My friend has told me about a brilliant nursery that she uses. It is a great deal easier to go back to work if you know that your mother or another close relative is prepared to meet your childcare needs. This can remove a lot of the anxiety about leaving your child in the hands of a stranger. Having friends in the neighbourhood who have already found a high standard of childcare will also inspire the confidence to find the right solution. If I stay at home with my family now, I know that it will take me ten years to get the promotion I want.
New parents have a difficult choice to make.
They must decide whether to put their career on hold in order to spend time with their new family, or whether to pursue the career. Whilst many companies do adopt family friendly options, such as part-time hours and career breaks, some employees feel that, in order to be eligible for that next promotion, you have to be seen to be committed to the job. Lone parents have a different set of issues to grapple with. A single parent who stays at home with his or her baby may find the experience isolating and restrictive. But it may be important for them to reassure their child of their own presence.