If you gave birth to a child and returned to your job outside the home after maternity leave, you know that feeling – the “tug”. Most moms can identify with it. Among other things, you miss your plentiful and quality baby interaction time once you return to work.
If you are returning to a 40 hour per week job, you know that 40 hours is the least amount of time you will be spending away from your baby. If you work outside the home with your career, you will also have to figure commute time into the equation. It may be late in the day before you get to see your baby. By that time, if they haven’t already gone to sleep, they’re ready to.
Home from Work Means Baby Time – Or Does It?
Of course, when you get home, you have to do any number of things in addition to spending time with your child. You have to get ready for the next day, possibly bathe the baby, make dinner, wash bottles… the list goes on. Not a lot of time is left for baby interaction after all of that.
But what if you work from home, as many do in this time of a pandemic? Depending on how much time you spend on “work stuff”, you may still feel guilty for not spending enough time with your baby. It’s a struggle, trying to balance family time with work time, to say the least.
Is there a way to spend some quality baby interaction time while still getting your work done? Here are some tips.
Balancing a Job And Baby
The following are tips for spending quality time with your baby while still maintaining a career:
- Remember – this too shall pass. The stress and strain of balancing a job and baby will not last forever.
- Cherish the time you do get to spend with your child. Let those positive thoughts carry you through your day.
- Find out if your boss is willing to make your schedule a little more flexible. This will allow you to take time, when you need it, to spend with the baby.
- Certain tasks can be outsourced. This doesn’t necessarily have to apply to childcare, though it can – and probably does, in many homes. It can include things like household chores (cleaning, laundry, etc.), shopping, pre-mixing baby food, etc.
- Whenever possible, try to combine tasks. While you’re prepping baby food, you could be cooking meals at the same time, for example.
- Sometimes it’s okay to put off till tomorrow what you could do today – particularly if it’s because you’d rather spend more time with your baby. Chances are, the dusting, vacuuming, laundry, and more, aren’t going anywhere. They’ll still be there tomorrow.
Don’t Worry – The Baby Knows Who You Are!
Many parents, after returning to work and spending less time with their baby, worry that their baby will no longer be able to identify the role the parent plays in his or her life. The baby will not resent you for going back to work. They will not even prefer others over you. Compared to the hours you work, your relationship with your baby runs far deeper. Just remember that whatever time you have with your baby – cherish it. Make the most of it.
Naturally, you want to spend as much time with your baby as you humanly can. Unfortunately, it’s not always possible for parents to personally care for their child 24/7 in this day and age. When that’s the case, you can depend on the professionals at Home Away Child Care Center.
Contact us today for information.