Why working mums should practise guilt-free parenting

Working after you have a baby can make you feel guilty as you drop off your child to a daycare centre but here are reasons you shouldn't.

By: Debjani Arora | | Updated: May 7, 2015 3:19 pm

In today s day and age it is not uncommon to see a mother go to work early in the morning and get back home at dusk. In such a scenario, the child is often left at a daycare centre which obviously the parents have chosen after a lot of investigation and care. But the guilt of leaving the child behind while the mother goes out to work can be too much to deal with at times. However, one should know that there are a few reasons why you need to practise a guilt-free parenting, here s why. Also Read - Pediatric bipolar disorder? Read the warning signs for early effective treatment

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You need to respect the choices you make: Your decision to go back to work whether for financial reasons or to attain higher career goals is a personal choice. Feeling guilty about it is going to rob you of mental peace and good health. This can reflect on your parenting skills and affect productivity at work in a big way. All these negative emotions aren t going to make life any easy. Instead, respect your choice and give each role of yours the due time and attention they need. This will help your child grow up with an attitude to focus on a job at hand rather than developing habits like brooding. Also Read - World Day for Safety and Health at Work: Stay healthy while working from home

You need to set an example for better work-life balance: This is hypothetical, as we know that problems at work spill into our family life and vice versa. However, you need to consciously keep your work-related tensions and apprehensions away, when at home, especially with your child. This is because the way you behave after a hectic day at work is how your child is going to perceive (and probably judge) your work-life balance skills. Since you are a role model for your child, it is important that you put up a smiling face when back home and leave behind the pressures of your work and even the guilt of keeping your child in the daycare for 10 hours. Instead, make the most of the time you both are together.

You need to teach your child the importance of self-dependence: Children usually grow up with the notion that while it is okay for the father to leave the house and go to work, mother needs to be at home and nurture them. This is more a societal norm that gets ingrained in them from a very early age. Many children suffer from separation anxiety due to the same. But make sure that you make it clear to your child that going to work for you is equally important as it is for the father. The independence and satisfaction you enjoy from your work is important to you, so never show negative emotions towards your work in front of your child. Believe it or not, you are going to rub off this attitude in your child too.

Image courtesy: Getty Images

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Published : September 12, 2014 12:26 pm | Updated:May 7, 2015 3:19 pm

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