Staying Updated on Professional Skills During Parenting - as part of the expert series by GeoBeats. There are so many things that Moms can do while they are busy raising their children. You do not have to lose touch with your professional career. One of the most obvious things is to volunteer at your school. One of the things I did recently was to volunteer for the auction committee. Whether you are interested in finance, project management, marketing, it is actually a really, really amazing opportunity, where you can really fine tune your skills, and show professional experience that you have managed a large project. There are a lot of different roles you can do at a school. So, really look into it beyond just volunteering in the classroom. Different things you can help with the office, and different fund raising events is really a great opportunity. Another great idea to do is to join a Board of Directors. Either for your school if you are part of a Pre-school or also any non-profit in your area. It is a wonderful way to demonstrate leadership skills which are something that you will want for any career that you sure going in. There are different prerequisites for Board of Director positions and different requirements, and different time commitments, but find one that fits for you. If it is an organization that you love, you will love being able to be a part of it in this way. Again, it is a great way to help with your leadership skills, finance, there are so many different things that you can do, H.R., a lot of different opportunities joining a Board of Directors. Another thing that I have done that was really good was just to do a project for a non-profit. Think about the skills that you have. One of the things that I did was to do a marketing project for a local dance group. It is a great way where you can define a specific project and a different commitment that you are willing to make. If you approach the organization, I mean you can set your own time frames and your commitment level up front. A lot of non-profits have been severely impacted by budget cuts and they are looking for all the help that they can get, and would love to have the additional support for people who are committed about their organization and their cause, and who can provide some professional expertise. It is an amazing opportunity to get exposure to new areas that you might not be as familiar with or to really ramp up in your area and your comfort zone and your expertise. It is a great way to help your community as well. Do not forget while you are at home being a busy stay-at-home mom to continue to attend conferences and events in your industry or area of expertise. You want to stay up on the latest lingo the latest technologies, know what is happening in your industry, so when you are ready to re-enter your professional career, you still feel like you know what is going on. Those things are also great ways to have a little Mommy escape as well. So do not be afraid to sign up for a few conferences and stay in touch with your former collegues and the industry that you are involved in.