Monday, September 05, 2005

Labor Day Lessons

Desperate to entertain my cranky preschooler, I asked him if he wanted to decorate his cardboard box.

Oops. Only half a tube of paint remained in the art box.

As I surveyed the quarts of recycled house paints, I thought, "Why am I wasting materials and time on a disposable project? Maybe it's time he learns to combine work and play."

Instead of painting windows on the cardboard box, we painted our front porch rockers glossy burnt red. It was messy. It took twice as much paint than if I had done it alone, and I'm pretty sure we both ruined an article of clothing in the process.

But, oh, if you could have seen his face when he unveiled "his work" to his dad.

He can't wait to show Grandma. And, he'll be reminded of the fruit of our labor whenever we sit on the porch to read a story.

I've been thinking a lot about work lately. Unless we can have another child, the pressure to reenter the "real world" will continue to mount. I would like to develop an idea or business from home, something that will challenge my intellect or stir my creativity, something to add a little extra to the budget without taking away my family time or freedom.

In other words, paint more rockers.

This week I will explore some ideas and resources for working at home. I hope you will join me with your comments and insights about starting a home business from scratch, in the Proverbs 31 fashion.

Tuesday we'll begin with a special review of Jesse and Crystal Paine's new e-book, Home Grown Business: How To Start and Run A Successful Home Business While Homeschooling.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

My husband and I have started several home businesses from scratch. I don't have the homeschooling angle (we only have one child, and he's 1), but we've started them from nothing.

I teach piano lessons. That's my main business, and the one I've had since before we were married. I also have a degree in music, so that helps.

Next, I sell handmade jewelry. That started originally with people noticing the things I made for myself and wanting them; and became a full-fledged internet store a year later.

Our third business is more of a hobby in many ways, though we do make money at it. We originally started raising chickens for eggs for ourselves, but now we sell the eggs. This week we're in the process of building a new coop and doubling the size of our flock. Maybe in the future this will be lucrative, but for now, we enjoy the little bit of income it brings in.

Meredith said...

Melody, you sound like a talented woman! I would love to have fresh eggs at home.

Fams said...

Meredith,

I love your website. I know how you feel about wanting to have a homebased business.

I am a homemaker, but I am also a part time paralegal. My husband is an attorney and to save costs, I do all of his paralegal/secretarial work from home. It allows me to be able to raise my son and when the time comes to be able to homeschool him.

I have thought about taking freelance projects from other attorneys, but I right now I am afraid it will take away from the time that I need to take care of my family and home.

I really think that painting and selling rockers would be a great business. I think it is great that you included your son in your painting project. What a great way to build up his confidence, and who knows he maybe learning a future trade!

Meredith said...

Tracy, thanks for the compliment!
You must be really organized to be your husband's assistant, both in the workplace *and* at home! Money saved for his practice is truly money earned for you, right?

Just to clarify, I meant "paint more rockers" in the figurative sense, not literal :) But that's okay...I would like to find a business idea that would satisfy an artsy or creative need. Still working on what, exactly!

Meredith said...

In case anyone is attempting to link to the Paine's homepage, I think the server may be temporarily down. Keep checking! They have lots of good stuff there.