How do you balance work and parenting a toddler?

[EffieBrown]

Hi everyone! I’m a mum to a lovely 2 year old daughter and also work as a senior software engineer in Dubai. I love my work, but balancing a busy career with a toddler can definitely be challenging at times!

I’d love to hear from other mums about how you manage your daily routines, childcare, meals, sleep, and quality time with your little ones. Do you have any routines or small things that make your day easier?

I’m especially interested in tips from mums who are working full-time while raising a toddler. Would love to hear what works for you and what you wish you had known earlier.

It's shit. There's not a lot of balance. It's a never ending cycle of work and parenting and getting the odd break here and there. My DS is sick right now so all he wants is mummy and he's given me the bug too so I can't sleep either. I had to wake up at 6am, get him and me ready, drop him off at nursery and now in work myself staring at a screen as my brain just won't work, I'm so tired, I want to die. Won't get to rest and recover over the weekend as I have to parent.

Pregnancy has also worsened a genetic condition for.me so now I'm extra unwell for the rest of my life.

When he's not ill and I'm not ill, things are better.

Tips? Freezer meals. I do a lot of batch cooking and freeze individual portions. I have a 3 week supply in the freezer right now - chicken soup, curries, bolognese. I just have to boil pasta/rice and steam a piece of broccoli. I'm a big believer in homemade food, I hate pouches and ready made meals.

In dubai I would get full time live in help! If you have that you live in a different planet to other full time working mums

Are you a single mum? I also work full time in a senior management position and have a 4 and 1 year old but I do have a partner.
Things that help: I outsource some cleaning. My house has 4 bathrooms and that’s just not happening in the time I have free so I outsource the cleaning of those and my kitchen weekly. Then twice a year I pay to get the whole house deep cleaned.
I meal prep, get my shopping delivered.
I take advantage of my works flexible working policy. I work from home half the week and on my offices days I finish slightly early then work in the evening when the kids are in bed. I am very intentional with my time with my kids. My partner works most weekend so it’s just me and them and they are my little best friends. I enjoy them so much. I also do stuff I like doing with them. I visit family and friends, go to coffee shops, have big walks round our local lake. I leave things like softplays for their dad 😂. I also have a monthly evening dinner with friends and me and my husband have an at home date night when they are in bed once a month and then try get a night away 3-4 times a year.

It’s definitely a juggling act! I think having a simple routine helps, but I’ve also found that accepting that some days just won’t go to plan makes things a bit easier. I try to focus on the important things rather than feeling like everything needs to be done perfectly. Small things like preparing meals or clothes the night before can make busy mornings much less stressful.