Balancing work and parenting is very tiring for moms. That is your breaks, time off work and rest days are important for decompressing and resting. However you allow yourself to rest, you still need a childcare plan. You will not manage to rest or run any personal errands if you still have to care for your child.
If your child is enrolled in daycare, you will need to take the to daycare. If you normally have a nanny coming in, you still need her. Whatever childcare plan you have in place, you still need it for your rest days.
You deserve a break from work and you cannot have this if you still have to care for your baby on a day you are supposed to be resting.
It is totally fine to send your baby to daycare or bring on your nanny for these rest days you are not working. There is nothing to feel shame for or guilt over it. You are not a bad mom and your child will be fine.
Sending your baby to daycare or your nanny coming in when you stay at home is not ignoring them. You still love your baby even when you send them to daycare because it is your rest day. It does not mean that you no longer love your baby.
You can take them to daycare for a few hours, half a day, or a whole day. If you are okay with sending the baby for half day it is ok but a full-day daycare is equally okay.
Why Childcare is Important during Days off Work/Rest Days
1. It Allows you Time for Self Care/Me-Time
You should consider off days for self-care and refreshing as you get ready to return to work. Not having to care for your child on your rest days allows you to focus on your self. You need this much-deserved break as time to refresh and reset and not take care of your child.
There is no guilt or mom shame to feel for dropping your toddler at daycare and just staying at home alone to get time for yourself.
2. Opportunity to Run Errands without Baby
Running errands with your baby can be tiring, overwhelming and chaotic. The best solution is taking your child to daycare or bring in your nanny so that you are efficient and convenient with your time without getting overwhelmed.
A childcare option allows you the flexibility and easy of running errands without having to worry about your baby.
3. Helps you Rest for Quality Baby Time Later
Taking the baby to daycare when you take off from work will improve your parenting and make you a better mom. You allow yourself to recharge so that you can have quality time in the evening when they come from daycare.
5. Helps your Child Improves their Social Skills
Time with parents for kids is important but so is time with other people. When you baby is at daycare, they are socializing, growing, and developing in ways that you as a mom don’t have all of the tools or expertise to facilitate.
For instance the daycare likely has boppy, snakes, play gyms, washable mats, and all kinds of toys that are good for babies. When you keep your baby at home because it is your rest days, you are making them miss all this.
6. Avoids Disrupting Childcare Routine
Childcare arrangements such as daycare or your nanny follows a routine that is important for your baby’s development. As such it is important that you do not disrupt this routine on your rest days.
Even if you miss the baby, resist the temptation to keep them at home. Let your nanny still come in or take your child to day care. You may not fully engage or stimulate your baby the way the daycare environment will.
7. You will Still Pay for Daycare Slot
You will probably have to pay for daycare whether your baby goes or not on these rest days. Some daycares will still demand that you pay whether your baby attends or not to keep your slot.
Since you will pay for the off work day anyway, it is best to take advantage and this way you can truly have your off day without having to care for your baby.
Read: Why You Need To Pay For Daycare Even When it is Closed
