My 8 weeks are almost up and honestly I'm dreading going back. The kids are finally adjusted to me being around and now I gotta jump back into 50+ hour weeks and conference calls. The money is good but man, I'm gonna miss the morning cartoons and making them lunch. Anyone else feel like this transition is harder the second time around?
I feel this even as a weekend dad. When I get my kids on Friday everything is going great and then Sunday rolls around. The adjustment back is always rough. It gets easier though, I promise.
Real talk: the guilt doesn't go away but you adjust. You're going to be an amazing dad whether you're there every day or not. The key is quality when you are there.
Can you ask about flexible hours or a work from home option at least some days? Even one day a week at home makes a huge difference. And the kids will adjust, as much as it sucks to say.
The adjustment thing cuts both ways though. They'll adjust to you being gone just like they adjusted to you being there. Doesn't make it suck less but it does get easier.
I feel this in my bones. When I had to go back after my first kid it was brutal. What helped was setting up a good routine so the transition for the kids was smooth, and honestly just accepting that it gets easier after a couple weeks. The routine matters more than you think.
This is temporary but I get why it feels impossible right now. Maybe set up some solid routines for when you get home that keep that connection going. Even 30 minutes of real time makes a difference.
The adjustment back to work is real. When I went back after my kids were born it hit different. You go from being the primary person to suddenly not being there for all the little moments. It's tough.
Those 8 weeks become your baseline for what being present feels like. Going back to work and losing that is hard. But you find your rhythm again even if it's not the same.
Man, those 8 weeks go so fast. I'm dreading it too and I'm only 4 weeks in. The guilt is real. Have you thought about negotiating a slower ramp back? Some places will let you do 4 days a week for a month or something.
I feel this so hard. My paternity leave ends in a week and I'm dreading it. Those 8 weeks go by way too fast. How are you planning to handle the transition back?
The hardest part is that they're FINALLY happy and predictable and then you have to step back into your regular schedule. Try to make the mornings and evenings really count even if you can't be there all day.
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Those 8 weeks go by way too fast. The hardest part is going to be the transition back to work stress while they're used to having you there. Have you talked to your boss about easing back in if possible?