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Returning to Work After Maternity Leave Holds Some Unexpected Moments

If you are returning to work after maternity leave, chances are you have done your research on what to expect. The fact is, however, no matter how well prepared a mother is to return to the office, she is likely in for some unexpected surprises.

In its article, 8 Secrets No One Tells You About Returning to Work After Maternity Leave, the Reader’s Digest highlights some of the more surprising things that new moms encounter upon their return to the workplace. Here are a few of those (pleasant and not so pleasant) surprises:

  1. You will begin to connect with your old self
  2. You don’t have to lose all your baby weight
  3. You will likely cry some
  4. You need to learn to delegate
  5. You need to concentrate on work while at work

The fact is, until you experience for yourself what going back to work following maternity leave is like, you can never be 100 percent prepared. So whether you think it is going to be extremely stressful or no big deal, you are likely to have a few surprises in store!

Premier Academy offers affordable childcare in the Omaha/Elkhorn area.

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What to Expect When Your Return to Work Following Maternity LeaveReturning to work after maternity leave is never easy. The prospect of being away from your new baby, the pressure of performing at work and lack of sleep are just a few of the obstacles you will face. However, there are ways to make the transition easier on you and your baby and it won’t be long until your entire family adjusts to its new normal.

What 13 moms wish they knew their first week back from maternity leave

Knowing what to expect when you come back from maternity leave can be difficult. Advice from moms who have been there can prove invaluable.

Tips for Returning to Work After Maternity Leave

One of the toughest aspects of returning from maternity leave is easing back into the workplace culture. Thankfully, there are ways to make the transition back to the office easier.

The 5 stages of returning to work after maternity leave

Whether you are returning to work after your first child or third, it always takes some getting used to. And there are certain stages newbie and veteran moms alike go through when it’s time to head to the office again.

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Tips for a Smooth Transition Back to Work Following Maternity LeaveWe here at Premier Academy know that returning to work after maternity leave can be a difficult transition for mothers. The prospect of being away from your new baby coupled with the pressure of performing at work can lead to a great deal of stress. Throw sleep deprivation into the mix and it is easy to understand why this can be such a trying time for many women.

Going back to work following your maternity leave will mean a new schedule for you and your baby. While this can be difficult, it is important to remain as calm as possible during the transition. Babies are very in tune with their mother’s emotions so if you are extremely stressed out chances are that your infant will be, as well. Of course, this is easier said than done.

While bumps in the road are inevitable, there are ways to make sure that things go as smoothly as possible when returning to work.

  1. Get organized. Juggling your job along with your new title as “mom” calls for a high level of organization. Make a schedule of dinners and chores such as laundry ahead of time. It also is important to try to get your baby in a routine (easier said than done, we know!). A regular schedule of naps, meals and baths will help your baby learn what comes next.
  2. Do some dry runs. A week or so before you return to work, try a few dry runs where you get up and get yourself and your baby ready to head out the door on time. This is the time to figure out if you need to make adjustments.
  3. Find the best child care. Knowing your baby is happy and well cared for is the best way to ease your transition back to work. Make sure you find a child care center that meets all of your need and comes highly recommended.
  4. Don’t waste time at the office. Try to tune out as many distractions as possible while at work so you can get out on time. Long chats with co-workers about what was on television the night before or long lunches need to be kept to a minimum so you can leave the office knowing you put in a full day.
  5. Take care of yourself. When getting everything organized and ready for the work week there is one person that often gets neglected – you! Sleep and self-care are important considerations. After all, if you are stressed-out, tired and overwhelmed all of the time, you aren’t doing anyone any good. While it may seem impossible to get more sleep, going to bed as early as possible will help. Also, try to schedule in a few relaxing activities on the weekends such as a long walk, exercise class or quick manicure.

Finally, no matter how well you have planned, no matter how outstanding your child care, you are likely to become emotion when dropping your baby off for the first few days or weeks. Thankfully, a quality child care program will welcome your calls, texts or need for a picture of your sweet baby to get you through the workday!  While most mothers will tell you that going back to work after maternity leave can be challenging, they also will tell you that it won’t be long until you and your baby adjust to your new normal.

