According to a survey in 2020, among the respondents, 74% of mothers shoulder more child care duties, while only 3% say that their husbands take on more responsibilities. Hence, mothers are more likely to find it challenging to balance work and childcare. In some cases, this leads to some parents feeling guilty for not being able to spend enough time with their children. However, it is possible to strike a balance among your many responsibilities. Here are some tips on how working mothers can juggle work and their child’s extracurricular activities:
Understand Your Child’s Extracurriculars
It is important for you to understand your child’s extracurriculars so you can better support them. This understanding will also help set expectations for the future. By knowing what type of activities your child is interested in, you can help plan around their extracurriculars and work schedule. You may have to adjust your routine, but it is worth it to be there for your child. For instance, if your child likes music, you can expect to drive them weekly to lessons, attend recitals, and provide them with suitable instruments. Common instruments include the piano, violin, and voice. So, for example, if your child were to choose violin, you would need to provide them the instrument and find the right teachers. You can do this by having your child take beginner-level violin lessons that not only allow them to pursue their interests but also help them learn how to better play the instrument. This will help your child progress in their extracurricular activities while also ensuring they receive the proper guidance to continue their interests.
Get Creative with Your and Your Child’s Schedule
You will need to be creative with your and your child’s schedule if you want to balance work and child’s extracurriculars. This requires knowing both schedules in advance so you can properly plan your week or whole month. For example, if your child has soccer practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00 to 5:00 pm, your work schedule should allow you to leave early on those days. If this is not possible, try negotiating with your boss for a flexible schedule or telecommuting on those days. Alternatively, you can drop your child off at soccer practice and use that time to do work. Moreover, while you may need to be flexible with your work schedule, you should also prioritize extracurriculars. This means that you should not cancel or reschedule extracurriculars unless it is necessary. Doing so will send the message to your child that their activities are not as important as work.
Find Flexible Work
If you’re finding it hard to balance work with your child’s activities, you may need to find a more flexible job. This will make it easier for you to take care of your child and still work. You can try freelancing jobs or working at a place closer to your home. For example, if you live in the suburbs, you could look for a job in a city closer to your home. This way, you can avoid rush hour traffic and save time. This will give you more time to spend with your child without sacrificing your income and career.
Communicate with your Child’s Coach or Instructor
If you want to help with your child’s sport or activity, the best thing to do is communicate with the coach or instructor. This will enable you to contact them, especially if, for example, you got caught up in traffic or if there is an emergency and you cannot make it in time to pick them up from practice. Aside from these instances, you can also talk to your child’s coach or instructor about how you can help them practice at home, so they don’t lose any skills they’ve learned. This will help you stay involved in your child’s activities, so they can have fun and stay on track. This will also help you understand when practices or events are so you can plan around them.
Ask for Help
There may be times when you might likely miss some of your child’s practice lessons or be late to pick them up. In cases like these, you must ask for help from your partner, relatives, or friends. This will allow you to continue juggling work and child’s extracurriculars without worrying about falling behind. Plus, it will show your child that you are willing to work together as a team to accomplish tasks. Moreover, this team effort will help build a support system for you and your family. However, you mustn’t always rely on other people’s help. You and your spouse should still be trying to make an effort to attend as many activities as possible.
If you’re a working mother, balancing work and a child’s extracurriculars can be tough. By planning and making adjustments, you’ll be able to better manage your time and energy. This will help ensure that both work and child’s activities get the attention they need.
