It’s not easy being a parent, period. Whether you’re a full time or stay-at-home parent, a work-from-home parent, or work-from-office parent, they all come with their own set of rewards and challenges. In this blog post, let’s look at the joys and difficulties of being a working parent (we also offer tips for navigating this complex role here)!
Challenges of Being a Working Parent
1. Practising Proper Time Management
The morning rush, juggling school drop-offs and pick-ups, attending parent-teacher conferences, and making time for family activities – these are some tasks that require solid time management, which can be overwhelming without proper planning.
2. Dealing with Guilt
Many working parents feel guilty because they can’t be there full-time to raise their children - sometimes even missing out on first milestones. The constant pull and push of dealing with work while carving out quality time with your children can feel draining.
3. Struggling to Find Quality Child Care
It’s not easy leaving your precious children to be cared for by someone else, while you’re earning a living. You need to invest time and energy looking for a child care centre or school that fits your parenting philosophy, budget, and other requirements.
4. Dealing with a Sick Child
When your child is sick, the world often comes to a brief stop for parents of young children. Rushing them to the doctor, monitoring their fever, keeping them home because they can’t go to school… this inevitably eats into your capacity to function at work, and sometimes results in unavoidable emergency leave.
However, there are undeniable perks to being a working parent that make the journey all the more rewarding. So, what are the perks?
Joys of Being a Working Parent
1. Pursuing Your Passions
For many parents, their career provides a sense of purpose and accomplishment that goes beyond their role as a parent. It allows them to pursue their passions and interests outside of the home and to use their unique skills and talents to make a difference in the world.
2. Improving your Financial Stability
Having a steady income and being able to provide for your children's basic needs, such as food, clothing, and shelter, is an essential aspect of parenting. By working, your children have opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities, take family vacations, and invest in their education and future.
3. Getting Some Child-Free Time
Parenting, while rewarding, is also a very emotionally-intense job. Getting to enjoy a leisurely lunch hour while indulging in adult conversation, without needing to keep an eye on your children, can be a great way of recharging your batteries!
4. Building Your Social Network
An important aspect of working with others is also the sense of community you enjoy when you're in the right job with good colleagues. The workplace offers the chance to interact with other adults, which can be a welcome break from the often isolating nature of parenting.
To be a working parent is not an easy task, as it comes with its own set of joys and challenges. By acknowledging the challenges and embracing the joys, working parents can find a balance that works for them and their families. Remember, being a parent is a journey, and each step, whether challenging or joyful, can provide opportunities for growth and learning.
References:
https://www.parentcircle.com/challenges-of-working-mothers/article https://www.sunshinepreschools.com/blog/common-challenges-faced-by-working-mothers