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Useful Parenting Tips for the Working Mother

Ways to help achieve better work-life balance

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4.) It’s OK that you can’t do it all. Many Moms, especially first-time moms, feel they should be able to do it all. The real goal is to achieve the correct balance so you are the best mother and employee that you can be. (And taking care of yourself.) Trying to “do it all” will only leave you so exhausted that no aspect of your life is well served. Remember:

When a friend or relative offers to pitch in and help, smile and say thank you. It will do your child good to be comfortable with other people and you can use the break.
Don’t exclude your partner. Fathers and domestic partners should be part of the child’s life and disaster will not ensue if you let Dad take over an outing. (Dirt and inappropriate snacks maybe, but not disaster.)
Ask for time off when you need it. Even the most hard-nosed boss can understand that sometimes a mother needs to be at home. Don’t abuse the privilege, but don’t be afraid to be honest either.

By balancing your energy for all the different roles in your life, you will do better at keeping up and far less likely to lose patience with your child for no good reason.

5.) Don’t feel guilty, you’re doing your best. Guilt won’t help you juggle your life and will, in fact, make the balance you crave more difficult to attain. All anyone can ask of you, including your child, is that you do your best. Often a trade off just isn’t possible, especially if you are a single mother. If you don’t work, you can’t give your child everything he or she needs. It’s not an issue of being selfish; you’re being practical. Some good coping mechanism include:

Writing down why you have to work. “I work to pay the bills” or “I work so I can give my daughter violin lessons, which she loves.”
Keeping a private journal. If you feel a need to express feelings you don’t want to say to your partner or to the kids, vent in private.
Don’t associate with people who make you feel worse. If you think you’ll scream if you hear Aunt Myrtle say, “I was a stay-at-home mom,” one more time, stay away from Aunt Myrtle for a while.

When the guilt becomes overwhelming, really look at your schedule and find a few extra hours for a special outing. It’ll make you feel better and your son or daughter will be delighted.

In summary: Working mothers face enormous challenges, but they also have enormous strengths. Moms will do anything for their children, from protecting them from harm to finding ways to do what seems impossible -- maintaining a full-time career and being a good parent.