It’s safe to say that having children changes your priorities, and one big factor of life which can be pushed to the sidelines as a parent is your career, especially if you are a single parent. You suddenly have the entire responsibility of your child’s upbringing on your shoulders, and when it comes to a steady income, chasing your career dreams may not be at the forefront of your mind. This leaves many single parents sticking with a steady job whilst raising their child.
Nevertheless, having a child or being a single parent doesn’t mean that you can’t make the right steps to finding the career you love. Here are some of the ways you can feel less afraid about making an important career move whilst raising a child.
Think About a Career Which Will Fit Around Your Child
When thinking about job options, you always need to be sure that your working hours suit your children, especially when you need to be home with them or do the school run. So if you already have a job which permits for that, it can be easy to stick to what you know and avoid messing up the routine.
However, career changes may actually offer more flexibility than you already have. Starting a home business, for example, or finding career options which offer flexitime or remote working, mean that you can spend more time with your children if they’re at home - and home working means that you can be there with them all day and avoid costs for childcare, too.
Accept Help
Accepting there are times when you will need help and assistance from others is vital to helping you achieve your goals and also do what is best for your child. From having neighbors watch your child after school, letting grandparents or other family members assist you in the day to day parenting tasks you can’t be there for personally, knowing your limits will help you to be present when you can be there and give you peace of mind your child is being looked after properly in your absence no matter how frequently or infrequently this occurs. For those job roles that require more of your time, it could be worth hiring the services of a babysitter or employing the services of qualified Nannies to take on the parental duties when you are in work and allow your child to have another positive working role model in their lives too.You May Be Eligible for a Scholarship
Returning to education can be an overwhelming decision when you have to think about the time and money needed to be a parent. Starting fresh with a new qualification in order to chase your career dreams can leave you worrying about juggling too much responsibility. However, it can mainly leave you wondering where you are supposed to get your tuition funding from when you’re using your income to support your child.
Nevertheless, it’s possible to get funding assistance through a scholarship if you’re serious about returning to education, and scholarships in Maine can provide exclusive scholarships for mothers and single mothers specifically. Visit CampusReel to discover more about what scholarships are available.
Find Likeminded People
Often, it’s the idea of presenting the fact that you’re a single parent to a new employer, which can be a cause for anxiety. Although naturally there shouldn’t be any prejudice against employees with children, it can make you feel alone if your career sees you working with a group of people who don’t have any children. You may even feel judged for having the responsibility of needing to leave work early at any given time for child emergencies or appointments.
You can feel more inspired with your career choices if you seek out those workspaces which embrace a more positive mindset when it comes to single parenting and the fact that you have children. Some workplaces with a relaxed atmosphere may even permit children to be taken to work with you. You will feel more inspired and motivated regarding your own career choices if you’re sharing the journey with other single parents.
I was a single mom with one child at 18 years old in the year 1974. I had another child when I was almost 21 in the year 1977. It was super hard, but I loved them so much that abortion never entered my mind. Adoption didn’t enter my mind for my first child, but it did for my second. Fear set in. Plus my mom knew a couple who would pay me $5,000 as long as the baby was healthy and had all his/hers limbs. Back then their wasn’t any ultrasounds that let you know the sex. My dream of becoming a doctor was long gone. I received a small grant and went to business school to try and be an administrative assistant. I did it and fell so proud of myself!! The school helped place me with a temp agency. I didn’t have any experience. Working at a few different firms for like 3 months each, gave me a lot of different kinds of experiences. I was blessed by a company who hired me for a permanent position. This manager said that I had potential. He sent me to a technical school and I passed at the top of my class. I ended up with a certification, a new title and more money- a raise. God really blessed me, because my youngest child was three when I met the love of my life in 1980 and we’ve been together ever since and had two more children. So there is hope! I had faith, confidence, and the will to do whatever I had to do to prove that I can roll with the flow and be responsible. I wanted to be a good example for my children. The downside was being away from my children a lot �� It did change and they gained a day and two more siblings!! I had to change my career, but it was all worth it!! Good Luck everyone!
ReplyDeleteThis has to be really tough. I cannot imagine having to try to juggle everything.
ReplyDeleteThis is very useful information! I can imagine navigating a career as a single parent must be challenging.
ReplyDeleteMy bff is a single mother. Its really a tough job.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post. Being a single mom can be difficult at times.
ReplyDeleteGreat things to keep in mind!
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