Parents back to work

Subject page : Life & Style

After having my second child and being at home for a period of time, I now have to prepare for returning to work. My eldest child is five years old and my second child is six months old. I have enjoyed my time at home but I have to say it has been far from a work break.

Being a full time parent is very demanding and I have often said it is easier being in the work environment than being at home, at least at work you get coffee breaks and lunch breaks!

Returning to work produces mixed emotions including feelings of guilt and sometimes anxiety. Returning to work requires a great deal of organisation and caution. This can be particularly stressful especially when you are dependent on external resources such as finding the right type of care for your child, for example a nursery placement versus a child minder (if there is no family support).

The process for this is not simple as some nurseries have waiting lists for up to one year, or if you work part-time they may not have the days you require. If you are restricted by the locality of the nursery this can present even more problems if it does not have a place. Therefore your time and the cost of the nursery or child minder are also factors that need to be considered.

As I said I also have to consider arrangements for collecting- my five year old from school. This also requires a great deal of planning, not to mention the school holidays. When you are on maternity leave or a work break, no one likes to think about returning but the only advice I can give is, it is never too early to plan. Lack of planning is planning for failure and stress.

Author:  ffig
Added:  15 Jun 2009