You are working hard and your mind drifts to the kids. You feel guilty. Have you been a good enough mom or dad? How will they turn out since you spend so much time at work?
The best way to fight working parent guilt is to make a plan. Many moms/dads that stay at home are so overwhelmed that even they struggle to spend quality time with their children. Stop comparing.
Make a plan to do the following:
- Plan one on one time every week with each child individually.
- Each evening, ask your children what was the best and worst parts of their day. Spend time understanding what is going on in their worlds. Each will have unique challenges and life events.
- Create ‘anchor’ events. These are memorable outings that create memories that they will remember for years to come. Good examples are museums, boat rides or attending musical or sporting events.
- Enjoy “theme night dinners” representing other countries like Thailand, China, Brazil, Japan, and Chile. Talk about characteristics of the country, the language they speak, special foods and places in the country.
- Have a Story Time. Read a story that your child loves (good for all ages – don’t let them fool you).
- Go outside and play catch, basketball, or frisbee. Enjoy fun physical activities together.
In order to combat working parent guilt, regularly create fun things to do with your children. Become an active part of their life. Find ways to enjoy your time together and make incredible memories. Your unfailing love and acceptance is what they desperately need from you and they can certainly get that even if you have a busy schedule.
Cut yourself some slack. Focus on what you CAN do and what you CAN provide. Beating yourself up mentally won’t help you or the kids.
Bethany Williams is an expert in business development, personal branding, and healthcare operations. She has held high level positions at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Perot Systems Corporation, GE Healthcare, and IDX Systems Corporation. Williams shares her stories and helpful tips on career success in her book, Winning Strategies for Women, and a popular motivational blog. She volunteers as a life coach and mentor for employees around the globe through her website and personal one-to-one visits. She currently works as an executive at a big four accounting firm, and speaks on branding, career planning, and women in business. She lives in Dallas with her husband, Michael, and her three children. You can find her on the web at www.bethanywilliams.org.
{ 2 trackbacks }