It’s been a wonderfully exhausting few months with your little one, spending an obscene amount of time with them. From the ungodly wake-up hours, the toothless grins to the fussy habits and the constant giggles. It’s been a parent paradise combined with elements of madness.
If you’re a person who’s always been the one to sit at a laptop and engage in hours of work, now that the leave is coming to an end, it’s probably time to make that gut wrenching decision and the bane of every new parent- should I stay back or get back to work?
It’s a decision that requires a significant amount of thought, discussion. Yet, no matter the choice you make, the emotional aspect and the unconditional love you have for your child will eventually weigh heavily into your decision and take a toll on your mental.
Follow this guide to get some perspective before making any decision. Should you decide to go back to work, mentioned below are some ways you can look after your little one while you juggle a busy work schedule.
- Discuss:To come to an agreement, or to simply gain some perspective over your decision to stay home or go back to work, it’s essential you voice your concerns well before the end of your maternity/paternity leave. Be it your spouse, parents, friends, or even parents facing similar situations- it’s always beneficial to have a word with them, and if you do decide to get back to work- you could work out a schedule and request them to look after your child.
- Leave emotion and take all factors into consideration-Put a hold onto your feelings for a while. And now, take into account your financial situation, your work policies, the current job market, your physical and mental health- most parents often find that work gives them a break from the monotony of always looking after your child. Is it affordable to take a more extended leave? What is the policy of returning back to work? Can you take the risk of a break and come back later? Are there guarantees? These are questions you may want to ask yourself before making a critical decision. Yes, spending time with your little one is essential for their development, but so are the funds to help support your family.
- Speak to the management team-At some point, it will get easier to get back to work while your child is at home, until then, it could be helpful to work out some agreement over timings, schedules, etc. with your employer, to spend some more time with your child during the working hours. Although not entirely feasible, requesting your boss to bring your child to work, or work from home with perhaps some extra work to substitute the missing time are some ways you can try working around your parent and work schedule.
- Your mental health- Now more than ever, a parent’s mental health needs to be looked after tenderly, giving it a lot of attention and introspection. In a competitive world where everyone strives to succeed, it can be emotionally exhausting to keep up with work and look after your baby. You need to ask yourself if you are ready to get back to work or are you dreading leaving your child behind while you painfully take each step away from home. You need to realize that, if you are not mentally prepared, nothing good can come out of it.
Decided to get back to work? Here’s what you can do
- Look around you-Look for a daycare service near one of the parent’s workplace if you will be leaving your child at a creche/nursery. It may be easier to pop in during breaks, emergencies, breastfeeding or just some check-ins when you feel like it. Check around the office, if the workplace is considering or can consider options to facilitate child care in and around their premises. You never know, there may be several other mums and dads in the same boat who may also support your request.
- Request family support- There is no one you’d rather trust your child with than with your own family members. Request your parents or your in-laws, siblings for some temporary assistance until you come up with a better plan. Depending on the work schedules of each member, try to come up with a plan to help look after your child.
- Nanny, Au Pair, babysitter- Yes, a family is always the best option. But not everyone is comfortable being a bother to someone to look after your child. Instead, an ultimate option could be to hire a nanny and au pair or even a temporary babysitter. There isn’t much of a difference between the options – an au-pair performs the same tasks as that of a nanny, just providing extra-linguistic skills. Hiring them will not only benefit you in looking after the child within the comforts of their own home, but they will also help look after the minor household chores as well. It’s a complete win-win!
- Look after yourself– Having a newborn takes the significant half of your day. With all of that, it’s essential to look after yourself ask well. It’s going to be futile to look after your child if your health is deteriorating. Ensure you’re well-nourished, getting in sufficient amount of work done, and having some right amount of ‘me-time.’ A happy parent is a happy baby!
- Keep the weekends for your child-With a busy week, you’re bound to compensate the time missed by thrusting materialistic products to your child. Instead, devote your weekends to your child and engage in quality bonding time. Involve outdoor/ indoor activities and keep the devices away. This is the only good quality chunk of time you get to spend with your little one- make it fruitful.
Whatever the decision you make, keep in mind that it is in the best interest of your child and yourself. There is no absolute right or wrong choice when it comes you the health and happiness of your little one. It’s okay to take some extra time and get your mind sorted and then get back to work.
It’s hard to just leave behind your snuggly little human and put all your energy into work. Consider these factors when making your decisions. And whatever you choose, wear it with confidence. You will come across bumps down the road (no pun intended), but it’s up to you to find those solutions and make the most out of the time you get with your little one.
Toddle for now and take care.
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