The Stay-at-Home Mom's Guide to Making Extra Money

Deciding whether or not to leave your job after having kids is tough… you want to be able to stay-at-home and watch their every movement/development, but can you afford it? Is it the best choice for your family? Can you afford not to? Believe me; as a stay-at-home mamma to a 2-year-old (with another on the way), I know the questions and variables that go into this important decision. If you do decide to stay home, there are easy ways to make a few extra bucks from your computer, smartphone, or other “smart” devices.

So, if you are a stay-at-home mom (or dad… or basically anyone looking to make a few extra bucks here and there), be sure to check out these easy ways to make money:

1.) Craigslist - It’s a known fact that Craiglist is full of scammers and creepers, but a pretty good rule of thumb to abide by when job searching on CL (or doing anything, for that matter) is that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. However, there are also a ton of pretty amazing jobs that you can do from home, including the amazing writing job I scored and have been working on for almost a year now. Different companies and individuals are always looking for different kinds of writers, editors, marketers, and administrative assistants to work remotely, so be sure to check Craigslist often for new listings! (To find these jobs, search remote or scour the marketing / pr / ad, writing / editing, orgigs sections of Craigslist.) Speaking of administrative assistant positions…

Read the rest of my article today on MammaTech! 

MammaTech is Looking for Writing Talent!

2015 was an exciting year for our family. Between traveling, new jobs, and exciting milestones for Mr. Jackson, it was a fun and memorable year. One of my favorite parts of last year, however, was helping launch MammaTech, a new parenting blog that focuses on the intersection of parenting and technology.

As the mamma of a toddler and wife of a network engineer, I find technology to be somewhat of an obsession in our home... but how much tablet time is too much for Jackson? Do I need to make a conscious effort to not check my emails as much in front of him? And just how the heck do I navigate the TV now that it runs through the Xbox One? We all have these questions and at MammaTech, we can figure it out together.

At MammaTech, our mission is very simple:  to provide parents and caregivers - like me and you - with insight, support, and community in the fast-paced, ever-changing world of technology. Topics we have already covered to date include 10 top apps for toddlers, the importance of "unplugging" from technology to spend time with family, and the controversial After School app that teenagers have been using. 

Now I'm going to ask you:

Do you enjoy what you read on MammaTech?

Do you agree or disagree with anything we say?

Do you have strong opinions regarding children and technology?

Do you enjoy writing professionally or as a hobby?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, we want to hear from you!

This year, we plan to grow both the site and community, and that is where we need your help. We are currently looking for mamma writers from all walks of life to join our mission and grow our author base: are you a modern, tech-savvy parent who is interested in sharing your knowledge and experience of raising children in the digital age?  If so, I'd love to hear from you!  Please email me directly at annie@mammatech.com if you would like to share in our mission and become part of the MammaTech team.

We can't wait to hear from you!

Toddlers & Technology: Helpful or Hurtful?

As I mentioned last week, I am now writing for Mamma Tech and thought I would stop by today to share my first article!! Enjoy!

My little munchkin crunching numbers and playing on his tablet..

Can I let you all in on a little secret?

Technology is NOT my forte… like, at all.

Growing up in the early 90s, the most techie toys/gadgets we really had were Teddy Ruxpins, replica Talkboys from Home Alone, and our mom’s boxy Nokia phone (that maybe had Snake on it). That was it. Today, 5-year olds have THEIR OWN smart phones, social media accounts, and selfie sticks.

Don’t get me wrong; I think it’s great that our leaders of tomorrow know so much about technology, as I predict know it will become more and more vital down the road. However, now that I’m a mom, it really bothers me when I see toddlers, school-aged children, and teenagers burying their faces in their (or their parents) phone or tablet instead of exploring and interacting with the world around them. Are we unknowingly raising a generation of anti-social beings who cannot function without some sort of gizmo in their hands?

Read More Here