change with times as your interests or markets change. You may start out as owner of a dating site, but then become much more interested in wedding planning.

Don’t get me wrong, owning a business does have its disadvantages as well. You usually have to invest at least a small amount of money and most definitely a lot of time upfront. This is not an instant reward kind of thing. You may be working for months without seeing much of a monetary reward. You’ll have to be prepared to live without much of a paycheck for a while. If you are currently working, you may want to consider keeping your job for a while and building your business in your spare time.

No matter what you decide, I would like to congratulate you for taking first steps to becoming a work at home mom. Always keep in mind that reason you are doing all this is to be able to spend more time with your kids, to get them out of daycare, to bring home a check to help with expenses or whatever else your reason may be. It isn’t always going to be easy to balance family life and work life, particularly when they start happening in same house. But keep reason why you are doing this in mind and you’ll get through it. And don’t forget to have some fun along way.