Work at Home Mom Forum $25 Giveaway

As one of the owners of a Work at Home Mom forum, call the Smart Moms Forum, I am offering a $25 gift card for an End of Summer Points giveaway. There are lots of ways to earn points, just by posting on the forum, giving us your introduction if you are new, or visiting some other sites and blogs. The one with the highest points wins! So if you want to win a $25 US Am Ex gift card, join the fun (and you do not have to be a work at home mom.... you can work outside the home, stay at home (although we know all stay at home moms work!), or do a little of it all!

Read more about the contest here!

Hope to see you there!

Downsizing and Budget Cuts

This is my first year back to teaching. And with Florida's budget crunch in educational, people without tenure are not guaranteed a job for the coming year.

That was the message I received today. My position as a gifted resource teacher for middle grades will not be allocated for the coming year. I am not at all worried- I know a job will be available, but I am disappointed. I am very good at my job! And to think they think they can do it without me makes me sad (I am the only person in our county in my position).

I am eagerly awaiting to see what jobs become available and what jobs I am interested in. I know I prefer middle school, but that may be a thing of the past. I have taught many things in many grades- and I am certified in exceptional student education and middle grades integrated (meaning I can teach anything in middle school or 9th grade). I am sure something will come up that is good. This was a great job for my first year back and I am thankful for the flexibility and the experience I have gotten!

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Working Moms and Sick Children

It has been a week. Since I am now a full time employee, I now have to worry about choosing if my children are well enough to go to school or miss work and keep them at home. It is a hard decision when you know one child wants to stay at home and may mislead a parent to get to stay home.

Since I am home with my children this week at night while my husband is in the hospital, I am the only one that can stay home.

First, I did not go to work Tuesday since my husband went into the hospital for his first chemo treatment.

Second, my daughter threw up Wednesday night so we stayed home Thursday.

Now, my son threw up on the way to school today, so we are home again.

Three days in one week. I have a great supervisor who knows our family situation. How can a parent stay home this much if they have an unreasonable supervisor or a job only one person can do? You see it portrayed on TV, the parent leaving the child with someone else because they HAVE to go to work. Or moms lying about having children so someone will actually give them a job.

My thought- if it is a problem, they will have to fire me.

I cannot leave a throwing up child with anyone else. It is just not worth it or fair to my child. I am fortunate that I can stay home, even though my sick days are almost depleted, after 45 days of work!

So continue to pray for our family. We need it!