In my house this has become a bit of a swear word: work. The sound of it gives me chills.
I have always known that I would have to return to work. Before I went on maternity leave I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about returning. Turns out I’m pretty pragmatic about my return to work.
It has to happen.
First Things First
Let me be quite clear, it’s nothing to do with my job. I enjoy my job and I am fortunate to work with lovely people, both colleagues and students.
Working in Education also means that I know that every few weeks I have a block week off with my boy. So surely I could handle heading back to my role?
Decisions, decisions
I love working with the students and feel lucky to be in an industry that is woman heavy. This means that often, not always, changes to working conditions are given serious consideration.
After a lot of thought and a million Excel sheets, I decided that although I love my job, it was time to change it up a bit. Teaching is a fantastic career but it is highly demanding in terms of your time and emotional energy both at work and at home. Michael and I want to strive for more of a balance now Heath is here.
Where to start
The first thing we did as I mentioned was to work up an Excel document with various scenarios. This helped us to understand how many days I would need to work as a minimum. We made sure to factor in childcare and used the top price for our area so that anything else would be a bonus.
I then thought about how to pitch to my boss. Should it be in writing or a conversation? Perhaps it should be both. I went for both.
Fortunately for me my working request was agreed.
How do I feel about it?
Returning to work three days a week feels like a perfect balance for me. I will still have lots of time with Heath but I will also be able to contribute financially to the household pot which is important to me.
However now I had a new worry. Who would look after my baby?
Although my parents and Mike’s Mum and step-dad live extremely close by, they all work full-time. We were very fortunate and found our childminder through a personal recommendation from a friend. Heath will be starting some settling in sessions soon with the lovely Jo!
This has made me feel much more at ease about my return.
So what now?
Now I’m going to enjoy every little bit of time I have with Heath. Even if he is being super grumpy. And even if I’ve had no sleep. I’m going to love it! Maybe caffeine might help me to love it a little more.
My Top Return to Work Tips!
1. Map out your finances on an Excel document
2. Decide what hours work for your family
3. Think about how to put the idea forward – there needs to be benefits on both sides!
4. Decide what you’re happy to negotiate on to get what you want
5. Assess childcare options – nursery vs childminder what works for you
6. Visit a few places and make your choice
7. Book some settling in sessions for you baby
8. Make the most of your time whether it’s jam packed with activities or cuddles on the sofa!
Most importantly, make sure you chat with your partner, family and friends about how you feel. I know it’s not going to be an easy transition but it will be much easier with their support!
Wish me luck
Erin x
You can find Erin on insta as @merinandco
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