Paternity leave ending soon and I'm actually panicking

Dec 29·1 min read

I've got 2 weeks left of my 8-week paternity leave and I'm dreading going back to work. Not in a 'I don't want to work' way but in a 'how am I supposed to leave this little person' way. My son is 6 months old and we just got into a rhythm. My wife is staying home so I know he's in good hands, which helps mentally, but I hate the idea of missing stuff. Anyone else deal with this? How do you not get bitter about missing your kid's day?

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Comments(5)

RRandy S.RegularDec 30

Have you thought about whether you want to do full time or if part time remote is an option? I negotiated dropping to 4 days a week when I went back and it made a huge difference mentally.

KKevin M.RegularDec 31

What's the actual worst part you're imagining? Missing the baby or feeling guilty or something else? Sometimes naming it helps make it feel less huge.

GGreg W.RegularDec 30

I felt the same way but honestly the first week back is the hardest. After that you get back into a rhythm. Eight weeks is a solid amount of time though so you got a real bond going already.

TTobias K.RegularDec 31

Talk to your employer now if you haven't already about flexibility. Some places are way more accommodating than you'd expect and it never hurts to ask before you go back.

MMarcus J.RegularDec 31

The panic makes sense but your baby will be fine and honestly kids are more resilient than we think. My daycare provider was great and way more experienced than I was anyway.

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