Fifty years ago, when women had babies that was it for their careers, they were then expected to stay at home and raise the children. Today, however, things are very different. While there’s nothing wrong with being a stay at home mum (or at stay at home dad for that matter), us parents have options.
Once our kids become toddlers, a lot of us choose to go back to work. Either full-time or on a part-time basis. While working is good for our bank accounts, it can sometimes be a nightmare to balance your family and your career. In case you’re struggling to do this, I thought I would share a few tips for successfully balancing family life and a career.
Get your kids into a local nursery or preschool
It’s recommended that once children reach two or three years old that they attend a nursery or pre-school to help them learn to socialise. Today, most nurseries and pre-schools are open normal office hours, so if you have to work, they’re the perfect place to leave your little ones.
Think finger painting, story time, and lots of fun learning; nurseries are a lot of fun. They’ll get a chance to meet other kids their own age, make friends, and learn how they should behave when in a learning environment.
Book them into kid’s clubs
Another great option for your children while you work is kid’s clubs. There are various clubs that run throughout the year that are perfect for leaving your little one’s at while you work. From sports-related options to arts and crafts clubs, there are plenty to choose from.
It’s just a case of finding the perfect one of your children. For younger kids, Little Squigglers offers a range of fun and exciting kid’s clubs. As well as a selection of after school clubs for older children. There are also clubs held at local schools and children’s centres, so you have plenty of choices.
Find a childminder
Crestwood High School varsity cheerleading captain MicKayla Ketter plays with toddler class 5-B at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., Aug. 15, 2012. Ketter and members of her high schoolÕs cheer squad came to teach children about sportsmanship and teamwork.
If you’d prefer your children to spend time in a more family-friendly environment, it could be worth looking for a childminder. There are some fantastic childminders around that offer an amazing range of child-care options.
The great thing about hiring a childminder is that not only will your little one get to socialise with other kids but they’ll also be in a family home. Plus, they’ll also have more one-on-one care, compared to being in a nursery.
Make time for your family
As well as making time for your career, an important part of being a working mum is making time for your family. This means having a couple of set days a week when you spend some quality time with your little ones.
This is important as being a working mum is all about getting the balance right. You don’t want to spend all your time working and miss out on seeing your little ones growing up. You need to make sure that you have some time off to spend with your kids.
There you go, all the best options for balancing childcare and your career.
Thanks for reading