| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | who prefer being at home. Depressed mothers |
| Basic Tips | | | | naturally have depressing effects on their children. |
| 1. Communicate with your babysitter, nannies or | | | | 6. Accept help |
| au pair, mother’s help to keep | | | | When your relative or neighbour offers to |
| up-to—date. | | | | baby-sit the children or pick them up from school |
| Make as much time as possible to talk to your | | | | or childcare, let them. They wouldn't offer if they |
| child care provider. If you can keep the lines of | | | | didn't mean it. |
| communication open beyond the rush, you'll have | | | | 7. Keep duplicates of "vital stuff" |
| a much better feeling about your child's | | | | Extra blankets, nappies, clothes, and dummies will |
| development and well being. | | | | come in handy in a panic. |
| 2. Don't get wound up by small issues. | | | | 8. Get organized |
| If your child only wants to eat burgers every | | | | Plan ahead, menus for the week so you can cook |
| day, let him eat them. He will outgrow this phase. | | | | extra so there are leftovers, pack the |
| Providing the child is not harming itself (getting | | | | baby’s bag the night before. Generally |
| over-weight etc.) or someone else by the | | | | working parents are organised. For example, |
| behaviour just let it go. | | | | working mothers spend the same amount of time |
| 3. Be flexible and open to new ideas and options | | | | in direct interaction with their children as full-time |
| If you have an early morning meeting and it | | | | mothers. Employed mothers spend as much time |
| takes your child an hour to decide what to wear | | | | reading to and playing with their children as those |
| in the morning, consider letting them sleep in their | | | | at home, although they do not spend as much |
| clothes. They will think it's fun and you'll be at | | | | time simply in the same room. |
| work on time. | | | | 9. Abandon the idea of the perfect home |
| 4. Be honest and up front with your child about | | | | Perfectly clean house, nutritionally balanced meals, |
| going to work and leaving them with the | | | | clean well-dressed children, and a fantastic career |
| babysitter, nannies or au pair, mother’s | | | | is an impossible standard that will cause you |
| help | | | | unnecessary strain. Give yourself a break and |
| Explain that you have to work, encourage the | | | | concentrate on what's important. Get in a cleaner, |
| child to ask questions of the carer. Be enthusiastic | | | | mother’s help to help you with the laundry, |
| about the carer as your attitude will shape your | | | | house-cleaning, and household work. It will be |
| child's expectations and experiences. Remember | | | | money well spent. Fast food and ready meals are |
| research proves that children benefit from | | | | not poisonous. |
| trusting relationships with more than one | | | | 10. Occasionally pamper yourself with me time |
| caregiver. The research has shown that babies | | | | Consider lighting some candles or josh sticks, put |
| with more than one attachment are less | | | | in some bath oil and grab your favourite |
| distressed when mother leaves for work, they | | | | magazine. As most kids hate the bathroom you |
| are more playful and content in the presence of | | | | should be undisturbed. |
| other adults, and are less distracted at the birth | | | | 11. Plan time without the kids. |
| of a sibling. | | | | Eat some chocolates, read the newspaper or a |
| 5. Don't panic or feel guilty when your child cries | | | | book, go to a movie, visit a new restaurant, or |
| when you leave Young children don't understand | | | | go to a museum and relieve some stress. Escape. |
| what "I'll be back later" means. As your child | | | | 12. Go on a course. |
| grows older, she will begin to understand that | | | | There are many courses to assist with |
| you'll return for her at the end of the day. With | | | | everything from cookery, through home |
| older children, reassure them that you'll return. | | | | economics to child psychology |
| Never sneak away. You're trying to build your | | | | How To Choose Quality Child Care |
| child's trust, not break it down. Remember that | | | | 1. Is the carer trained and/or experienced? |
| childcare can be great for your child, as your child | | | | 2. Have you spoken in person or got reports on |
| will benefit from personal attention, interactions | | | | at least one (preferably two) parents who've |
| with other children and age-appropriate educational | | | | used the carer and said good things about her or |
| programs that will be great preparation for school. | | | | him? |
| Research shows that children who receive good | | | | 3. Does the carer respond to your child as an |
| quality childcare tend to be ahead of other children | | | | individual and communicate well with you? Are you |
| both intellectually and developmentally. Research | | | | and your child happy and appreciated? |
| also shows that children in childcare show the | | | | 4. Is she or he willing to help you continue your |
| same degree of attachment to their mothers and | | | | child's routine with things such as sleep, food or |
| the same amount of security as children with | | | | any special needs? |
| mothers who stay home. Remember if working | | | | 5. Is she willing to fit in with your ideas on |
| makes you happy, you're children will be happier. | | | | discipline, toilet teaching, sweets and other issues? |
| Working mothers who like their jobs have better | | | | 6. Does she or he obviously like children and enjoy |
| personal adjustments, are happier, and are less | | | | caring for them? |
| depressed than full-time mothers, even those | | | | |