Offers suggestions to parents managing the transition back to work after delivering and/or spending time raising a child. Includes tips on finding childcare as well as helping your child to manage the transition successfully.
Tips for Returning to Work (Adapted from Healthy Steps)
Tips for Returning to Work (Adapted from Healthy Steps)
Returning to work is an important transition for you and your child and will take some planning.
You are probably excited to return to your job and dreading the time away from your child. Many parents feel
unsure about returning to work. Some worry that it will hurt their child's emotional development. Here are
some ways to help you both:
Arrange childcare months in advance. Finding daycare for infants is difficult. This is because
one provider can only accept a few infants.
Be open to different types of childcare including in your home.
Have a back up plan for days your child is ill if the childcare will not take them on those days.
Family members are often willing to do this, but do better if they have agreed in advance.
If you are relying on relatives, consider paying them. This makes their commitment more formal.
Before you go back to work, plan to spend some time over a few days with your child and childcare
provider. That way everyone may feel more comfortable when you are ready to leave for the big day.
Prepare your child! Even if the baby is too young to understand your words, he will be
reassured by your calm tone of voice. Talk about what will happen, where you will go, who will take care
of him, and what will happen while you are gone. Go slowly!
Keep up those "at home" rituals. Snuggle together for a few minutes before getting dressed;
read a book at bedtime; talk about what happened during the day.
Give your toddler something that he knows is yours to keep with him for the day. He may want
to make you a drawing or painting that you can take to work.
When you all come home tired and hungry, take a few minutes to read or play with your child(ren)
before you begin to make dinner. Your child is likely to need your full attention for a while after a long day apart.
It helps to get organized and to prioritize all aspects of your life when starting a new
work routine. Some chores on your "to do" list can wait another day. It gets easier after the first few weeks!
Adapted from Healthy Steps. Edited and Compiled by the Center for Promotion of Child Development Through Primary Care 2011
