As you may recall, Workerette Danae recently asked me for tips on being a work-at-home mom.  First I touched on 13 tips for working from home; tonight I'd like to share an article I found about a very important issue for work-at-home parents: socialization and networking.

Once you make the switch from the office (or cubicle) and no longer have a break room, water cooler, or company gym to retire to for some "grown-up" time, work can take on a whole new meaning.  As a WAHM it's very easy to begin to feel isolated and shut off from your colleagues, friends, and frankly, the world in general!  It's a smidge easier if you are in a position that puts you in frequent contact with the "outside world" via lunch meetings, the phone, or even IM conversations.  However, if your job doesn't require much of this, or you're a freelancer like myself with no staff or bosses to speak of, you'll find yourself jabbering the UPS guy's ear off whenever a package arrives. 

That's why networking online can be a lifesaver - or at least a sanity saver.  Email can only provide so much interaction when the folks you email with are busy too.  Online forums and networking sites, however, can offer you an opportunity to ask questions, share ideas, and in the case of home-based business owners, spread the word and develop key marketing and business contacts.  Read on for two authors' takes on the subject, as well as their suggestions for networking sites to look for.

Finding Support in the Work at Home Mom Community

Many stay-at-home moms are looking for their niche. They want to use their skills not only to raise their children, but also to make a financial contribution to the family. For those moms with the entrepreneurial bug, there is a network of support online.

Online communities for work at home mothers provide support for every aspect of her life. Moms are complex individuals that wear many hats. She is not just business owner; she is also mom, wife, friend, lover, sister, daughter, and life coach. With these titles also comes a host of issues.

Online communities help a mom to find balance within her self. She can learn to manage her eating and her business in one place. Ways to relax and rejuvenate are also available here.

Forums allow women from all walks of life all across the globe to share their experiences and advice with others. Whatever your needs, you can find someone who has the same need who can help. If you have any advice for others, you can share your knowledge, too.

One such community that is helping moms who want to work from home and raise their children is Moms Talk Network. The website is concise and easy to navigate. The owners are work from home moms themselves who felt an urge to help mothers everywhere to meet their maximum potential in all arenas of their lives.

This community offers information and articles on a variety of topics. They feature topics for raising children (parenting), managing the household (relationships, money and finance, home), taking care of self (beauty and style, pregnancy, food and drink), and finding success in business (work and career, home business and telecommuting). If your needs extend to these topics and more, Moms Talk Network has it available.

If you are new to the idea of working at home, there are resources to help. Momstalkbiz.com offers business guides that offer ideas for new at home businesses and how to get started. They range from starting a greeting card business to mystery shopping. Whether you want to keep it small or become a huge online success, this information will get you started.

The bottom line: everyone needs help sometime. For work at home mothers, online communities provide that support to keep pushing forward in your chosen lifestyle. Choose a community like Moms Talk Network and try them out. Sign up for free newsletters and e-mail updates so you can stay in touch even at the busiest of times.

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