I'm a new mum of a completely wonderful little 5 month old. I went on maternity leave not having discussed an exact return date with my employer but with the understanding that I was unlikely to take a full year off and would like to come back after 6 months and perhaps work part time initially and then full time from 8 months. Oh how naive I was! I am really struggling to get myself into work mode again. I am so unbelievably enjoying being a mum and I would love to be there for my baby's milestones but also in a way give my baby the kind of upbringing I had myself. I always had one parent that wasn't working and was a full time parent. As a child, my mum was a SAHM and then as a teen my dad retired early and my mum took up a teaching job. Never in my life did I think I would consider being a SAHM, and yet here I am. DH is supportive either way. I am very conflicted as, like I said, it's not something I'd ever considered but I can't help feel like it would be so nice for my child to have someone drop them off and pick them up from school without having to go to breakfast clubs or after school care etc.
And then I came across these on the guardian:
amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/aug/18/lets-stop-pretending-that-parenting-and-work-can-be-perfectly-balanced
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/17/helen-skelton-honesty-work-kids-radical-truth-family-life
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/aug/14/helen-skelton-quits-radio-5-live-to-spend-more-time-with-her-children
I can't help but feel it's true that full time work and parenting is difficult to balance perfectly.