Negotiating Work and Family Life: A Guide

As a modern parent, you’re balancing work and family life and trying to do your very best with each. Delivering consistent professionalism at work can take its toll on your energy levels, and the amount of quality time you’re able to spend at home with your family. Negotiating these two fields can be challenging, however, with the assistance of kind family members, help where you need it, and the drive to get home to your kids, you should come closer to achieving an equilibrium between work and family life.

There’s no shame in accepting you need some extra support here and there or cutting down your work hours to part-time in order to have time to care for and nurture your children.

Assistance

You’ll be well aware of the expense involved in raising a family, and even more so if your children have special needs or require extra assistance in performing everyday tasks like washing and dressing. If any one of your children has suffered an injury or illness, and as a result requires specialist care, then consider contacting birth injury solicitors to see whether you could be entitled to compensation to help fund your child’s ongoing clinical care, specialist educational needs, and disability resources such as sensory rooms and helpful mobility aids.

Ask A Family Member

Sometimes you don’t have the time to spend doing home chores and to ferry your kids from a football game, to band practice, to their guitar lessons – and that’s okay. Consider asking a family member to help you out in the evenings if you’re expected back late from work, they can help drop and pick your kids up from classes and prepare a healthy vegetable curry, for example. You could also hire a cleaner to make your house spotless, and take your washing to the local laundry service for you.  

Working Late

Keep your kids informed of your work schedule, and when they can expect you home. Lateness and absence can cause your children to become upset, disheartened and disappointed, so let them know if you’re going to be late home or away for a part of the week. This way, they’re not waiting up late for you to return, or wondering where you are. Be open and honest with your children and think about giving them a call in the evenings if you’re working at the office. Phone home and speak to your kids, tell them that you love them and to wish them good night.  

Quality Time

You should try to spend quality time with your family every day of the week. They should know that you love and cherish them, that you support them, and that you’ll always be on hand to listen to them when they need you. Build a foundation of trust and respect with your children through asking about their day, their school work and life, their friends, and how they’re getting on with extra-curricular activities. If you’re unable to spend time with your children during the working week, then use the weekend to engage in family activity by going to stimulating places like the zoo, theme parks, activity centres, or going for a walk and picnic together.

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