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Encouraging Heroes. You can be one too.

Any choice surrounding one’s employment responsibilities can be a stressful one, but one of the most difficult decisions is whether or not to reduce one’s working hours by working part-time. With a reduction in hours usually comes a loss of pay – which can hamper the family budget and not allow parents to properly save for their children’s future. At the same time, as valuable as it is to have a steady and comfortable income, the young years of childhood development are a remarkable time for parents to experience. Most parents unfortunately feel guilty, no matter what choice they make when faced with this tricky dilemma. However, one point is extremely clear: finding a healthy balance between a productive working environment and a happy family life leads to better work, better families, and better futures for both parents and their kids.

The Flexibility of Part-Time Work: Balance and Stability

No matter what choices families make regarding child care, society has a tendency to make parents feel guilty about how they interact with their kids. Most parents dream of the ability to spend more time with their children without having to notice a significant decrease in their salary. Working more hours usually leads to more money saved for the children, never mind a more comfortable lifestyle today – all of which can be a huge benefit for a family. A big fear for working parents, however, is that the children may feel neglected if you choose to work longer hours – and those early years of childhood relationship-building and development might go to waste.

Part-time work is an option that presents an easy compromise: you can continue to be active within the workforce and can spend more time with your children as well. You can even obtain benefits in some part-time positions, which may be even more valuable than the salary itself. Some offices also allow “part-time in-office” work, often called flex time, in which working parents can choose to work a few hours (or days of the week) from home on a regular basis in order to reduce child care costs or to encourage healthy family development. Employees report that part-time work can be as rewarding and fulfilling as full-time positions, and that they feel relaxed enough to truly relish and enjoy that extra time with their children.

Working With a Nanny Agency: Finding the Perfect Care Fit for Your Kids

Part-time workers often have better luck securing quality child care for their kids. In truth, it is far easier to find a part-time childcare solution than a full-time one, as many nannies and babysitters are eager to find work that is flexible. Working with an agency to find the best nannies for your children removes a lot of the confusion and guesswork from the process. By utilizing nanny agencies in London or other cities families are able to find the support that they need on a part-time basis, without having to worry about enforcing additional flexibility on an unwilling babysitter.

When hiring, be sure to have a firm grasp on your hours in your part-time position, and what kinds of qualities you are looking for in a part-time nanny. Remember, even when a nanny only works part-time with children, her relationship with the kids is just as meaningful and serves an important role in their development. Be sure to find a nanny who will engage and stimulate your children’s minds with fun activities and field trips, and who will make sure to enforce healthy rules and promote balance for your children during this time of transition as you adjust to this new part-time working environment. The stability provided by the right nanny can make all the difference, and set the tone for this new chapter in your family’s life.

This is a post by Ashley Williamson. Ashley is a freelance writer and an occasional guest-blogger in topics related to parenting and health. When she is not working she likes to travel and do yoga. If you have any question feel free to leave a comment.