How to Start a Career with Children at Home
Starting a new career while the kids are still at home can be daunting. There are additional needs to juggle and you don’t have the flexibility to only think of yourself and how to shape your goals. Children are a responsibility that dictates everything while they live with you until they are grown. This means that if you want to go back to work or start a new career, there will be some limits as to what you can do and how you achieve it.
For advice and ideas about exploring career options while you parent full-time, keep reading.
Choose a job that suits your needs
The first thing to find is a job that suits your specific needs. Each family is different, and some career paths may be more accessible in single child families as opposed to sibling models.
Regardless of the number of children at home or their ages, there are options for parents to work if they want to. The biggest trick is to do the research and forge a path that works in sync with your family dynamic. For example:
- Freelance work from home in a creative industry or similar
- Online tutoring
- Starting your own business
- Delivery driver
- Hospitality
- Exam marking
- Foster carer
- Teaching assistant/Classroom teacher
Fostering: The why and the how
When you think about becoming a foster parent, it is vital that you have all the facts to make an informed decision. There will be challenges, but these are made easier by the astounding impact you have on a child in need’s life. This is one of the more accessible career paths for people who already have children to manage at home, as it will be a natural step to complement your routine and already established family nuance. This is a full-time role because the foster child will live in your home with you and your family. However, there are respite options provided through the agency you sign up with for a weekend break here and there as well.
Why fostering can be a rewarding career option for stay-at-home parents
What are the reasons, then, why fostering is a good career for stay-at-home parents? Well, there are a few that make the top of the list for your consideration.
Getting started
The process for becoming a foster parent is a lot more straightforward than you think. Once you have chosen a fostering agency and make an enquiry, you will be invited to have a home visit to discuss the process further. If you proceed, the next step is to complete a fostering assessment, where background checks will be carried out, and you will then attend a panel meeting to become approved. There will also be supporting training programmes to complete so you are best equipped to face anything that comes your way as you build your fostering career.
Tips for managing kids around work
Whether you foster or choose something different, there is still the matter of juggling a demanding schedule. Managing your work life around your parenting commitments takes real planning and commitment, but it can be done.
Set a routine
Routine is the most important thing in this setting. Children thrive on routine, regardless of their makeup. There are lots of benefits here to be drawn upon and it will help you get into the habit of completing tasks that are required, minimising any unexpected surprises, and supporting everyone to have what they need as well.
Be open with your workplace
The days when mothers and fathers are penalised for prioritising their children are dwindling. If you are open with work about your commitments, and what you need as a parent in the business environment, a newfound trust and understanding will be found. You are more reliable as an honest person who leads with upfront affirmations than one constantly falling behind and is too scared to say why.
Accept the limitations
It is good to be conscious of and accept any limitations; because these will be unavoidable. Children need time, care, and attention. It is a challenge to balance this full time role with a career because there are so many factors to mitigate. If you go into the process with more realistic expectations about what’s to come, you will be better able to manage your time and demands. You might not be able to do an overnight work trip once a week, for example, but you could ensure you’re always there for any virtual meetings and calls.
Find a balance to support wellness for everyone
When a parent is stressed, it seeps into everything. It affects the well-being of every person in the family because how could it not? Stress is debilitating and it can impact children very negatively if left unchecked for a prolonged period. Finding a balance between working, parenting, and downtime is the only road to self-management that benefits all the members of the family.
Are you ready to start fostering?
Starting a career with children at home comes with a unique set of challenges, though none of these challenges are insurmountable with the right mindset and motivation. There are, certainly, career paths that complement parenting such as fostering, and knowing you are making a difference to less-fortunate children makes a career as a foster carer all-the-more worthwhile in pursuing.
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