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It’s the
moment of truth. You are getting ready to go back to work. Maybe your
maternity/paternity leave has come to an end, you took time off from your career
to be a stay-at-home parent or maybe you are a teacher and have been home with
your child for the summer. In these economic times, you may have even been home
due to unexpected circumstances. No matter the reason, juggling parenthood while
reentering the workforce can be quite the challenge – just getting out the door
in the morning can be a logistical nightmare! Here are some survival tips for
the savvy parent, courtesy of The Goddard
School.
Before You Go
Back
A week before
you go back to work, wake up at the new time and practice getting everybody
ready. Do you need to get yourself ready before the rest of your household
wakes? How long do you need? What can your children do while you are getting
yourself ready? Will they play in a pack-n-play, feed themselves cereal, take
care of their own potty needs or have cuddle time with your spouse? Make it a
team effort and brainstorm with your spouse. Get specific about who will pack
lunches, feed the children, pour the milk, give the vitamins, etc. Decide
whether you will take turns or divvy up the responsibilities. Make sure you each
have time to take care of your own needs, too. Hashing all of this out upfront
and writing up a schedule will help you to figure out realistically how long it
actually takes to get everybody ready in the morning, and then work your
timeline backwards from when you’re due at work. Changing diapers, potty time,
breakfast, getting dressed and tooth brushing may take a lot longer than you
think! And be sure to leave plenty of extra time for traffic or the occasional
extra-long good-bye with your child.
Start the Night
Before
Pack up
everything you and your child need for the next day before you go to bed: diaper
bag, lunches, laptop bag, permission slips and bottles. Have the coffeemaker set
to have that much needed java brewed and ready. If you weren’t a list maker
before you had children, there is no better time than now to start! Jot down
even the smallest of details and necessities that need to be packed or prepared.
Sticky notes are a working parent’s best friend. Put a small bin in the fridge
for each member of your family who packs breakfast, lunch or bottles and label
with names. Fill each bin with all lunch
box items so in the morning you can just transfer the contents of each into a
thermal bag with ice packs, etc. If something can’t be pre-packed, jot down a
note and stick it in the bin so you know at a glance what is missing in the
morning mayhem. Choose outfits the night before—if you are super savvy, you
might even check the weather and select your children’s outfits for the whole
week!
Back to the
Grind
You may be shocked at how busy you will be when you go back
to work. Plan time before or after work to spend with your children so you don’t
feel like you are missing the details. Ease up on the idea of keeping the house
clean 24/7. Your children won’t remember if the house was always sparkling clean
or not, but they will remember the
quality of the time they spent with you. Maximize your lunch breaks: go on a
quick walk to boost your energy levels and be sure to pack healthful snacks. You
may find it energizing to be back at work—you may be filled with new ideas, and
be excited to spend your day with grown-ups! Don’t feel bad about leaving the
office as soon as your workday officially ends--parenthood has taught you to be
decidedly efficient, and to get more accomplished in less time. And, be sure to
get as much sleep as possible--no matter how prepared and organized you are,
going back to work and still maintaining a productive household can be
exhausting!
You Deserve a
Reward!
After all of the planning, organizing and hard work it takes
to go back to the grind while also creating a happy and healthy work-life
balance, treat yourself! Plan that rewarding lunchtime mani/pedi, a happy hour
with your BFF or schedule some Saturday morning cuddle time with the little
ones. You deserve it, and it will help reenergize you so you can do it all again
next week.
About The Goddard
School
At The Goddard School, children
from six weeks to six years are encouraged to develop at their own pace in a
nurturing environment supported by a team of dedicated teachers. With 380+
Goddard Schools in 35 states, the FLEX™ Learning Program, the foundation of The
Goddard School’s AdvancED and Middle States accredited programs for exceptional
early childhood education, reaches more than 45,000 students. The program
enhances children's emotional, social, intellectual and physical development and
provides the foundation for a lifelong love of learning. The Goddard School’s
comprehensive play-based curriculum, developed with early childhood education
experts, provides the optimal environment for each child's early educational
development. To learn more about The Goddard School, please visit www.goddardschool.com.
About The Goddard School, Inc.
Goddard Systems,
Inc. (GSI) was recently named the #1 Childcare Franchise in the United States by
Entrepreneur magazine for the eleventh consecutive year (January 2012)
and one of the Top 200 Franchise Systems (in worldwide sales) by Franchise
Times for the fifth consecutive year (October 2011). Headquartered in King
of Prussia, Pennsylvania, GSI is expanding The Goddard School network throughout
the United States. GSI currently licenses 380+ franchised schools with more than
45,000 students in 35 states. With a successful system in place and dedicated
franchisees, GSI is the acknowledged leader in franchised childcare and a
premier educational childcare provider.