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Tips for a Smooth Morning Routine for DaycareWhy do mornings seem so difficult? For parents, especially working parents that use child care in Omaha Nebraska, there is typically so much to do in a short period of time. We here at Premier Academy agree. “Morning is the time in which temperamental differences may be most evident – the child who is slow to get going clashes with the mother or father who is fast paced. Or the child who is crabby clashes with the parent who is also crabby,” say authors Ellen Galinsky and Judy David in their book The Preschool Years: Family Strategies That Work – from Experts and Parents. Mornings also provide the perfect opportunity for children to assert their individuality. With the clock ticking for work and meetings, this is prime time for power struggles.

Whether your children are going back to school or struggling with a new morning routine, getting ready for school or daycare doesn’t have to be a struggle. The Canadian Child Care Federation offers these tips for discovering how to get ready for school in a way that works for your family.

Tips for a Smooth Morning Routine for School or Daycare

Leave room for unhurried moments. Make sure everybody has enough sleep and rises early enough to avoid rushing. Give yourselves time for some unhurried moments together before you have to leave the house.

Complete chores the night before. To make the morning routine less stressful, do things the night before. After dinner, for example, prepare lunch boxes and leave them in the fridge overnight. And after you clear away the dinner things, set the breakfast table for the next morning. Ask family members to bath/shower/wash hair the night before, if possible. Gather permission forms, lunch money, or notebooks. Encourage your children to help with chores that are suitable for them.

Offer encouragement. If a small child is prone to dawdling, you may have to offer frequent gentle reminders. When you are busy in the kitchen and the child’s room is on another level, have her dress nearby where you can supervise while you work.

Give yourself more time. Add 10 or 15 extra minutes to your usual schedule. If the child is ready on time, spend it reading, talking, or doing some other activity together, making sure you give him your undivided attention during this period.

Set reasonable expectations. Expect your children to do what they are capable of, for example washing and dressing themselves if they are old enough. This may be an unreasonable expectation for a younger child. Set one task at a time to make expectations seem more attainable.

Have a family meeting. When children are old enough to join in a family discussion, sit down together, perhaps the night before, to go over your morning routine and discuss the best morning routine for the entire family.

Get out the door. If a child has not been cooperative, use the extra 10-15 minutes to get him ready with as little fuss as possible. Do not scold or chat; just do what is necessary to leave on time.

Spend time together. Promise and follow through to spend time together after you pick your child up from child care if the morning routine goes smoothly. Don’t forget to recognize your children’s good effort using encouragement on days when everything works well and your family starts the day on time!

Dealing with Resistance to a Daycare or School Morning Routine

Children may resist morning routines by arguing about breakfast food, debating about what clothes to wear, or playing when they should be getting ready to leave. Children often seek our attention in the morning, especially when we are rushing.

Our children soon learn that when they resist, argue, or stall, they get our attention. These morning difficulties may arise even when we give our children plenty of attention at other times. What can you do to spur on the uncooperative child and give him a sense of power and control?

Encourage and remind, but try not to nag. Let them experience the consequences of procrastinating. This may mean missing breakfast or forgetting their homework.

Establish an agreement that the TV doesn’t go on in the morning until the chores are done, if at all.

Create a morning routine chart with your child, and involve your child by asking, “What’s next on the routine chart?” They can help cut out pictures and design the chart. Have stickers for your child to place on the steps she completes.

Use an alarm clock in children’s rooms. This will ensure that you wake them up at the same time each morning and you haven’t gotten lost looking over your emails. This will help prepare toddlers for elementary school as well.

Ask children whether they would like your help getting ready for school.

Avoid lectures. Instead, asking “what” and “how” questions – such as “what happens when you don’t get dressed in the morning?” and “How do you feel about missing the school bus?” – will entice conversation with our children. These questions help children think for themselves, whereas our lectures may make them stop listening.

Talk about times when you have procrastinated, what happened as a result, and how you felt about it. These conversations can be used as teachable moments for your kids.

Plan ahead, and give your child enough time to succeed on his own. Remember to give reminders and establish clear expectations regarding his morning routine.

Let your child know that you need her help and say, “I would appreciate you getting dressed so we can get to school before circle time.” This invites cooperation instead of defiance.

Many of us charge off with our to-do lists in hand, thinking that when everything is done (which it never is) we can enjoy life. But what we do every day is life. Our ability to step in time with our children amid the everyday stuff, such as getting out of the house in the morning, takes some organization and a lot of patience. Using these tips for establishing a morning routine can help you get it done.

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