Balancing work while raising children, particularly infants and toddlers, can be exhausting for working moms. This challenge is even greater for those living far from family support. At three months postpartum, a new mom’s hormones are still in flux, compounding her emotional challenges. The stress of caring for a newborn, combined with sleep deprivation and the demands of returning to work can be overwhelming. This can significantly affect the mood and overall well-being of a new mom. Without the help of trusted loved ones, many working moms are forced to seek alternative ways to find balance.
One common solution is enrolling your young child in an appropriate daycare or school. The ideal age to start daycare depends on various factors, including the demands of the mom’s job. Some daycares accept babies as young as three months. This is a lifeline for moms returning to work soon after maternity leave. Juggling a nine-to-five job and caring for an infant or toddler is no easy feat. While your workday has a start and end time, motherhood/parenting never does.
My Experience
I recall unique challenges of being a working mom when my daughter was just four months old. Both her dad and I were working at the time, and she began attending daycare at six months old. Unfortunately, the Montessori school where I worked didn’t accommodate children in her age group, so we had to find another option.
My work schedule dictated much of our daily routine since I had to be at work by 7:00 am. This meant that daddy would drop our baby girl off at daycare just before 8:00 am, and I would pick her up at 2:00 pm right after work. Twice a week, I worked until 5:00 pm in aftercare. On those days, daddy would take a break from work, pick our little girl up and leave her with her nanny for the extra three hours until I got home. Keeping up with breastfeeding and other baby care was exhausting, but I/we somehow maintained this routine for over six months.
Weekends became our treasured time to relax and recharge together as a family. One of the most treasured times with my baby was during her bath time. Once I got comfortable giving her a bath, it became our special bonding activity. I made it enjoyable with bubble baths and toys. Even now, at almost four years old, she still loves bubble baths for the fun and playtime relaxation.
As a working mom, my goal was to maintain a comfortable life while successfully balancing work and family. At some point, I had to be upfront with my boss (when I had my second child) about my situation, which led to a temporary adjustment of my working hours. Managing infants and toddlers is particularly challenging because they are entirely dependent. Let’s explore how to alleviate some stress on working moms with the following tips.
Research Insight
Working moms fall into different categories. Some return to work just one month postpartum, some after three months, and others after a year or more. Regardless of when you go back to work, these tips can help you better manage work and your small children. There are tons of strategies but I can personally vouch for each of these ones.
3 Simple Survival Tips for Working Moms with Young Children
1. Source for help
You can’t do it all alone! Work and motherhood are exhausting. So, find reliable and experienced childcare that puts your mind at ease, whether it’s a nanny, daycare, or another option. This is key because if your child is unhappy with their care provider, it will affect you too (Green, 2000).
2. Plan weekly
Schedule your work activities (Dowling, 2019) and also set aside non-negotiable bonding time with your child. While work demands your full attention, so does your little one. Make sure neither becomes an excuse to neglect the other.
3. Communicate openly with your boss
Be honest with yourself and your boss about what you can realistically manage. Having a young child changes everything, so it’s important to make arrangements that accommodate your new season and reality (Stranks, 2016).
Conclusion
Being a new mom (or dad) is hard work, and when you add a job to the mix, it becomes even harder! That’s why survival tips are essential for maintaining a healthy balance. For working moms, having a close-knit family nearby during the toddler years is a blessing. But if that’s not possible for some of us, some tips can help ease the journey. These involve seeking help – whether through a nanny or daycare; intentionally carving out quality time with your child; and being open and realistic with your boss about what you can manage in this new phase of life. Make no mistake – you’re a great mom, and you’re doing fantastic, no matter what stage you’re in.
Action Point
Which of these survival tips resonates with you the most?
Reference
Dowling, D. 2019. A Working Parent’s Survival Guide. Accessed on 08 August 2024. Available at: https://hbr.org/2019/07/a-working-parents-survival-guide
Green, C. 2006. Toddler Taming: A Parent’s Guide to the First Four Years. Great Britain: Clays Limited, St Ives plc.
Stranks, S. 2016. A Survival Guide for Working Parents: how to balance family and career. Accessed on 08 August 2024. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/careers/2016/nov/25/survival-guide-working-parents-balance-family-and-career
Amazing tips, thanks for sharing
Thank you Ibiene 🙂