At the end of the summer holidays, parenting expert Judy Reith knows that mum and dad might be feeling a little anxious about going back to work, too.
If you are a mum having to deal with the worry of leaving your child for the very first time, then our parenting expert has some words of advice. We asked her how best to mentally prepare for going back to work, either full or part-time.
“You need to be open to everyone and talk to your husband or partner, or mother-in-law, friend or cleaner and make sure that they understand what you will need when you go back to work,” says Judy. “Remember, it can be a very emotional time for mothers, so treat your feelings seriously. Don't feel you have to rush back after dropping the kids at school or nursery and be hugely productive in the house. Look after yourself and plan something nice for you. Go out with a friend for a coffee or a lovely walk or look at the sale rails.”
Don’t try to do too much
“We also underestimate the way that children are completely exhausting when they come back from school or nursery — and if you have just gone back to work you are exhausted, too. You need to set the bar as low as possible for everyone in September,” adds Judy. “My advice would be to be kind on yourself and make sure that everyone around you is understanding of your energy levels. And, above all, do not feel guilty about going back to work. It's very common to feel like we have to be some kind of superhero: perfect house, perfect wife, amazing bright happy children, but that's just not how it is. And this transition period — when mums start work again or kids start school or nursery — is bound to be chaotic, so just aim lower for a bit. Talk to your employer about flexible working. There is loads of stuff on the net. I strongly recommend things like Mumsnet, which is amazing, where you can go and talk on forums and such. There is great support out there.”
For more advice from Judy, visit Parenting People online.
