When you get those first labor pangs, work is likely to be the last thing on your mind. However, during motherhood career can be a significant issue for a lot of mothers. After all, there are so many questions surrounding it these days, including whether to go back to work at all and concern over how maternity will affect your career standing. Luckily we will address all of these issues and many more in the post below. Something that can help you to get the most suitable option for you and your family clear in your mind when it comes to your career during motherhood.
Go back to your previous job
One of the most common actions for moms is to return to their previous career after their allotted maternity leave is completed. In fact, at first glance, this would seem to be one of the more simple choices, but it may not always go this way in reality. The reason being that there can be plenty of queries that you will have as a new mom with going back to work, and it often largely depends on your employer and location as to how these are handled.
For example, one new mom may return to work after maternity leave to find herself in the same position as when she left. However, another may find that in the interim, her employers have shuffled things around to make it not ‘reasonably practicable’ to assign her the old position.
In fact, even though the right to return to your previous post with previous pay and benefits is set down in law, this second scenario can and does happen. Perhaps because employers think new mothers are too busy or preoccupied to contest it, or that they are just relieved to have a job at all.
Of course, it may be that you decide to keep the new job they offer you if it comes with excellent benefits, or is more suitable hours. Although, if you feel you have been unfairly treated, you can take your case to an employment tribunal and fight it there.
Be a full-time SAHM
Another popular option is to trade in a life of business suits and meetings, for one as a stay at home mom (SAHM). Of course, whether you choose to do this will depend on your financial situation and your own personal preference.
After all, there are a significant number of women that prefer to work full or part-time while raising their children because they enjoy the mental stimulation and challenge of a career. However, some mothers feel that by being at home with their children full time, they can better serve their family and their own wellbeing.
If you do decide to become a SAHM, it is a good idea to go into it with your eyes wide open. This is because it’s effortless to idealize staying home with the kids all day, every day. Some folks even get that picture of a 50s housewife lodged in their brain and think that being a SAHM will be like that. Of course, this is very far from the truth, and there can be just as many challenges for SAHMs as working mothers, more in some cases.
Yes, its true SAHMs do not have to get up early every morning and make sure they are ready for work, but as soon as the kids go to school, you will be getting up anyway. Yes, SAHMs will get to spend more time with their kids each day. However, some find that this can be a real challenge in themselves, especially when their SO comes home, and their child is excited to see them because they haven’t spent all day with them!
In fact, becoming a SAHM can really affect the dynamics of a relationship too. Especially when your SO is excelling in their career, and responsible for your entire income. Something that can be hard to deal with when you are the one doing the grunt work of changing poopy diapers all the time!
Of course, that isn’t to say that such work isn’t vital to the wellbeing and success of the family as a whole, it’s just it can be a hard pill to swallow. Something that may mean you need to think twice before jumping into SAHMhood with both feet.
Go part-time
In many situations in life, compromises can be made, and this is true when it comes to your career during motherhood too. In fact, one of the most apparent compromises, one that allows you to get the best of both worlds is to return to your previous career, but in a part-time capacity.
Now, this will obviously allow you to be involved in the care and raising of your children. It also allows you to stay current in your career and ensure you have the mental stimulation and challenge you crave, making it a smart option for many.
That is not to say that there won’t be any problems to navigate if you choose this option for work during motherhood. In fact, it can be pretty tough to balance part-time work and staying at home with the kids part-time. This is because you can feel you need that you need to get a full-time amount done in each role! To that end, if you do choose to go down the part-time career route during motherhood, you must be realistic and compassionate about how much you expect from yourself.
Train in another career
Another possible situation is where a mother decides that they want to return to work, but they no longer wish to do what they did for their previous career. In fact, there are two options to consider here.
The first is to pick a role that is less demanding, something that may mean you have less stress and more energy to enjoy what you do and dedicate more time to your family.
However, some moms choose to use their time at home looking after the family to train in a whole new career field instead. Of course, this used to be particularly tricky because it would mean that moms would need to invest in childcare, even though they didn’t have a wage coming in.
However, now you can course like these online FNP programs things have become much more manageable. In fact, when it comes to studying you can do it in the comfort of your own home, something that makes it much more accessible for busy moms to achieve their goals of a new and fulfilling career.
Be A WAHM
Just like you can now study from the comfort of your very own home, you can also choose to work from home as a mother too (WAHM). The advantages of this being that you won’t need to pay for childcare, and you can also be there to take care of your kids when they need you if they are sick, and once they come home from school.
When it comes to being a SAHM, there are three main options. One is to find a salaried post that allows you to work remotely. While another is to freelance from home, a situation where you will need to source your own clients and jobs. The third option is to start up your own business, which you can read more about in the section below.
Of course, it is essential to recognize that being a WAHM is not the same as being a SAHM. In fact, your time will have many demands on it because not only will you have the kids to take care of, but you will need to work as well. Something that can make it very difficult to get a work-life balance, especially if you are working when the kids are napping or in bed for the evening. That’s not to say that it can be done however and that it can work for many mothers. It’s just finding a schedule that suits you that is important.
Start your own business
Finally, an excellent choice for a career during motherhood is to start up your own business. In fact, many moms do this because they find a gap in the market for a product or service when they have their own children. Something that they then go on to offer other mothers in a similar situation.
The advantages of starting your own business also means that you can choose to work from home, or outside of the house if you wish. This option also provides a great deal of flexibility because you get to set your own hours.
I also learned how to calculate my safety stock so I never ran out of inventory.
However, doing so is not as secure as getting a salaried post, or even in most cases freelancing. Therefore, if risk is not something you relish, starting up your own business during motherhood may not be the best career option to consider.
Happily, there are, as you have now found out, many other options to consider. Something that means you are highly likely to find one that is an excellent fit for your career during motherhood.
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