If you are working full-time or even part-time, then it can be tricky to get a good balance with your home life. If you have children, then it is even more important to get a good balance as you want to be able to bond well with them, contribute to the running of the household and have some relaxation time. It can feel that there is too much to handle, but it is possible to get a balance. You will need to think things through though and try a few ideas.
Find Some Time for You/h3>
It is important to find some time to do things for you. Try to make them relaxing things such as exercising, walking, time in nature or hobbies. These things can help you to relax and wind down from work and also give you some calm. It could be possible to do some of these on your commute to and from work, if you have a commute. If you work close to home then consider having a walk, which will give you time to think, listen to music or podcasts or possibly enjoy nature if your walk route allows which you are also exercising. If you go on public transport then you will be able to read, do art, listen to music or podcasts or even nap during your commute. If you are in the car then you can still enjoy listening to music etc if you wish to. Try to make the most of the time, do not get wrapped up in doing work before you arrive, worrying or doom scrolling through social media. Make the most of this time. If you do not commute then find other time for yourself, even if it is a few minutes a day, where you can do something just for you. It will help you to recharge, calm and be more able to face both work and family time. It could be a few minutes in the garden, in the bath, for a short walk, popping to the shop etc. Try not to trade in sleep for time for you though as that is really important both for health as well as your mood.
Prioritise Time With the Children/h3>
It is important to do things with your children so that you can bond with them. Gone are the days where Fathers were just there to discipline children, it is important to play with them and also help with their care. Even if their mother has been looking after them all day at home, remember that she will need a break. It will be a different type of work to what you have been doing but it is non-stop and children demand constant attention. You may have had time for a loo break, lunch break, coffee etc but she will not have done. Do not think of looking after them as a chore though, think of it as pleasure to have family time with them. You could perhaps do things with them that their mother cannot, such as showing them how to do things she doesn’t know how to do. Think arts and crafts or playing certain games etc. You could also include her as well and do things as a family group which can be lots of fun.
Help Out With Chores/h3>
It is also important to think about the chores in the home. Having children to look after creates a lot of extra work and so finding time for washing, cooking and cleaning is tricky. If neither parent has much time for doing these things, then try to find time to do them together. As children get older, they should be able to help out as well. It will take time to teach them and will be quicker to do it by yourself but they need to learn and once they have, they will be a good help. If things really do get on top of you then it could be wise to consider whether getting help might be useful. Getting a cleaner, buying pre made meals or pre prepared meals or someone to help with childcare could help. Obviously, not everyone has the budget for this, but even asking friends and family could be a useful solution. Parents, siblings and even some friends might be willing to either entertain the children while you do some chores or even to help out with chores. You might want to pay them, but it could be cheaper to gift them a thank you rather than paying someone.
How to Budget to pay for Children
Having children can be an expensive business. Even if you do not buy expensive things, there is no question that with more family members things will get more expensive. Whether your children are babies or teenagers, it is never too late to think about ways that you can budget in order to make sure that you manage your money well.