After years as a stay-at-home mom, many women return to work once their children are in school. The added household income is, of course, a major consideration, but let’s face it, after all that 24/7 time in a kid-centric universe, being out in the world with other grownups has its own appeal. Think you’re ready to go back to work after being a stay-at-home mom? Read on for some helpful tips and suggestions.
Ready to Go Back to Work - Get Your Family On Board
When a stay-at-home mom goes back to work, things change for everyone. Talk with your husband and kids about how this is going to impact the household. Are they prepared for you not being as available as you’ve always been? Everyone is going to have new responsibilities, from the youngest to the oldest family member. Some household chores will be re-assigned. Carpool and pickup and other scheduled activities will be rearranged. Think about setting up regular family meetings to help ensure that things run smoothly. And it’s also essential to let your children know that even though you won’t be at home as much as you used to be, being their mom is still your #1 job.
Ready to Go Back to Work – Consider This
When you give up being a stay-at-home mom, you also give up participating in every single aspect of your children’s lives. Dealing with this is challenging, but remember: there’s a difference between feeling bad and feeling guilty, and you need to let go of guilt to successfully make this transition. An alternative, if you can afford it, is to start out with part-time work. Also, how much will childcare or after-school care cost? If nearly all the money you’re going to earn will go towards childcare, you might want to reconsider. Before going back to work, you also have to decide whether you want to stay in the field you were in before being a stay-at-home mom or if you want to try something new. If you’re thinking about striking out in a new direction, bear in mind that you’ll possibly have to work your way up from an entry-level position. But if there’s an area of particular interest to you, it might be worth it in terms of job satisfaction and potential growth. If you plan to stay in your original field, do some research, find out what changes have occurred since you left the workforce. Talk to a former colleague and, if you can, take a refresher course or learn a new computer program that will help you get back up to speed.
Ready to Go Back to Work - Helpful Tips
As a stay-at-home mom, you’ve had years of practice arranging kids’ busy schedules and playdates – now put those networking skills to work for you! Tell everyone you know that you’re returning to work; you never know who might turn up an interesting job lead. Many stay-at-home moms feel intimidated about the gap in their resumes; if you’re putting together a formal resume, organize it according to the skills you have and jobs you’ve had, rather than in chronological order. At the same time, be honest in interviews about your time as a stay-at-home mom. Many employers recognize that the responsibilities of being a stay-at-home mom are as demanding as any full-time career. In talks with prospective new employers, when the subject of your years out of the conventional workplace comes up, be sure to mention any involvement in outside activities, such as community organizations and volunteer work.