Managing the Return to Work After Being a Stay at Home Parent.

{Collaborative Content} Being a stay at home parent is a beautiful thing; you get to spend as much time with your kids as you’d really like, and you’re around to experience all the big and small things with them. And at the same time, being a working parent is a wonderful thing as well - there are a lot of benefits to working during the day and getting to spend time with your family from the evening onwards. 

And managing to mesh the two together, by going from a stay at home parent to stepping out into the working world again, can be a tricky thing. And because of that, we’ve got some tips you might be able to put to use in such a situation. 

 

Be Sure on Child Care

Of course, the thing you’re most worried about is just how your child is going to fare without you during the day, and that’s a completely natural worry to have. This is an adjustment period for the both of you, and dealing with these fears in good time is key to having a smooth transition. 

Make sure you get in touch with a childcare agency, such as the Angels by Day nursery, a long time before you’re due to head back to work. You want to be sure there’s a place for your little one, and that any feeds due have been fully paid, and that there’s always going to be somewhere safe for your child to be in case you or your partner are suddenly indisposed. 

Change Your Schedule Ahead of Time

You don’t want your new schedule, i.e. only being there to give your child breakfast before rushing off to work where you’re needed, to be a surprise to anyone. You need to practice at it, to ensure you’ve given yourself enough time for both handling the new arrangement and settling your child into it as well. 

Change your schedule a little right now - maybe take your child to daycare a little earlier than you were planning to, or leave them with a babysitter or family member whilst you run an errand without them. This’ll give the both of you the chance to get used to being away from each other, and you won’t toss and turn the night before you head back to work worrying over how you’ll manage! 

Talk to Working Parents

You’re not in this alone! There are so many other working parents around you, and it’s a good idea right now to get in touch with them and ask them how they’re managing. What did they do to change their setup? How did their children settle into it? Are they enjoying their time now? Ask as many questions to help yourself feel comfortable, and make sure there’s an understanding support circle there when you need it. 

Returning to work is a big adjustment, and you can have a lot of doubts during this time, but it doesn’t have to be impossible.