Blog Detail

Working parent: Makes things easy at every step

While you may be eager to return to work, you may also feel sadness and guilt about leaving your baby in the care of others, as well as stress about being needed both at work and at home. After all, juggling the demands of a job and a family is no easy task.

However, many other working parents have not only shared your concerns and frustrations but have also learned how to navigate the difficult post-baby return to work. It’s difficult, to be sure, but that’s where a little or a lot of planning and perseverance can come in handy.

Here are some smart and simple strategies for juggling work and a new baby while maintaining your sanity.

⇒ Set up a proper routine –

Creating a proper daily routine will help a family to run smoothly. Routines help children to develop proper life skills, feel safe, and build healthy habits. You will feel more organized in your hectic schedule also. It will reduce stress and you can arrange a time for enjoyable activities with your child.

⇒ Find a good day-care –

Finding good child care can help alleviate some of the guilt and sadness associated with returning to work. Whatever you decide, make sure you do your homework. Get recommendations, do a walk-through if possible, check references, inquire about immunization records, and try to have a backup sitter ready.

⇒ Divide responsibilities and coordinate –

When you have a partner, sharing responsibilities can make all the difference. Before your first day back at work, make sure you both are on the same page. Schedules and child care arrangements should be coordinated, and domestic responsibilities should be divided.

Don’t forget to plan for a sick day as well. Figure out who will take care of your infant if he or she gets sick and/or needs to go to the doctor. That way, you’ll be prepared if anything happens.

⇒ Have a backup babysitter at home –

Even well-crafted plans can go wrong. That’s why it’s a good idea to have a backup babysitter, such as a family member or close friend, in case your caregiver cancels, the daycares close, or there’s another emergency. Another option is to look for a neighboring parent who can help babysit for you in an emergency and vice versa.

⇒ Create proper dinner and bedtime for baby –

Establishing a good dinner and sleep schedule at the same time every night is a wonderful way to help your baby go asleep on time. It keeps track of how much time your baby spends sleeping each day. If your child’s caretaker says he or she didn’t nap that day, consider a later bedtime. It’s critical for both of you to have a decent night’s sleep.

⇒ Make a network of strong contacts –

Making a network of strong contact with neighbors can help during emergencies. Also, Maintaining touch with your peers, co-workers, and professional contacts takes time and effort (both of which you don’t have much of these days), but there’s a reason it’s worth adding to your already overflowing to-do list. When you’re having a rough week, many of those contacts may be working parents like you who can offer advice, support, and commiseration.

⇒ Get the support you need at work –

Is it possible for you to work from home (if you don’t already)? Do you have the opportunity to function on a flexible schedule? When it comes to your baby’s doctor’s appointments, the same questions should be asked. Can you make up the time if you need two hours for a standard appointment in the future? Leave policies to vary by company, after returning to work inquire about your employer’s policy on newborn bonding, paternity leave, personal leave, sick leave, and unpaid leave.

⇒ Get proper toys for your child –

Get proper toys for your children. It will help them to be busy with it and they will not feel alone. When a child grabs a toy and tries to manipulate it, he is practicing his/her motor skills. This helps your child to achieve the advanced stages of development. Different education toys help them to develop problem-solving skills too.

⇒ Stay focused –

Make a daily to-do list and stick to it, even if it means doing things like idly checking your email or running to the store when you could just order online. That way, you’ll have more time to accomplish what you want to do: get things done so you can spend time with your gorgeous baby.
Make time for some cuddling with your kid, whether it’s during a late-night feeding or an early-morning diaper change. You may not be able to spend the entire day caring for your child but make the most of the time you do have.

So here we are presenting some steps to achieve your desired goal:

1. • Use naps or bedtime of the baby to complete tasks that you can’t complete when they are awake, such as homework, phone calls, or household duties.
   • At least once a week, keep a ‘me time’ for yourself. Trying to do too much and burning yourself out can have negative consequences in many areas of your life. Making time for oneself allows you to relax and prevents burnout.
   • Make sure you get enough rest. It’s tempting to stay up late to get everything that has to be done. You will not be able to function to your full potential if you do not get adequate sleep.
   • If you have the option of working from home, inform your boss so that you can take some time away from the office and relieve some workplace stress by working from home.
   • Make a schedule for yourself and stick to it. Having a timetable might help you stay organized and avoid being overwhelmed. Make adjustments as you go if a piece of your routine isn’t working for you. Except in emergencies, stick to your schedule once you’ve found something that works.

Parenthood is a commitment, and we aren’t always prepared for the problems that can arise. The key to being a good parent, though, is stepping up and doing what you need to do to provide a great childhood for your child while also ensuring that they have a safe place to live.

If you are a single parent:

There’s no denying that the lives of single parents are exceptionally difficult. It can be mentally and physically exhausting to be the sole provider and caretaker for one or more children. While many full-time employees struggle to strike a work-life balance, it can be much more difficult if you are a single parent. When you’re a single parent, you’re the one who gets contacted if something goes wrong.
However, if you want to keep a good work-life balance, you’ll need a backup plan. Just keep in mind that things will go wrong from time to time, and you will not always be the hero. Just keep trying hard.