When those diaper days and carpooling days come to an end, many moms have to find their way back into the work force.

And it’s not always so easy.

Jodie Benzkofer, a 40-year-old mother of three, graduated with a degree in elementary education and was working as a substitute teacher when she made the decision to be a stay-at-home mom 14 years ago.

“My husband and I were having our first child, and we felt that it was important to have a parent at home with them,” Benzkofer said.

After their decision, Benzkofer said they had to make a few adjustments.

“We had to make many changes, including getting by with one car, rarely going out to eat and cutting back on spending,” she said. “It was challenging at first, as we had to get used to one income and one car.”

But for her and her family, staying home with her children was well worth it.

“We realized that the benefits far outweighed the challenges, as I had a very flexible schedule and I was always available for our children, and I spent a great deal of time with them,” she said. “If they needed something, I was there.”

Benzkofer kept her job skills up by doing a variety of small jobs or volunteer work, including working part time at night or on weekends at Kohl’s and at a group home, as well as helping out at her children’s school, in the community and at church.

Her children are now 14, 11 and 2 years old, and last August Benzkofer decided to go back to work.

“I decided to return to the work force because I found a job that really interested and inspired me and fit me perfectly,” she said.

Benzkofer, who now works as a Family Based Services Provider for Nicollet County, found out about the job from a family member and looked it up on the Internet.

“I filled out the application, sent it in and waited, not knowing what to expect,” she said. “I was not actively looking for a job but saw this opportunity and decided to look into it further.”

To prepare herself to go back to work, Benzkofer said her husband helped her develop and polish her resume. He also helped her with mock job interviews.

“Having stayed home full time for over 14 years, there were many things I had to do and changes to make in order to go back to work,” she said. “Having better time management with my limited time at home is essential.”