We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Missy Stone a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Missy, appreciate you joining us today. Is your team able to work remotely? If so, how have you made it work? What, if any, have been the pitfalls? What have been the non-obvious benefits?
As a stay-at-home mom who also homeschools my two children, finding work from home can seem daunting at first. But over the years, I have been granted opportunities to make some sort of an income, without leaving my house. I have always loved writing. I remember when I was in the third grade, and I wrote a creative story about flowers. My teacher asked me if I would submit it to a children’s magazine! I never did, but I still have the story and hope to make it into a children’s book one day. I have had my own personal blog for the last several years, documenting about our life in an RV, our faith, or vacation opportunities. After moving to Charleston, South Carolina I saw an ad asking for writing contributors for a local magazine. I decided to apply and try writing interesting family friendly articles from home. I started off writing one article per month, for over a year. I wondered if I would be given the chance to write more because I was enjoying it so much! Eventually my editor asked me to write more articles per month and now I make a small side income with this job. As a stay-at-home mom, it feels wonderful to give back to my family monetarily and/or with new experiences. Recently, I was contacted by an agency and asked if my family and I could attend a trip to later review and write about a specific beach resort. Because my children are homeschooled, we were able to go and enjoy the weekend as a family unit. Of course, my husband worked from the room for half of the trip, but the children and I were able to have fun and still get some schoolwork done in between activities. I was recently hired by a private company in North Carolina to write blog posts for them based on client reviews. I have only just begun there but have found this to be another avenue in which I can write creatively, while staying home and teaching my children. I want stay-at-home mothers to know that they too can be home with their children and have a business or side income by doing something they love. Whether it’s photography, gardening, being an influencer or podcaster-the sky is the limit!
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
As I mentioned already, I have enjoyed writing ever since I was little. My bachelor’s degree was in special education, and I learned various creative ways to teach my students how to write. Now I am teaching my own children how to write effectively, and I am still learning new tips and techniques along the way. After I applied for the writing job for a local online magazine, my editors took me under their wings and taught me so much about writing relevant articles that many people can relate to, and enjoy reading. The business side has been a joy for me as I can write about places, events, and activities in my beautiful hometown of Charleston, SC. This job has opened the door for me to write about family-friendly places and activities not only in the holy city, but in the greater South Carolina area as well. Maybe one day I will be writing about family vacations across the country! My goal is to help families learn that spending quality time and having incredible experiences with your children means more than any toy they can ever receive from the store. The places you take them and the experiences they have will have a lasting impact on their persona while leaving them with beautiful memories of the time you had together as a family. My writing is unique because we have experienced a lot in such a short time as a family. My oldest is thirteen now and she has moved five times already. Life has taken our family down various paths-some good and some challenging. I truly feel like my personality comes through, even in the short pieces I write, and my hope is that people of all ages enjoy them, relate to them, and can learn from them. My personal blog is where I write a bit more like I talk, and I choose various topics to discuss. I get more personal, and discuss my faith and life lessons. It is challenging, yet exciting to write different types of genres in different avenues.
Ever since taking a photography class in college, I have loved taking pictures! I will never forget the first Nikon my parents bought me for Christmas. I thought it was the best present ever! Instagram has become one of my favorite social outlets. I can take pictures of beauty around me and let others enjoy it as well. I started my public Instagram account when my family lived in our RV for a year, in between jobs. My goal was to find beauty each day, no matter where the RV was parked which at times was more challenging than others. I loved the challenge of capturing a unique photo on Instagram, and it became a hobby. Now, I love walking in downtown Charleston taking pictures of window boxes for #windowboxwednesday, or front doors for #frontdoorfriday. I let people know about good restaurants to try, or recipes to make with their children. I show snippets of real life, in the homeschooling and gardening. I want to be a happy place in the social media world, where I can be myself, and invite others to do the same. A place where we can share life together as an online community. I think people need that, especially after two years of isolation and lock downs. Come find me @momaboutcharleston! I would love to connect with you!
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
Sometimes as mothers, we feel as though being a mom is our identity. We are a mom who feeds the babies, does the laundry, and cleans the house. Being a mother is probably what I am most proud of, but at the same time, I know that I am more than “just” a mom. I want my children to watch both of their parents enjoying life, finding hobbies, working hard, and helping others. I want my children to see me as their cheerleader, but also one who has a good work ethic, and never gives up. Having these writing opportunities has blessed me in so many ways. I have enjoyed learning new things, being challenged, and having “work” to do that goes beyond the usual scope of a homeschool mom/maid/taxi driver/cook. One of the beautiful things about homeschooling is that we can be creative learners together. Both of my children are beginning to learn how writing can be fun, and not simply an assignment. Like I said, I have been writing for several years but we never had a #hosted family trip until recently. I had to apply for it, but I was still “found” online, and blessed beyond measure. My children got to enjoy a weekend at the beach, and they were so grateful. If by the end of my life, all I can say is that I raised grateful children, that will be enough for me.
Have you ever had to pivot?
I believe the biggest “pivot” in my life was the decision to homeschool. Before having my own kids, I had taught children with autism, and other learning differences for several years. It was my passion, and I loved the connections I made with the children, their families, and my co-workers. Staying at home with two kids of my own had never truly been a part of my original plans. My family and I were living in a rural community when my youngest child turned five years old. She had attended an excellent preschool at the university my husband was teaching at during that time, but now it was time for kindergarten. And here we were, living in a rural area with limited school options. I had to decide if I was going to teach other people’s children at a local school or teach my own children at home. After visiting several schools, and meeting a sweet kindergarten teacher who told me that she leaves her two babies in daycare so she could come and teach, I knew what I was going to do. I knew God was calling me to homeschool my children. I decided to take it year by year, only doing it if it made sense, and if my kids enjoyed it. I didn’t think we would do it for very long to be honest. Yet here we are, nine years later and still homeschooling. It was a major turning point not only in my career, but in my life. This lifestyle is not always unicorns and rainbows, but I would never change a thing. It is a privilege to be with my children, and to watch them delight in learning new things.
Contact Info:
- Website: missystone927.wordpress.com
- Instagram: MomaboutCharleston
- Facebook: Missy Stone
Image Credits
Missy Stone