Having a baby can force many people to put their careers on hold.
Similarly, chasing a career can cause many couples to delay having kids. However, you don’t have to choose between the two. While it can be very difficult to juggle parenthood and a career—especially a very time-consuming career —many mothers have done it. Of course, it really depends on your circumstances as to how feasible it is. This post explains more about how to make the right choice.
Get some professional advice
There are many professional services out there that can help with any dilemmas you may have involving a career and kids. If you have had an unplanned pregnancy and are worried about your job prospects, companies like Embrace Grace can help you explore support options that could make having your child a less daunting decision. Career counselors can meanwhile help you explore flexible career options that you can still pursue as a mother. Of course, if you already have an employer, be sure to speak to them early and determine possible arrangements to secure your career (such as part-time hours). If your employer has a maternity leave or parental leave program, this could be an option for you.
Consider your local support network
You will need help looking after your baby if you plan to have a child and work. If you have a partner, it could be worth finding a way of working shifts at different times so that you can both look after your child while the other person is working. Having family members or friends around you who can help babysit is very useful, too. Use this support before you consider professional childcare services (many of which can be very expensive – however, state benefits may be available to help you pay for these services).
Use time away from work to refocus your goals
Sometimes, taking time away from work can be valuable for reassessing your career goals. You could even use this time to plan for a new career, such as researching vacancies, re-writing your CV, and building new skills. More new mothers are taking online courses to gain new qualifications through a course of study. Some colleges even offer free or discounted courses for single mothers and free on-campus accommodation and childcare services. This could allow you to get an education and care for your kids without having to spend too much money. Find out more here at College Values Online.
Take inspiration from motherhood
Motherhood can inspire some women to follow new careers related to parenthood or childcare. Some mothers even start businesses based on problems they’ve encountered while looking after their children, such as designing their own baby food products, setting up exercise classes for moms and babies, or even opening a local play café for moms and young kids. Taking time away from work to look after kids can give you time to plan out your business idea – including the costs, what licenses you need, what equipment you need, and how to market it – so that you can launch your startup having carefully strategized a business plan.
Collaborate and find a way to help each other
You can talk with friends or elders who have been in this situation and gain some much-needed insights from them. You may even find some support you didn’t know was available. A great place to meet other new moms with babies and toddlers the same ages as yours is at play care centers. You all have similar needs and can often get together to help each other. Lifetime friendships are often made just in this way.
Share the Caring
As a young woman, I had a career as a photographer before having children. When I found out I was pregnant, I looked at various scenarios to be able to continue my career; we all need to make a living, right? My partner was starting his career and not as secure as we hoped it would be later on, so I needed to continue working. I had built a clientele by working with other photographers’ studios. However, bringing a baby to work with me at their studios was not an option. So my partner and I decided to move and found a two-story duplex just off of the downtown. It needed some work, but that could be done over time.
New parents are busy, and there are always some sleepless nights, but somehow, when a baby is involved, you find the strength you never knew you had. Be patient with each other and share all of the moments you can.
To make a long story short, we moved and made do with the living space in one of the duplex units. The other side was used as an office and reception area to meet clients. We even put a door through on the inside so we could easily go between the two. Because it was a by-appointment career, I was able to manage a baby and business. Of course, it was not all easy, but somehow, you find ways to multi-task. Although I didn’t have family members who could help, you would be surprised how many older women there are who love being a mother’s helper. They miss the days when their children were little.
I met another young mother, a florist, and we shared the reception space to meet customers. We acted as secretaries for each other, answering phones, helping each other bring in business, and taking turns looking after our children. She taught me how to arrange flowers in the kitchen. She helped me create beautiful setups for table-top photography. We even shared some of the same wedding customers. I photographed the wedding, and she arranged all the flowers. We had some good times and a lot of laughs!
Working from home provides opportunities
These days, the ability to work from home online means you can find ways to juggle both a career and a family. Sometimes things can get messy, but that doesn’t matter when you look back after your children are grown and realize you had all the time you could with them in their formative years. That is worth it all!
