Ten Things Now to Stay at Home Later

by Heather Koerner

A few weeks ago I was sitting with a few fellow moms and running some article ideas by them while our kids played around our feet. My friends were being kind. To one idea, "Yeah, that sounds good." To another, "Sure, that could be interesting." And then I named off one more.

"So, I was also thinking about doing something like ... you know ... things you should do before you have kids so it's financially easier to stay at home later."

They hit the roof.

"Absolutely!" one cried, practically leaping off the couch. "That's the most important thing they need to know!"

"I sooo wish someone had told me that kind of stuff," the other agreed, emphatically nodding.

And so started a 45-minute conversation on "what I wish I had known back then." It was as if we all desperately wished we could send a letter back to our 20-something selves. We wanted to tell ourselves how important staying home with our kids means to us and how we needed to shape up financially to make it easier on our 30-something realities.

Unfortunately, not possible. But we can do the next best thing — we can send a letter to you. So, this is it. Our "top 10 things we wish someone had sat down and told us back then." May it bless you on your journey to motherhood.

You can finish the article here.