Being a parent is the most important job you can do. But how do you mix parenting and a career successfully? As much as we’d all like to stay at home with our children there are times when you must have two salaries to provide for your family. Here are some simple tips to help mom’s suceed in parenting and their career.
Get Organized
Set limits on extra hours related to work, get as organized as possible so there are few late night work hours needed for your job. Use your lunch time to organize your calendar for children’s after school activities. Plan out grocery trips and weekday dinner menus so meals go together easily giving you more time to spend with your family.
Use Your Time Wisely On The Weekends
If having a homecooked, or even semi-homecooked meal is important to you for your children, double up when cooking. When you start preparing one meal, chop enough vegetables for two meals and refridgerate the rest. Make enough food for two meals, or cook enough of a main course meat to split into two meals. Spend time with your children whenever possible on the weekends if weekdays are too busy for good quality time together. Plan ahead for hectic weekday schedules running children to and from activities so your schedule works smoothly. Make sure to have some sit down meals with your family if you can’t during the weekdays. Take time to read with your children and create a special time just for them on the weekends.
Team Up With Other Moms
Sometimes you simply run out of time to get everyone everywhere they need to be. Set up schedules so you can carpool and make arrangements with other moms to get kids where they need to go. It is important to reciprocate back with help for the other moms when needed. If you can’t provide transportation to reciprocate do something else moms need in return, anything from watching children for a few hours to making a dinner for their family to making phone calls for carpools. Get creative and get organized.
Network With Moms
Feeling overwhelmed? Get advice from the moms at your children’s schools and research for answers online. Being a parent can be stressful at time and support from fellow parents can go a long way to help you realize you are not the only parent feeling that way. Networking with other working mom’s will give you ideas, help you de-stress and may just help you form new friendships as well.
