Having a child is a wonderful thing, but there are some big stresses associated with it. You might automatically think of sleepless nights, trying to change a diaper, going out with a screaming child in tow, or worrying that they’re getting sick, but what about child care? Have you looked into the costs of this and how it might be paid for if and when you decide to return to work?
If the answer is no, then you should start looking as soon as possible. The earlier you begin the more used to the prices and the options you will be. If the answer is yes, then you might already understand just how difficult paying for childcare can be, especially if you are going back to work on a part-time basis or have a lower paying job. However, this doesn’t mean you should give up on the idea – there are ways to go about it that will relieve the stress you might be feeling right now.
Get A Daycare Loan
Did you know there is such a thing as a loan to pay for daycare? These loans can be applied for when you have researched the best child care for your own needs and know how much it is going to cost. Once you have these figures, you can apply for the daycare loan and relax, knowing that you have the money for child care put to one side, ready to be used.
Many people aren’t aware such a scheme exists, but since it can go a long way to relieving a lot of stress, it is crucial to find out as much about it as you can in advance of actually needing to use it.
Flexible Working
Flexible working can often help when it comes to relieving the stress of child care. It can reduce costs and make things a lot easier. You might be considering flexible working, which means that you can go into work later, or vice versa. It can also sometimes allow you to work from home at least part of the time. There are many different ways flexible working can help you, and more and more businesses are rolling it out since they want to attract the best candidates and understand that family life is important.
If you work from home, for example, then you may not require child care at all. However, even if you do need child care, it might only be for a couple of hours a day, and this will clearly reduce costs. Flexible working might mean that you are able to work in tandem with your partner’s working hours and shifts so that there is usually someone at home, and if you are both working, then you can use child care on this potentially rare occasion. Even working part-time means that you can cut the cost of child care (although you will also be earning less, so make sure the figures work out before choosing this option).
Start Your Own Business
If there is no job that allows for the flexible working that you are looking for, and you are serious about the work life balance, then you could look into starting your own business. There are so few barriers to entry that this can be an ideal option, and although there will be a lot of hard work involved, you will also not have to worry so much about child care, and you will be less stressed in that regard.
