The holidays are over, and with September and the start of the school year, it's back to normal in the daily work-family life. Are you ready? Need advice?
It's 7:25 in the morning, David has just left for work, Manon is trying to find the bottom 2e of her big daughter's pair. She must arrive at daycare by 7:45 a.m. Manon is coordinating an important meeting scheduled for 8:30 a.m. at the office. Of course, as is always the case when she is in a hurry, Joséphine takes the opportunity to have a fit: she doesn't like the cardigan Mom chose for her. She wants pink. "No, you can't wear pink with your orange pants!" », replies Manon. Joséphine rolls on the floor even more, seeming to say: “You certainly won’t stop me! Manon lets her have her fit while trying to dress Paul who, as usual, kicks the street in protest. What a cacophonous duo these two! Time is running out, Manon is falling behind. The bag of bread is empty and she is looking for a new last-minute lunch idea. Back to school!
Are you experiencing stress?
Back to school is often associated with the return of stress and the race. It's a bit paradoxical… we constantly shout: “Help!I'm running out of time, I'm constantly running! Hold on tight: Parents in the 2000s spend more time with their children than those in the 80s. Yup, even while working outside. I didn't believe it when I first saw this information… I check with my mother who was home when we were young. She tells me that it doesn't surprise her at all… In the past, the children left for school and came back home to have fun with each other in the street. Today, parents who do not spend 30 minutes a night on the children's homework or who let their baby play alone for too long feel guilty. The expectations that parents have of themselves are much higher, unfortunately generating greater stress and a feeling of lack of time.
We work less than before
According to a 2010 Statistics Canada analysis, lack of time is a major stressor, on par with finances. However, fathers have reduced their working time and almost doubled the time devoted to domestic tasks. The time they give to the children is constantly increasing. Another major change, statistically, the time devoted to leisure has never been so important. So time is really a matter of perception, it is elastic and some people optimize it more than others…
You have to learn to budget
I like to compare time tomoney: people who earn a lot of money sometimes have more difficulty making ends meet than those who earn half as much. In addition to your spending budget, make your time budget! The back-to-school period is a good time to reassess the time spent in different spheres such as family, work and leisure. Determine the time dedicated to each one and be bold enough to include it in yourwork agenda: family time! This allows you to remember the importance that you attach to it and not to sink into the mad rush associated with the start of the school year.
Other research concludes that women's free time is increasing, but at the expense of household chores and not work time. Down with housekeeping! You guessed it's not my cup of tea! I laugh a lot at cleaning, but my spouse takes care of it at home, so I had to learn to let go of perfection, at least I don't take care of it anymore (or almost!). It's up to each of you to make your decisions based on your priorities and set aside time for what's important to you and your loved ones. If the household is part of it, go gradually or try other strategies, such as hiring a cleaning lady for example. Organization and determination are essential keys. Set goals. For the start of the school year, make new resolutions, allow yourself to take full advantage of this moment!
