When it comes to working your dream career and taking care of your family, who says you can’t have it all? If you believe that it’s impossible to have the work-life balance that you want — and deserve, by the way — then your mind is already programmed to believe it’s impossible to find the best child care management solutions for your work and lifestyle. These solutions extend far beyond daycare and should instead be considered with you and your family’s overall lifestyle in mind. When it comes to finding the right child care management solutions for you and your family, it pays — and saves — to be a little creative.
The traditional idea of a man venturing off into the world to work and support the family while the woman stays home to care for the home and children is a bit outdated. Although many couples may still practice this arrangement event in today’s modern times — and nothing wrong with that — things are a bit more complicated. There are now plenty of single moms, single dads, stay at home dads, households with both parents working, blended families, and other factors that make finding the right child care management solutions a bit more difficult than generations past. Difficult yes, but impossible no.
If you’re struggling to find the right child care management solutions for your lifestyle and family, consider these helpful tips that are sure to make the entire process a lot easier and faster.
Work from home
Perhaps one of the greatest thing about the internet is that has transformed the traditional “another day at the office” by bringing the office to your living room. Working at home, even part time, is a great way for parents to kill two birds with one stone; earn a living for their families in the workplace while taking care of their children. This arrangement may not always work for everyone and it’s success depends greatly upon a number of factors, but many parents have found that this arrangement works quite nicely. Take for example Sara Fell, creator FlexJobs who decided to create a career that accommodated her lifestyle and allowed her to work from home in order to care for and spend time with her kids.
A la carte anyone?
Before money was “created”, a common form of currency was the trading of goods and services, also known as bartering. So if you happen to be a killer piano teacher, book keeper, or yoga instructor for example, you could trade these services for childcare. Or say you made killer, vegan, toxin free handmade health and beauty products, you could trade these goods for with a babysitter who is willing to barter. This mutually beneficial arrangement saves a lot of time and money while keeping everyone happy.
Sharing is caring
If you don’t mind sharing a nanny or babysitter with other parents in your immediate area, then share care might be a good option for you. Say your neighbor next door has an excellent nanny that works the exact same hours that you need childcare. You might be able to drop your child off at the neighbor’s and have the nanny watch your child and your neighbor’s children at the same time. This is not only helps to create a great sense of community, but it also saves a lot of time and money on searching for the right nanny or babysitter.
