Our situation
As working parents ourselves, Nathan and I were faced with the common financial challenges while I was still on maternity leave; how do you now support a family of 3 on 1 salary, when we could hardly save anything at all being a 2-people-family on 2 salaries? The maths simply doesn’t add up. So for us, me going back at work wasn’t even a question. It was more a questions of how long we could stretch it before it was time for me to go back to the office…always wondering hot to get an extra income. We managed for 9 months, and I feel so blessed and lucky to have had the chance of being with our bub full time for that long.
Look, I am lying if I said it wasn’t challenging leaving Lucas crying his heart out at day care for the first few months, but I knew he was happy there (I always called to check 5-10minutes after I left, and he’d always stopped the crying and was happily playing) and we needed the money. I wish I had discovered the wonderful world of earning a living from home sooner, but thanks to Wealthy Affiliate we are now in a much better position to have a better work-life balance if we are to welcome a bubba number 2 (no, I am not pregnant yet;).
It’s all work
All parents work, of course, and staying at home with a demanding baby or toddler is equally, if not more, taxing than going back to your old job. There are new skills to be learned, but no one around to train you. Added to that, there is no recognition of the hard work being done, and not a salary in sight. It’s not all about money, of course, but bills have to be paid and we can’t all win the lottery (I wish!).
When you decide to go back to work, you will need to make the decision on going back to your old job, find part time work, or even start looking into your own online business. The opportunities are there.
New challenges
Deciding to return to work means balancing your time between work and family and you will need to develop new skills that will be essential to you. One of the most valuable is the ability to plan and juggle your time so that you meet different demands: those of your job and those of your family. You will also need to develop strong organisational skills, not only to structure your daily life, but also to keep backup child care plans in place.
The benefits of being a working parent
There are many benefits to being a working parent, whether it’s in an office or your own online business. If you have a job that you find satisfying, and your child is entrusted to capable hands you can have a very rewarding life juggling work and family life. Work can give you a challenge, an income and the pleasure of adult conversation during part of the day. You gain different skills and experience, and you are providing an excellent role model for your children.
How we can help
Working from home doing affiliate marketing can really make your work-life balance a whole lot easier. And I truly believe the education and support you get from Wealthy Affiliate is second to none. If you want to read more about how to get started, please check out our ‘Getting Started’ page on this website. Or go directly to the WA website to have a look: Wealthy Affiliate
If you have any feedback or questions, we’d love to hear from you! Please comment below, or on our WA profile: https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/karina-b
