Resigned from work

I tried going back to work, 3 days per week, when my year maternity leave finished. However, I have now resigned in order to be a stay at home mum, and due to finish at the end of September. I work as an outreach family counsellor, mainly visiting clients in their home to help with a range of issues affecting family functioning, and also running some Positive Parenting Groups. I have tried hard to balance my work role with being a first-time mum, but in the end have decided to stay at home for a while. So I have now enrolled my baby (20 months now) in gymbaroo and water familiarisation/safety lessons, and a baby music/rhythm group. I am looking forward very much to my new role, but in a way sad to be leaving behind my working role..... O:) #-o

Berry,

It is a tricky set of decisions isn't it? I really hope it all works out for you....I'm sure it will. It sounds like you have some great activities planned for you and your little one!

Olivia is 7 months old and I flick flack between wanting to just spend every waking moment with her, or returning to work. No one can make the choice for me, so I am just going with my gut at the moment and also comprimising by doing a number of consultancies from home.....which is good money but not the same as working in a social environment.

Best of luck......

I'll definitely miss the social aspect/adult interaction of work, and have been exploring whether they can employ me casually to run parenting groups every now and then. One of my main dilemnas has been leaving Tobey in child-care three days per week, where he seems to pick up illnesses and so I had to take time off every second week or so, and also at times he seemed ambivalent about being left there.

I am with you there.........in theory I have no issues with childcare, but the practicalities of little ones picking up bugs is anoying and worrying. Plus, on an emotional level my heart tells me that no-one "knows" Olivia like I do, so I am the only person (along with DH of course!) that should be tending to her. Irrational, I know, but my mind is a whirl at them moment.

Hopefully for you you have made the right choice for you and Tobey. And fingers crossed you can find a good combination of staying at home and some casual work doing what you enjoy............

Take care.....

I agree that the best person to be caring for a baby/toddler is their parent. Even if child-care is good quality, it's not "love". But developmentally I think good quality child-care can be beneficial in moderate amounts.