Introduce your children to your working life! Check out these Bring Your Child to Work Day activities and ideas for a successful event. A few months ago, my work hosted Bring Your Child to Work Day. And the event was a success according to the most important people involved: the kids! "I want to go back here again." "Can we live here?" "This was the best day of my life!" This was the first year my eldest was finally old enough to come—enough reason for me to join the planning committee. Bring Your Child to Work Day activities and ideas And I learned a lot. From activities to … [Read more...]
The “How Do You Do It” Working Moms Guide
Balancing work and life can be a challenge! This working mom survival guide is a must-read for anyone struggling with getting it all done. She gets home at 5:30pm, cleans the bottles, changes the baby's diaper and nurses her. Then it's dinner and preparing food for the next day before squeezing in an extra pumping session. Somewhere in those moments, she finds time to play with the baby but still feels guilty it's not enough. By the time she's finished eating, cleaning, showering and preparing for tomorrow, it's 9:30pm—and she's just about ready to knock out for the night. She … [Read more...]
What to Do when Your Child Cries at Drop Off
Do you feel guilty or frustrated when your child cries at drop off? Learn how to cope with separation anxiety and make drop offs smoother. My son was staring at me with tears welling in his eyes. Then he started to cry and scream, so much that the teacher had to scoop him in her arms. Earlier, he had been fine playing with toys, but as soon as he knew I heading out, he was inconsolable. Meanwhile, I tried to pull myself together and head to work, except my resolve didn't last and I felt miserable at my desk. Drop offs officially became the hardest part of the day. When your child … [Read more...]
Being a Working Mom Isn’t Always a Second Choice
Does it seem like everyone wishes they were a stay-at-home mom if only finances weren't an issue? But being a working mom isn't always a second choice. Here's why. Would you be a stay-at-home mom if you could? Sometimes it seems like every mom's goal is to be a stay-at-home mom if only finances didn't hold her back. For instance, I was on a parenting forum when a mom vented about being a stay-at-home mom with her baby. Except she prefaced it with, "I know being a stay-at-home is a gift, but..." But here's the thing: being a stay-at-home mom isn't always a gift. I understand she … [Read more...]
How to Explain to Your Kids Why You Work
Has your child got you stumped when trying to explain why you work? Learn how to explain to your kids why you go to work and its many benefits. "Mama, why do you work?" My four-year-old asked me that question a few times, and I couldn't blame him. How do you explain the stretches of absences? The getting ready to go somewhere you don't understand, and why it happens on certain days and times? How to explain to your kids why you go to work From his point of view, going to work seems like a secret meeting. This ubiquitous "work" we run off to and rush back from day in and day out. All … [Read more...]
First Day Back after Maternity Leave — Does It Get Better?
Your first day back after maternity leave was tough. Does it get better? Here's your pep talk and action plan to get through these challenging days. We survived the newborn stage. We managed to fit into our old clothes—more or less. And we're now just getting a hang of this parenting thing. But then... it's time to face the first day back after maternity leave. Just when our babies have fallen into a manageable routine and it's becoming easier and more fun, maternity leave is over. And now we have to hand our babies to someone else to care for while we rejoin the … [Read more...]
The Surprising Factor that Gives You Work-Life Balance
Regret about working or not was equal to both stay-at-home moms and working moms. Meaning, the same number of stay-at-home moms who regret their work life balance was equal to that of their working mom counterparts. What's most surprising is what determined whether a mom—regardless of staying at home or working—would be happy with her work-or-not situation: Flexibility. Maybe it shouldn't be so surprising, considering how freeing it is to be able to determine our circumstances and to have options. I certainly had a, "Yes, that's right" moment when I first heard about KJ Dell’Antonia, a … [Read more...]
Why Parenting Is Harder than Your Day Job
Is parenting harder than a job? Read several reasons being a parent is often harder than your day job, no matter your career. I had always believed taking care of kids is not for the faint of heart. I read statistics in the past that claimed a stay-at-home parent's salary, if paid, would be worth at least $100,000. Such is the testament of the work and dedication we put into this job. I agree—taking care of kids has been harder than my own day job. Yes, I have perks—during maternity leave, I got to nap or veg out when the kids did. I didn't get ready, pack a lunch or drive anywhere. … [Read more...]