Parents Who Work Outside of the Home
We have included some articles regarding parents who are stay at home parents. But what about parents who work outside the home?
In the past, it was common for families to have one parent stay home and tend to the household and children while the other worked outside of the home. Both parents would perform an equal amount of work doing these two different things. Nowadays, most households involve both parents working at least one job each, sometimes more. Then when they get home, they share the household responsibilities. This means a lot less free time and family time in order to make ends meet.
More kids are in daycare for spend time with other relatives while their parents work. With a lack of national policy on parental leave when a child is born, sometimes parents don’t even get to see their children for long after they are born (at the time I had my daughter, I could only afford to be away from work for two weeks financially!). This can be very hard emotionally for everyone involved.
Parents who work outside the home often miss their kids while they are away. They likely find fulfillment and satisfaction in their work, yet may wish they had more time to spend with their families. It is important to make sure that some extra time is spent with your family in a quality way to compensate.
Growing up, both of my parents worked full-time jobs and supported a small business on the side. I would go to school during the day and then spend time at the library for several hours afterwards. Sometimes over the weekend I would even have a babysitter watch me so they could work extra. Yet, I never felt neglected or that I did not get to see my parents often enough. We always did family dinners together almost every night of the week. We would go on trips whenever we had breaks from school. We would do regular visits to nearby cities for the day to go shopping, my parents always made sure to attend my activities, and they made it work.
Scheduling family times is essential for those busy families and parents with external obligations. Perhaps being sure to prioritize two family dinners a week, one family outing a week, soccer games, dance recitals, and a family movie night. It is also important to make time away from work for longer periods of time, such as going on family vacations or even family staycations. It is also important to make sure that you do not burn out and still make time for yourself and your partner.
Parents who work do not love or value their children any less than parents to stay at home. The choice or need to work does not mean that the parents have incorrect priorities or that a child will not thrive as well. Statistically, there is no difference whatsoever in terms of health and happiness. Quality in spending your time with your children is way more important than quantity, and they will feel just as loved and appreciated.
Overall, working parents face challenges that stay at home parents do not face and vice versa. Each group has to work on different things to support the family unit and stay sane. Sometimes, it can be beneficial to attend family therapy sessions to work on communication and to make sure everyone's needs are being met. Sometimes behavioral issues in children can be related to their perceived lack of parental support and attention, so it is important to make sure that they feel loved and important. If a child is acting out of sorts and is needing help or assistance, it does not mean that the parent has failed or is doing anything incorrectly, sometimes a professional adjustment is needed to help. Family therapy can assist in bringing a family closer together and improving your relationships. We offer that here at Birch and highly recommend it.
Kyndal Sims
Birch Psychology