General Parenting

[KarrieT]

As a working parent, I sometimes find it challenging to decompress after a long day at the office. I immediately pick up my son from daycare and have to be in full  "mommy mode"...no time off in between! Does anyone else have this problem of not really being able to shut off from "working mode"? Sometimes I need a minute to breath, but don't seem to have the time! I'd love any thoughts on what has worked for others.

[theteachermom]

Oh my goodness, I can totally relate! I used to go straight from my classroom, to go pick up my two kids from nursery school, to head home for the evening/night routine... dinner, bath, bed, pack everything up for the next morning, etc.... and my hubby used to work super late at that time so I was on my own for most of the evening... Oh my goodness, nearly wore me out some days... so you're not alone, I know the feeling well!

Anyway, for me music was a totally sanity saver!

You mentioned you pick your son up immediately...Do you have any commute time at all between work and picking up the kids?? Can you leave work just a few minutes earlier so you have a buffer in between end of work and pick up time? If it is even just five minutes, you can give yourself a mental break with some music. If you need a  "cool down after a tough day", try playing your favorite relaxation music or if you need to get pumped up for "the second shift" (with your kids), then try playing your favorite sing -out-loud kind of songs. I found that singing out loud was the easiest way for me to get my mind off work and off what was coming next. I'd sing even walking down the street (garnered a few stares :-P LOL but I didn't care... I was in NYC where people do crazy stuff walking down the street all the time anyway )  

And as for the kids, music helped out with that too. I played three kiddie dance songs when we got home so my kids and I could just be silly and laugh together. It was always three songs so they knew exactly when we would stop so there were no "more, more, more" arguments. And it gave them enough attention/time that they needed so they would then leave me alone to prep dinner after that. Next I played "quiet time music" (soft quiet mostly classial stuff) and they lounged around with their lovies while I prepped dinner. Most of the time they were wiped out after their day too so chilling quietly actually worked out okay.... Then we ate dinner and did bathtime (kept them both quick and simple)... and then finally I played the same lullaby CD at bed time every night. They were so used to that CD that the minute the first song started playing they were pretty much asleep. 

Then I had some precious "me time". *sigh*  and that's when I could really unwind or just fall asleep! :-)

[ToyaC333]

Music!! Even if it's for only 10 min in the car on the way to pick up the kids or even if it's in the parking lot at the day care center. Sitting back, taking a deep breath, and listening to music that either soothes and relaxes me or gives me energy is how I de-stress. It's just about the only time I get to listen to non-children's music in the car, too! This makes it extra special time for me. Not that I don't love Raffi all the time... 

[NourishMom]

3 days a week I have an hour commute home so I use that time to decompress - catching up with friends on the phone, listening to NPR or just singing along to my favorite songs. For those days when I work from home I allow my daughter some TV time after school. After a full active day in daycare I figure she needs to decompress as well. I usually use this time to cook dinner which I really enjoy doing when I'm not rushed or hammered with a million questions.

Nowadays our routine as changed since the arrival of our son last October. I decompress most days by breastfeeding him and having mommy/son bonding time while my husband preps dinner and daughter has her TV time.