The original picture I was going to use for this post was a differnt one of the girls and then I thought, no Adam is a big part of why I am doing this, too. Then I was reminded that the picture needs to look like a part of a professional website/business. I’m not sire this one does,but it’s closer than the only one i have on my phone of the three of them. Then the original caption for the picture I chose was going to day THE two reasons I’m doing this and then I thought of my sister and my niece and a few more people and realized that even though the two people in this picture are two of the three most important people in my life, they are not the only ones I am doing this for. I truly do want to help people. I have friends who struggle to find the time, motivation, want to or recipes to create meals to feed their families. I have family and friends who are teaching their own children at home without degrees in education. I have friends who are teachers, but who don’t have a background in teaching students to read. I have friends and family who have children who are struggling in school and they need to help them. AND ALL of these people are why I am doing this. God called me to teach, He got me through school, He got me a job and He has taken me from second grade to kindergarten to third grade to Title 1 to Middle School! He also gifted me with an incredibly intelligent daughter who disdains reading and struggles with it to an extent that is disproportionate to her intelligence. That gift is the force that has driven me to immerse myself in ALL things reading. I already had/have a literary bent in my teaching, background and preferences. BUT, the needs of my daughter, have taken it from a natural tendency to a focused drive. I also happen to come from parents who bake and cook not just at home, but both of whom have done it as a profession. Therefore, I have acquired some knowledge in both reading and cooking that can help others who are equally passionate about helping, nourishing and caring for their families, but who may need some resources to enable them to do that more often and more easily!

That is the point of growing this blogging business. I started blogging last year as a way to creatively express myself, and maybe, just maybe, help someone along the way. But, I kept my blog quiet and just let it share itself with anyone who stumbled across it or who my sisters happened to mention it to. Then as school continued to be a struggle for my oldest for a variety of reasons, the pandemic hit and I stumbled across Alida’s, The Realistic Mama, free 7 Day Summit, I decided it was time to really work to take this blogging thing from a quiet hobby to a business. To change it from a creative outlet to a business that helps others. Alida’s 7 Day Summit helped me to realize that I do have something worth sharing, a calling that really can help people. A message to other mommas and parents that they ARE their child’s best advocate for the best possible education. A message to other mommas that they really can make nourishing food for their families. Basically, you are the momma God gave to your family and He makes NO mistakes. I used to be embarrassed to share anything about my blog, and to be transparent I really still am. BUT, what if what I write really can make things easier for someone? What if the information I share about the Science of Reading really can help a homeschool momma know that she is teaching the right things to her child, or help a momma who has a child struggling in school finally know what the problem is and have real suggestions to share with their child’s teacher? If those things are true then I absolutely need to share what I know. If the posts I write about my struggles with faith and parenting can help encourage someone else to trust God more or keep on growing into the disciple or parent they want to be, then I must share. So, for all of those reasons I am working to build my blog into a business.

And finally, yes, I am trying to make this a profitable business. If I can replace my teaching income with blogging income in order to have the opportunity to teach my daughters at home, than I want to do that. If blogging income can make it so that my husband doesn’t have to work two jobs to support our family, than I want to do that! I certainly have not figured all of this out, but I am working one it.

Lately, I have wanted to give up on all of this as often as I have wanted to work at it, more often probably! You see, just like all of the conflicting information about this virus that I hear (cases are climbing, it’s no big deal, everyone is dying, your child will be fine at school, don’t wear a mask, everyone needs a mask, etc.) I am hearing SO MUCH information about how to build this business. It isn’t really conflicting information, there is just SO MUCH information! How to make the perfect pitch, How to build your email list, How to use ads, How to build your blog. It is all really great information, but for this technology backward momma, it gets SUPER overwhelming, SUPER quickly. I am eternally grateful for my graphic designer brother for ALL of his help in setting up this website and his encouragement as I blunder my way through new things like Instagram, Link Tree and LinkedIn. Yes, I know those things aren’t new themselves, but they are new to me. I keep finding more and more applications of Paul’s words in Philippians 3:13 in my life. And this is one of them. I certainly do not consider myself as having figured out technology or these programs (I just messed up my Link Tree Account as I created it tonight), but I press forward toward using them more and more effectively. I want to use them more effectively to provide for my family and to help anyone who would benefit from any knowledge or resources I have.

Those are my current thoughts on growing this blogging business. I pray that the next time I write about this that I have more concrete information to share with you! My own version of what works, but for now I am simply sharing my struggles, thoughts and baby steps toward this goal of building a business. What are you growing on your life? How is it going? What content would you find most helpful to see more of on The Educating Momma (recipes, Reading, education, etc.)? Please share int eh comments below!