After having a baby, you have three options open to you. You can return to work after two weeks of maternity leave, take your full year (or six months) of maternity, or choose not to go back to work. For those that choose the latter option, it can either be a straightforward decision to make or one that you deliberate your entire maternity leave.
Returning to Work After Being A Stay At Home Mom
Most prefer to become stay-at-moms because they want to spend more time with their children, save on childcare costs, avoid work stress, or have more flexibility. However, you may consider returning to work when your child reaches school age. If it has been five years or more since you’ve worked, it can be daunting to have this new adjustment to your life, but these tips will help you and your family succeed.
Work on Filling in Gaps on Your Resume
Spend some time reviewing your resume and comparing it to the job descriptions. Are there new skills that you are missing that jobs require? Do you want to give yourself the best opportunity to succeed in your new career?
If so, before applying for jobs, use your time to improve these skills or take online courses to expand your knowledge on a particular subject. This could make the job hunt much easier.
Find Flexible Childcare Options
Working full-time may mean that your child finishes school throughout the week before you finish work. If your partner is in a similar situation, you must organize after-school care for your little one. You want one that will be the most flexible for you and most beneficial to your child too. For instance, you may need someone to pick up your child from school, help them with homework, or even get them ready for bed if you work late on certain days.
Finding an after school nanny who can do all this and more can be tricky by yourself, so get in touch with an agency that can pair you with a nanny that is going to leave you feeling at peace, worry-free, and your child engaged, happy, and properly cared for during the times you have to work.
Don’t Put Too Much Pressure On Yourself
Returning to work will shock you whether you have prepared yourself or not. The last time you may have worked was before you had children, which meant you only needed to look after yourself. Before you leave for work, you need to prepare your little one(s) for the day ahead, and when you finish, you return home to continue caring for everyone else. This can be exhausting on its own, and when you then throw a whole day of work in there, too, it can be easy to feel knocked for six.
Returning to Work After Being A Stay At Home Mom: Conclusion
Don’t get frustrated over this or put too much pressure on yourself to perfect the routine straightaway. Everyone will have to get used to this new way of living. Give yourself time and slowly get the routine that works for everyone so you aren’t being relied upon for everything. If you are continuously relied upon to do everything, it will quickly lead to burnout, so everyone should help where they can. You may be surprised at how many household chores your five-year-old can do!