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Don’t let children wreck your career
Many people believe that once children enter their life, careers will be doomed and all the hard earned qualifications will be thrown away. Children don’t have to wreck your career, unless that is what you want to happen! There are many ways to continue climbing the path of success, while juggling childcare needs. However knowing the pitfalls in advance helps to assist your choices in deciding whether it is time to change your career path, or whether part time hours will allow a happy balance. |  |
If you have just become pregnant and are wondering what to do, talk with colleagues who are working in the same field, and find out what has worked for them. Decide whether you want to come back to your old job after maternity leave is over, or whether it is time to negotiate a part time job. Many mothers return to their old positions because financially they have no alternative options.
Childcare options need to be thoroughly investigated. First you need to know what you are looking for. Will your partner be at home to care for the children if you are working unsociable hours, or are they off travelling the world with very erratic schedules? Do you want your children to be cared for by other people, or are you aiming to juggle the responsibility between yourselves? Night duty may provide a perfect solution to continuous childcare, but be realistic about when you will be able to sleep. If you imagine sleeping when the baby naps, remember that in no time at all the baby will be an active toddler never giving you a minute’s rest! Perhaps you have family who would love to help out. This won’t be babysitting for the odd session, it will be a regular commitment, so both parties must be happy with the terms and conditions. Ageing parents with different ideas on raising children may soon cause conflict, which may be harder to escape from than you think! Perhaps there is a nursery or day care close to your home.
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| Examine all the downfalls, for example, what happens when you can not get off work on time, or if your child is sick? Alternatively a nanny or au pair may be the answer, but do you really want someone living with you? Nannies are expensive so you need to be earning enough to make returning to work worth while. Perhaps you can find a flexible childminder who enjoys shift work patterns or is only too happy to care for the children at unsociable times. |
Once you have organised the childcare to suit your needs, you can sit back and focus on your career. Take time to consider what you are really looking for in a job. Is it time to change to another profession, to allow you to cope with a career and children? After my first child was born, I realised that I could no longer work shift duty where the off duty was released two days prior to the shift. The stress of not knowing whether I could cover my child at such short notice led me to reconsider my career options. Since my husband travelled a lot, I decided to find a job as a Practice Nurse, as it suited my childcare needs and my ambitions. More recently I have been working from home to accommodate my expanding family of four children, so that I can be around when they are not at school. Now all four of my children are at full time school, allowing me naturally to increase my working hours. Today I still utilise the skills I learned but have changed my career direction.
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Children haven’t prevented me from gaining extra qualifications. With so many distance learning courses available, I have been able to study numerous courses, obtaining a degree, several diplomas and certificates. When the baby slept, out came my study books to keep advancing my career. With modern technology and increasing flexibility, it is becoming easier than ever to study at home. | |
Working full time or part time is possible with children. You need to be organised and have very reliable childcare. There is absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t apply for promotion, so long as you are able to fulfil the job requirements. Be prepared to ask for what you want, offer sensible solutions that allow your place of employment to be safely staffed, while suiting your family needs. Remember to keep balance in your life, as you still need energy to enjoy your family too.
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| Gone are the days when women gave up their careers to have a family. Many jobs are able to accommodate different needs. There are many part time options, job shares and increasingly managers are becoming more flexible to the needs of working mothers. If you don’t want to make a regular commitment, then there is always agency work. The important thing is to seriously consider what you want from your career, and then find a way to integrate it into your childcare provisions. Today it is possible to combine family life with a career, whilst increasing your educational qualifications.
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Child Care Options
• Partner caring for children while you work
• Family member
• Nursery
• Day care
• School + / - kids club
• Childminder
• Au pair
• Nanny
Pros and Cons of partner providing childcare
Pros
• No financial burden
• Consistency of care
• Sickness does not produce conflicts
• Child remains cared for in their own home
Cons
• Parents may have little family time together
• Sleep may be compromised if working night shifts
Pros and Cons of extended family members providing childcare
Pros
• Reduced / no childcare costs
• Available to care for child when sick
• Can care for the child in their own home or the child’s home
• Flexible to child’s needs
Cons
• Ageing parents may have difficulty keeping up with the demands of an active child
• Different ideas of raising children
• Family may find it hard to terminate arrangement
• Maybe happy to care for one child but not subsequent children
Pros and Cons of childcare facility / childminder
Pros
• Childcare facilities are always open regardless of staff sickness
• Child cared for with other children the same age
• Can negotiate childcare to suit your needs
• Educate children as well as care for them
Cons
• Illnesses may be spread quickly among all children being cared for
• No care for sick children
• No unsociable hours covered (occasionally childminders offer cover)
• Can be expensive, particularly if there is more than one child
Pros and Cons of nanny / au pair
Pros
• Flexible child care provided for in your own home
• Good option if you have several children
• Care available for sick child
• Unsociable hours can be negotiated at start of contract
• Being late off duty does not present undue problems
Cons
• Nannies can be expensive
• Having someone living in your home permanently
• Au pairs may not have experience with children
• Au pairs may have limited English
• Sickness of carer may present problems
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