Are you on maternity leave & dreading going back to work?

crazie-girlie

Hi I need your help! I am a married mum of one (baby girl is 9 months old) and in three months I am due to go back to work and like most new parents I really don't want to! Whilst on maternity leave I have tried to develop my own business but looking after my daughter is a full time job and to create a business at the same time is not as easy as I thought it would be! I have tried different scenarios but I have concluded that the only way this business (whatever it may be) will work is that if has to include my daughter, who is by my side 24/7!

This is where I need your help- I have started a Facebook page 'Mummy's mission' and twitter page '@mummysmission' hoping that people can help share any ideas that they may have or if they have been in a similar situation and what they did.

I look forward to hearing from you,

Many thanks,

Mummy's mission xx

duchy

Why not just ask people to share ideas on here ?

For example you could become a registered child-minder or work evenings if you have a partner who could care in the evenings.

Most women who are successfully self-employed and making a good living seem to either rely on family support or paid care. As you say yourself looking after a child is a full time job-it's pretty much impossible to do two fulltime jobs and do them well !! (or everyone would do it ! )

I found working part-time was a reasonable compromise. It also gives you time to start a small business and grow it gradually whilst still having a wage coming in (and lower childcare costs)

"You can have it all" was big in the eighties but most women who bought into it concluded a high powered career and happy kids was almost impossible to sustain and women ended up exhausted and guiltridden. Nowdays a happy medium is a more popular plan and probably better for most people even with the better availability of telecomuting . Trouble is if you are caring for a child and you are needed by the child there and then -it doesn't go down well with clients or meetings dropped midstream...or worse a howling child in the background.

JodyBPM

It's generally better to look at what skills, qualifications, experience and interests you have first, and then work out how you can build a business based upon those, rather than getting ideas for businesses that you may not be qualified for or able to do.

For example, successful self employed people I know are accountant, hairdresser, childminder, gym instructor, interior designer- are you qualified to do any of those jobs?

I also know a few who do "hobby" type businesses such as crafting, baking etc, but I don't know anyone actually making a living wage from this.

What did you do pre children? Can that be adapted to self employed role?

Tigsteroonie

Are you on maternity leave & dreading going back to work?

I do hope one certain person is - I'm covering her maternity leave and I'm absolutely loving the role, I'd like to have it permanently!

DigForVictory

If all you can stand is one month at work, make it May. Two Bank Holidays cut down the pain without cutting down the full time return.

It's gruesome - it's also tough on your colleagues & whomever covered for you, but I absolutely see that isn't as much a concern!

To add salt, no matter what you do, that other Mother's Little Companion, Guilt, will not be far away.

onlyroz

duchy wrote: »

"You can have it all" was big in the eighties but most women who bought into it concluded a high powered career and happy kids was almost impossible to sustain and women ended up exhausted and guiltridden.

Most men manage this without feeling too guilt-ridden.

duchy

onlyroz wrote: »

Most men manage this without feeling too guilt-ridden.

I don't know any men who are returning from Maternity leave................. Are you replying to the wrong thread ?

GobbledyGook

Quite a few Mums I know who chose not to go back to their old job became childminders.

Though I think you have to have a certain mindset to be able to focus equally on your mindees as you do your own wee one.

onlyroz

duchy wrote: »

I don't know any men who are returning from Maternity leave................. Are you replying to the wrong thread ?

I was obviously replying to the specific quote. And these days they call it "parental leave" and parents are allowed to share it between them.

Imp

onlyroz wrote: »

Most men manage this without feeling too guilt-ridden.

Or as one of the board members at my employer said recently "directors don't get to see their children"

Counting_Pennies_2

I would think very long and hard before going down the route of becoming a childminder.


It is hard work looking after other peoples children, and them sharing your child's toys.


My son went to a friend who became a childminder and it did not go well.


You have to want to work with children before becoming a childminder, not seeing it as a means to make money.


Many people I know dreaded going back to work after baby, but a year in many were happy, and often promoted, and enjoyed their jobs. Good childcare is key, then everyone is happy