Working moms and stay at home moms each face different challenges, but all are very real challenges. For some mothers who make the choice to stay at home, there remains a desire to use their pre-mom, professional skills. As Mommypreneurs, they are finding a way to – in between naps, school drop-offs and soccer games – exercise their desire to do something for themselves while making money.

Tori Levine of Harrisburg opted to stay home after her son, Reuban, was born. While she loved being there, she also craved adult interaction. Levine blended her ballet and fitness past with her desire to help other moms.

“I had like this four am idea of, ‘Oh my gosh. Babies at the Barre,'” said Levine. “So I started teaching barre classes and the only way I taught was with a four month old strapped onto me.”

Levine has since written a program teaching other instructors about about pre and post natal health and fitness. She has instructors in five states as well as online classes and still has time to play with her now two-and-a-half year old.

After struggling to conceive James Maddox, now eight months old, Mechanicsburg’s Taylor Bland and her husband decided that she would stay close.

“We’ve been so blessed to stay at home and be able to have days that we didn’t know that we’d have,” said Bland.

While pregnant, Bland began using Beautycounter skin care products and now post pregnancy, the former marketing pro, is selling them.

“I think one of the challenges that we have as parents whether you’re working or staying at home is taking time for yourself, even if it’s just taking a walk,” Bland said. “The good thing about being a BeautyCounter consultant is that you can do it on your own time. So you might have something scheduled for the day, well something’s come up, it’s nothing to stress about.”

Kate McCord of Lemoyne always knew she wanted to be a mom and to stay at home. She happily does that but also takes time for herself. She notes that when toddler son, Asher, takes a nap, she goes to work with “The Cozy Cub,” creating personalized products useful to other mama bears.

“That’s really what I like to do — is stuff that solves my needs and I know that other moms have those same needs,” said McCord.

McCord uses social media and Etsy to share her products and she shares advice for other Mommypreneurs.

“As a stay at home mom, my job is not to clean or cook. My job is to take care of my child. And then my job’s to take care of me because if I don’t take care of me, then there’s nothing left to do everything else,” McCord said. “So find your passion. Mine is crafting and creating. And make time to do it.”

For moms looking to do just that, perhaps mom Sara Blanchard can help. She has coined what she calls the “flex mom.” It is not the full time “working mom” nor the full time “stay at home mom.” It is a third option in between.

Her book is “Flex Mom: The secrets of happy stay-at-home moms.” Blanchard told Good Day PA that is about the steps it takes to create space to pursue your passions in a mentally and physically sustainable way. She developed into a “flex mom” after becoming what she says was a miserable stay at home mom after a professional life coach career. You may learn about the approach and also request a free workbook at FlexMomBook.com.