For parents with more than one child, or a large extended family, parenting can feel like a second job.
Unfortunately, for many modern parents, taking time off work to be a full-time parent simply isn’t an option.
With a third of working families unable to afford basic necessities and the rising cost of childcare, many parents have to work to ensure that their kids have everything they need.
However, this means that they’ll have less time for parenting. If you’re working full, or even part-time, then you might struggle to manage all your various responsibilities.
If you don’t prepare and work to manage your personal and professional workloads, then you could be at risk of a burnout.
Burnouts can leave you unable to cope for several weeks or even longer, so you need to find ways to avoid them.
These practical tips should help you to balance your career with your family life and still have time to take care of yourself.
Motivate Your Kids To Manage Schoolwork Themselves
Helping your kids with schoolwork, or persuading them to do it, can be a tiresome and draining task. If you have teens who lack motivation or younger kids who get distracted easily, then you should work with them to understand the issue and give them the drive they need to do the work for themselves. While this might take time initially, it will be worth the effort in the long run.
Give Your Kids Chores
Once you’ve motivated your kids to do their schoolwork, you can consider giving them chores to help save your time, particularly when it comes to housework. These chores might include simple tasks like unloading the dishwasher or doing the dishes, putting on a load of laundry, mowing the lawn, caring for a pet or other small tasks. While these might be simple tasks, they can take something off your plate and give your kids a sense of responsibility at the same time. So, chores are worth exploring for all your children.
Find Simple Ways To Save Time On Household Tasks
Children can help with household chores, but they can’t do it all themselves. So, you need to also think about ways to save time. These include using the right tools and optimising your routines. One area of home maintenance that takes the most time is cleaning, so explore simple ways to save time when cleaning your home. From choosing the right products to learning how to use them effectively, there are many small changes you can make that could save you time and effort on essential household tasks.
Ask For Help When You Need It
For many working parents, it can be hard to ask for help, but there might be more support available if you ask for it. For example, you could talk to your employer about flexible working hours or remote working, which might be an option that they’d never offered but are able to provide. Also, you could ask fellow parents who live nearby to help with pick-ups and drop-offs, which could be a useful way to save time.
As a working parent, you have to juggle a lot of roles and responsibilities. While there will be bad days and better days, these tips should help you find ways to handle everything and make the most of your precious time.
