3 Important Tips for a Stay at Home Mom Returning to Work

When you took the pregnancy leave, the time to go back to work seemed million years away. Who could’ve known that it will pass so quickly!?

Time flies, and now you are sitting and worrying about how to organise your life and run a family when you return to work. My pregnancy leave ended two months ago, and now I can say that our life is pretty much organised; most of the time we function ok. Here are 3 tips to help a stay at home mom skip another hurdle on her way to becoming a real- life queen.

1. Provide Care for Your Children

First thing (and the most important one) is to find the right person to look after your kids while you are gone. This goes without saying, and you’ve probably given it a lot of thought by now. Before you make a final decision check if your friends or relatives with children can recommend a reliable babysitter or an au pair and visit a few day care centres (so you could compare them). It would be helpful if your or your spouse’s parents could occasionally look after the kids, especially if they are retired and live nearby. For instance they can baby sit once or twice a week, or a few hours every day. A stay at home mom’s return to work is a big change in a child’s life, and it would be good if someone they know is to take care of them until they get accustomed to the new life style.

2. Organise Housework

Keeping your house spotlessly clean is no longer on your priority list. Keep it tidy but don’t overdo it.

Here is how I do it: I clean only on Saturdays, during the week I use wet cleaning napkins to clean the bathroom (toilet seats, the floor, everything) the kitchen (working area etc).  I vacuum twice a week and I thoroughly clean the whole on Saturdays.

Laundry:

Make things easier for yourself; don’t iron anything but clothes. Don’t waste your time on ironing underwear, socks, bed sheets etc. Just wash and dry them. To avoid having a mountain of laundry in the house, always fold and put away your laundry the moments it dries. Discipline yourself and it will make your life much easier.

Cooking:

The first thing you should do (if you haven’t done it by now) is to plan a week’s or a month’s menu. I plan the menu weekly, buy groceries and cook 2 times a week, usually on Saturday and Wednesday. I cook 3 different meals (for instance- a meatloaf, chicken soup, beef stew etc) divide each into 2-3 portions and freeze. This way, when you come back from work, all you have to do is make some salad, cook pasta or rice, and defrost the meal in the microwave. You will have homemade food and a different lunch every day.

3. Take Care of Your Appearance

You must look good; this is non-negotiable. You will probably need some new clothes for work (t-shirts and baggy trousers are stay-at home mom’s uniform) so be smart when you shop. Get two skirts, a dress and a blazer in neutral colours like black, navy, grey or cream. You can get some good ideas reading 7 Clever Ways to Dress on a Budget.

Don’t ever underestimate the importance of having a good hairdresser. Choosing a hairstyle that is modern, that becomes you and that is easy to maintain will save you a lot of time and nerves when you are on a tight schedule.

Forget about nail polish for a while, unless you really like manicure and always find time for it; there is nothing uglier than chipped nails. Keep your nails clean and your hands well-hydrated and that will be enough.

About the author

Barbara

I am a devoted hedonist who enjoys nice things – food, wine, fine arts, spending time with friends and family. Teaching mandarin Chinese is my life vocation, but my dream is to open a small restaurant and a patisserie. My life's motto: "Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”

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