FROM MOM TO SUPERMOM – TIPS FOR WORKING MOTHERS
During the month of May, we set aside a special day to say thank you to all the moms out there. We want to especially give thanks to all the working moms. They balance pressures at work and pressures at home, and there’s always more they could be doing.
We see many working moms in our bankruptcy practice. Single parents are more likely to file bankruptcy than any other group.
As the sole financial support and the sole caregiver for their families, they quickly realize there aren’t enough hours in the day to take care of their children and work extra jobs to pay off creditors.
Married or single, working moms can try these tips to help balance the many demands on their time:
Keep family time and work time separate. Boundaries are crucial to allow you to give full attention to each of your roles. When you’re at work, concentrate on work. Leave your work at work when you come home for the evening and give your family your undivided attention. You’ll get more done in less time and feel less stressed.
Give your children extra time on your days off. Let your kids choose an activity to do with you on your days off. This tells them that they’re important to you. During this time, focus exclusively on them and enjoy your time together. The activity doesn’t have to be expensive—something as simple as playing catch or going on a nature walk can create lasting memories.
Enjoy dinner together as a family. Many studies have shown the positive benefits to children of having family dinners at least four times a week. Discuss your day and let your children share their days with you. Turn off your phone during dinner so work cannot interfere.
Put your financial fears to rest. Working moms don’t need the added stress of paying off debts. If your debts are unmanageable and are interfering with your family time, give our office a call.
Let your children see you working. Tell your children about your career, why it’s important to you, and why it’s important to them. When you can, take your kids to work with you. The more they know about where mom spends her day, the more accepting they’ll be of your absence while you’re at work.
Find family hobbies. There’s no need to feel guilty about enjoying your hobby if it’s an activity everyone likes to do together. If you can find a hobby that you all enjoy, you can combine quality time with your family with your personal recreation.
Share the housework. There’s no reason for you to do everything around the house. You can be a working mom and have a clean house too. Children benefit from having a routine, and chores should be a part of it. Check out this article from Michigan State University about the benefits of chores with ideas for age-appropriate chores for children.
By following these tips, you can remove the chaos from your life. You can balance your career and family life if you make decisions that are consistent with your values, plan your time carefully, and use your resources on the priorities that are most important.