Benefits

• You will be contributing financially to your family.
• You will be growing as a professional and moving forward in your career.
• You will have someone to collaborate with about your child’s growth and development.
• Your child will get the opportunity to build other relationships and have other experiences.
• You may feel more able to be present after time away.

Challenges

• Some families feel guilty or judged by others for returning to work.
• You will be away from your child. You may not have as much time or energy to be with your child because you will be working.
• You will need to negotiate parenting practices with a caregiver or school.
• Not all experiences while parents work are good for children. Your child may trouble adjusting to a different routine while you work. It is possible your child may have experiences you don’t want for them, like conflicts with peers or the loss of a caregiver.

Reflecting on Going Back to Work

All families will feel some stress returning to work after the birth of a child. As you reflect on what would best meet your family’s needs consider

• What do I need to plan for to make my return to work successful for everyone?
• Picture my perspective five hours from now, five months from now, and five years from now, how will I feel about the decision to return to work?
• What will the schedule look like when you go back to work?
• How will you balance the needs of your family and demands of work? Who might be able to help you; partner, boss, extended family?
• What type of experience do I want my child to have while I work? What type of environment would serve my family?
• How long will I work to adjust before revisiting this decision?