Networking. I have been doing a lot of networking the last 2 weeks. Talking to people I don’t know about business is a skill I need to brush up on. I've spent the last 6 years of my life talking about places I can go with my kids, what the kids have been doing, and everything else "kids". And I prefer to talk about those things over a bottle of wine or two. Now that I have Kidwinks.com I have to put my business hat back on. I enjoy talking about the site especially to people who "get it" -- both the idea behind kidwinks and why there is such a need for it. As a business owner, socializing and getting the word out is something that I have to do. Luckily, it turns out I actually like it. I used to get kind of bored doing this in my past corporate life. Now, I'm talking about something I'm passionate about, instead of representing a big corporation at muckety muck meetings. Finding time for it all is the hardest part. There are just not enough hours in the day, and I find myself working long into the night (ok, make that morning), and then sleeping maybe 5 or 6 hours before I have to start the kids off to school. Not enough sleep makes me irritable and forgetful. I need to schedule more time for sleep and exercise - those are the 2 things that have been laid at the sacrificial table in honor of kidwinks. Volunteering has taken a back seat too. I had to cut back on the pto committees, church committees, and the "what can I do to help yous" to people in need. I hate that, but hope that kidwinks eventual success will allow me to pick those things back up. I want to shout from the rooftop what a great site Nina and I have created and that every parent should know about it. The goal – make Kidwinks.com a household name. For those of you who don’t know what the site is, here is a little info:

Kidwinks.com is a resource for parents looking for kid-friendly events, activities, restaurants, shops and services throughout the Chicago land area. Find everything from story times at area libraries and neighborhood festivals to all sorts of Chicago fun -- all in one place! Get the lowdown from the experts by reading reviews posted by other parents. Sign up for our newsletter and get a list of upcoming kid-friendly events emailed to you twice a week! If you find yourself searching for family fun using the search terms, chicago kids, or chicago for kids, kidwinks.com is the site to know.