Coping With the Stress of Being a Working Mom
Working moms can stay connected with their kids with a little planning and creativity. Keep the lines of communication open and use these tips to lessen the impact of your time apart.
report abuse- Hang favorite pieces of your kid's artwork in your office and surround yourself with family photos at work.
- Provide pictures of yourself for your child to have, both in his or her backpack and rooms at home.
- Have a specified time every day where you speak to your child on the phone, and do your best not to miss it. Regular phone meetings with your children give them something to look forward to and keep the communication going.
- Make family time on days off mandatory. It is too easy to let errands and chores eat up all your time off—make plans to do something together as a family every week. Knowing that a fun event is going to happen on the weekend keeps everyone happy.
- Consider asking your boss if part of your job could be done at home, if appropriate. If you work in a service position this obviously is not an option for you, but if your job is mostly computer work, your employer may be open to allowing a portion of your work to be done at home. It doesn't hurt to ask, and may payoff for you.
- Set up a special mailbox in your home where your child can leave notes and artwork for you and where you can leave special notes and trinkets to brighten their day.
- Get wired up and use all the technology that you can. If your child is old enough to type, you can stay connected through email and instant messaging. Camera phones and webcams can be used to stay connected to little ones, and is fun for the older ones, too.
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