Mommies of the New Millennium
By Cheryl Gochnauer

If you view staying at home with a baby as taking a long dive off the
business world pinnacle, landing with a belly-flop in a pool of formula and
Pedialite, I beg to differ.

And if you're convinced a stay-at-home mom's brain never focuses on anything more stimulating than this morning's comics, I suggest you look closer.

There's a bright new world out there, and the view is just as great from the
front porch as it is out plate-glass windows. Most professional women who temporarily transfer their talents to home are not jeopardizing their
futures; they're investing in the futures of their children. They have a
tangible goal. They are the Mommies of the New Millennium (MNMs).

These MNMs are Internet-connected and Web literate. No neighbors or friends home during the day? They combat isolation by logging into a chatroom or posting their thoughts on a messageboard. While their children sleep or play contentedly at their feet, MNMs keep up on industry trends and expand their horizons by reading on-line e-zines and visiting informative websites.

Are the four walls closing in? MNMs enjoy the freedom to leave the
building, without a note from the boss or a punch of a timecard. They seek out supportive parenting groups, and discover fun places to take the kids. They use their old Daytimers to log suggested guidelines for the day, fluid enough to accommodate their family's inclinations. Illnesses no longer touch off a flurry of cell phone calls and nervous check of dwindling vacation days. Dr. Mom's on duty, and available to nurse those fevers.

Are finances tight? Mommies of the New Millennium kick those money
management skills into action, or seek the advice of experts through books, magazines, TV and other media to uncover cost-cutting ideas. They share inquiries with other MNMs, pooling hints and tips, then choose methods that best serve their individual budget.

Are these MNMs really Super SAHMs in disguise? No - Super Stay-at-Home Mom Syndrome (I can do it all for my family, all the time) leads to emotional meltdown. MNMs are simply formerly working women who say, "I love being a stay-at-home mom," without any hesitation or embarrassment. They've made a good trade, and they know it.

(Comments? E-mail Cheryl at cheryl@homebodies.org , or write her at PO Box 6883. Visit her website at www.homebodies.org . Copyright 1999 Cheryl Gochnauer.) Her new book, "So You Want to Be a Stay-at-Home Mom," is available at your favorite bookstore. 

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