Balancing Your Career And Co-Parenting As A Divorced Parent

When you're a single parent, finding the right balance between your career and your time with your children can be challenging. Studies show that working parents bring invaluable skills to the workplace, despite the challenges they experience balancing work and family.

To succeed, however, it takes effective time management, multitasking abilities, empathy and productivity. It also takes finding a job that's the right fit for you and your family after a divorce.

Finding the Right Company for Your Co-Parenting Needs

When you're job searching as a single parent, you'll want to target companies with family-friendly values and flexible working arrangements. Companies that offer remote work or hybrid work environments are often a good fit for parents. To get insight, consult reviews on platforms like Glassdoor that offer anonymous reviews by current employees.

Know Your Company's Policies

If you're already employed, understanding your company's policies is essential. How do they view sick leave and parental absence? Do they offer flexible hours or childcare support?

If you're recently divorced and juggling co-parenting for the first time, you may want to share your situation with your manager and HR department. That way, your manager will have insight into what you're going through. Your manager may also be able to suggest additional resources available to employees that you might not be aware of.

Maintain Healthy Boundaries Between Work and Home

While you might have been able to easily work late before, life as a co-parent often means firm pick-up times and sole responsibilities. You may need to put into place more firm boundaries — like saying no to extra projects or logging off your computer at exactly 5 p.m. Work with your manager if your boundaries are compromised, and seek solutions together.

With firm boundaries in place, you can still excel in your company. Leverage the times when your children are with your co-parent in order to get extra work time in. If necessary, you can also connect with your co-parent, friends, neighbors or babysitting groups for help. If you can afford it, consider hiring help, like a nanny or cleaning service, to make things go a little more smoothly.

Self-Care Is Important for Going the Distance

Even with all the hustle and bustle of co-parenting, it's important to take care of yourself. (Like they say on planes, put on your own oxygen mask first.) If you're burning yourself out by never taking a break between work and child care, you eventually won't be the parent you'd like to be. Reach out for support, disconnect from negativity and give yourself grace as you encounter life's challenges.

Finding Work Life Balance After a Divorce?

The Schneider Law Firm has significant experience representing parents facing a full range of co-parenting issues. Our experienced team of Fort Worth attorneys would be happy to meet with you, hear what you're facing, and work with you to create a plan that will support your family's success.

To get started, please call 817-755-8152 or send us a message to arrange a free initial consultation.