Am I being lazy working parent

Anonymous

Am I being lazy working parent

Can you send anon post.

My maternity leave is finishing up in December after having my third child and I will be going back to work part time(three days a week).
I have no family close by out of state and partner works away for week and then come back for work when here. So it's busy.
My family don't understand why I'm doing part time as I will have two kids in school and baby will be day care centre. They suggest I should do more hours to get more money. My question is : am I being lazy doing three days a week? Any single parents doing part time and does it work?(I know it's 1000% harder for single mums but a lot single mums full time - pls don't think verse together parent vs single parent). What routines should do when I get back to work make it easier?

Posted in:  Parenthood Guilt

6 Replies

Anonymous

Your family needs to learn that money isn't everything. A work life balance is very important and lifestyle is important.
There is nothing selfish or lazy about what you are doing.
I can tell you now, you will fill those two days up with household chores, volunteering at school etc. Any medical appointments/optometrist etc that pops up for the family will also be squashed into those two days.
It will allow you to recharge and you'll be able to be more engaged with family time..
Tell them when they come and look after the children and do the housework etc then they can have an opinion.

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Anonymous

Your financial position is none of your families business quite frankly (unless you're relying on them for financial support, which it doesn't sound like you are).

No way in hell are you being lazy, working full-time with 3 kids and a partner who works away would be hectic! Part time sounds like a good balance to me.

In terms of routine, I'd just suggest doing everything the night before:
Make lunches while you prepare dinner.
Get everyone's clothes out for the next morning.
Hang out washing so it's dry the next afternoon (I like to do this once my kids are in bed).
Do whatever housework you can manage, but don't stress too much about it.
Pay bills, do grocery shopping online if possible, it frees up your days off from these tedious errands.

Good luck! I'm sure you'll find a way that works for you!

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Anonymous

At least start off part time and adjust to that. Of course if you feel you want to and can handle it go full time down the track. Totally comes down to what’s best for your family in my opinion. I’d never dictate to any mum what she “should” or “shouldn’t” be doing. They are crossing boundaries for sure (unless they are assisting you financially).

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Anonymous

Do what suits you youre family dont get a say and definitely dont get to call you lazy.

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Anonymous

If you can physically survive off working part-time, do it. There is no point burning yourself out to work more hours for the money if it’s going to effect your parenting, relationships and mental health. The fact of the matter is, you’re only getting paid part-time but you still “work” when you get home, you’ve still got a whole house to keep in clean order and you’ve got a number of other people to make sure are fed, happy, clean ect.
I’d only ever consider working more (currently work three days) if we were going broke. But while money is usually pretty tight, we make it work because I have a mental health and kids to keep happy.

I don’t ever see myself going back to full time until all the kids are in primary school for a couple of years.

Don’t let anyone pressure you into thinking something else. You do what you think you can do, nothing more.

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Anonymous

Love you have to do what you can do and what you want to do and what you can cope with. What they dont realise yes you will earn more money doing more hours but these days it seems the more you earn the more you pay in childcare fees. And unless you are earning really good money what ay
you are earning is going straight to the childcare cost and you arent any better off finacially. Dont worry what anyone else says just do you and your fam

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