Being a mother is a beautiful period of life. You take care of a small human and prepare the person for adult life. It’s an especially hard mission for single women.
Remember: you don’t have to blame yourself for stress, fatigue, and lack of other life spheres, as well as worry about employment gaps. No matter what people say, It’s not your fault. Still, facing financial issues, young parents should find a way to restore stability for them and their baby.
You still may turn to loans for unemployed single mothers or ask someone for help. But finding a new job would be a perfect solution, that brings stability and calmness. See how to combine your social status with employment and avoid stress.
The problem is widespread in the US – it’s difficult for women to return to their normal lifestyle after maternity leave.
Official numbers show the unemployment rate for different classes of the population. It appears that single mothers and fathers are less likely to be employed.
Unemployment Rate for Different Classes of Parents
Married mothers | 6.1% |
Mothers with other marital statuses | 10.4% |
Married fathers | 4.8% |
Fathers with other marital statuses | 10.6% |
Why? There are several reasons:
The situation got even worse during the pandemic when all schools and kindergartens were closed. Staying home with their children, some mothers had to leave their jobs or became much less productive.
If there is no opportunity to hire a babysitter, or it’s too early for kindergarten, think of tasks you can do at home. In case you can ask close people for help, find a part-time job – this way, you’ll be able to spend most of your time with a child, and do for a living at the same time.
Remote work gives us excellent opportunities – more and more companies are switching to an online format and looking for remote employees. Maybe, your skills are already enough:
Online tutors were super popular during the lockdown to help teenagers cope with a new format of learning. Revise your skills and think if they suit you. Along with school subjects, you may offer other programs: foreign languages, introduction to a new profession, even hobbies like guitar and Photoshop can be useful.
Managers, economists, almost all people who work with papers or communication switched to remote format. Look for companies with such options, explain your situation and opportunities – some employers agree to hire two part-time workers instead of one full-time.
You don’t need special skills to keep records, process purchases at online shops, and do other paperwork. Most commonly, companies would offer you a training period to teach everything you need to know.
In such cases, you don’t need previous skills. Just be a hard-working person with learning skills.
There are plenty of online jobs you haven’t even heard about. They are easy to learn and practice from home. You can even regulate the workload and difficulty of the tasks.
Some other online jobs to try:
If you prefer offline employment but cannot afford the full working day, discover these options:
Coffee shops usually hire several servants and baristas. You’ll be able to switch the working shifts with colleagues and regulate your schedule. Usually, your workload will contain 5-6 hours several days a week.
Same idea – grocery shops or supermarkets hire even students and moms on maternity leave. You Can choose comfortable hours and work without stress for your child and your usual lifestyle.
Such workers simply cannot work a full day – it would be too hard for vocal cords.
Finding a workplace is only a part of the issue – working with a small child is extremely hard and even dangerous for your mental health. Rebecca Henderson, Forbes contributor, shares her experience:
“While our customers have told us that their employees have been highly productive working from home, working mothers don’t seem to share that sentiment. A recent survey found that 3 in 5 working moms said they are less productive working from home during COVID-19”
To avoid additional stresses, prepare in advance:
There’s no chance for you to leave your child and restore your career? There are several options to try:
In critical situations, try loans for single mothers – they have softer conditions than other types.