Deciding to go back to work was an agonizing decision for about a year but when we separated, it expedited the process. I cherished my time as a stay-at-home mom for over two years and it was jam-packed with breastfeeding and cloth diapering! During that time though, I always yearned to work.
I took on custom sewing orders and worked on those when my son was sleeping or cooperating in the sewing room. The ability to feel productive and creative while still being home was a perfect combination!
Then came the separation and I knew I needed to find a job so I could provide for myself and my son. It was a chaotic time. Within a month I went from living our normal life to buying my own house, furnishing it completely on my own including building all of my furniture and moving pretty much everything, putting our son in school, and getting a new job. I was thankful that I found something pretty quickly and had time to get settled at home. In a way, it was a blessing because it kept me distracted!
School
Putting our son into 2 year old preschool was great and tough at the same time. Great because he was at the PERFECT age to need social interaction. His language skills developed so quickly and I’m amazed at how far he has come in 8mo. It was tough because we didn’t really have a chance to process the idea of him being a full-time student- it was simply a necessity. Our jobs were both a little flexible at the start so for a month he did three days of school and then switched to full time.
Job Hunting
I was fortunate to be able to put my experience at Walt’s on my resume so it didn’t look like I had a gap in my work history but I really don’t think two years would’ve made a huge difference in getting hired. During the application and interview process, I encourage you to either have some dependable childcare or already have your children enrolled in school. You want to be flexible to attend interviews.
School Mornings
I am not a chef. I also don’t love hurrying in the mornings. Hopping out of bed, waking my sleeping angel, getting him to potty, preparing breakfast, preparing a lunch, getting myself ready, keeping him alive during that process, getting everything into the car, etc. is a grueling process. Do what you can the night before- pack lunches, prep breakfast, pick out outfits, etc. The first couple weeks of finding a new routine will feel crazy so allow PLENTY OF TIME so you aren’t late!
Bedtime
Keeping a consistent routine, even on weekends will make school days much easier! My son rarely shows signs of being ready for bed but let me tell you, by 7:20 he’s sound asleep every night!
Take it easy on yourself and don’t rush the process. It’s not a bad idea to start part-time and work into full-time if you’re worried about the transition. Remember, a happy parent is a good parent! If you love what you do and find purpose in it, you’ll be an amazing role model to your kiddos.