TGIF!! THANK GOD ITS FRIDAY .... because on Friday's I go to work!
When maternity leave started I felt like my time to return to work would never come, but alas Lylie is ten whole months old and I've been back to work for three weeks already.
Nearing the start back date my husband approached me to say that we had done OK with money during my time away from work and it would be fine for me not to return. I nearly spat my tea out... of course his intentions were sweet and I know that I am in a privileged position not to have to work but honestly I had been looking forward to getting back.
Lylie is so much fun, especially when we can go on adventurous days out but realistically we can't be out and about every day and in the house she gets bored so quickly - it is NOT easy to amuse a pre toddler. Especially one that wakes up at five, refuses to nap, and I wrestle to sleep at seven.
It's a long day.
Work now has a completely different meaning, it's basically a day off. Obviously I am not sat twiddling my thumbs all day but the tasks I used to find monotonous are now a breath of fresh air. Give me something to alphabeticalise I will make myself a nice HOT cuppa and sit relishing the task.
There is a lot of controversy around parents, especially mothers returning to the work place part time and their colleagues having to 'carry' them. In my experience so far I feel like I am achieving so much in my eighteen hours. While at work I am completely focused on getting all of my tasks completed, I have even been relieving colleagues of jobs they have been putting off doing. Before maternity leave I always had at least one eye on the clock now five o'clock comes around sometimes a little too quickly. It is a shame that not all employers are on board to help their employees benefit from flexible working hours, out of the six mothers in my NCT group three have had to leave the jobs they were in when they fell pregnant.
I think it is understandable that mothers with babies or small children do not want to return to the workplace five days a week. But it is important for us to have some sort of outlet, some grown up time where we can feel how we used to pre nappy days and do not have a tiny extension clinging to us fifteen hours a day. I was one of the lucky ones who had their flexible working request approved, but what are the not so fortunate mothers to do when being responsible for tiny lives is one of the biggest turn off's for lots of potential employers?
I'd love to hear how you feel about returning to work? Or maybe your colleague is a part time working mother, do you feel like you are carrying their weight?
It's a long day.
Work now has a completely different meaning, it's basically a day off. Obviously I am not sat twiddling my thumbs all day but the tasks I used to find monotonous are now a breath of fresh air. Give me something to alphabeticalise I will make myself a nice HOT cuppa and sit relishing the task.
There is a lot of controversy around parents, especially mothers returning to the work place part time and their colleagues having to 'carry' them. In my experience so far I feel like I am achieving so much in my eighteen hours. While at work I am completely focused on getting all of my tasks completed, I have even been relieving colleagues of jobs they have been putting off doing. Before maternity leave I always had at least one eye on the clock now five o'clock comes around sometimes a little too quickly. It is a shame that not all employers are on board to help their employees benefit from flexible working hours, out of the six mothers in my NCT group three have had to leave the jobs they were in when they fell pregnant.
I think it is understandable that mothers with babies or small children do not want to return to the workplace five days a week. But it is important for us to have some sort of outlet, some grown up time where we can feel how we used to pre nappy days and do not have a tiny extension clinging to us fifteen hours a day. I was one of the lucky ones who had their flexible working request approved, but what are the not so fortunate mothers to do when being responsible for tiny lives is one of the biggest turn off's for lots of potential employers?
I'd love to hear how you feel about returning to work? Or maybe your colleague is a part time working mother, do you feel like you are carrying their weight?
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