Labor Day, celebrated in the U.S. for over 125 years on the first Monday in September, began in recognition of workers. Today most people also consider it as the symbolic end to summer and the beginning of the school year. For many women, both work and children going back to school are significant issues that come together this weekend.
For most of us, it means an extra day off to spend with family and loved ones. You may work outside the home, like 60% of women today – that figure rising to over 75% among women ages 25 to 44, the average childbearing years. While 9 million women own their own businesses, most are employed by others. Women who have returned to work after having children often say that their greatest difficulty is finding time to do everything else during non-business hours. At the same time, they believe that the perspective they gain from having a family and setting priorities makes the stressful issues at work easier to manage. Looking for practical ideas about how to manage tough times and gain greater resiliency? You’ll find suggestions right here on our website.
Labor Day has also come to stand for a time of change for families each year. It signals the end of summer and those lazy days – where did that time go? Now we’re moving into fall and back to school activities. Do you have a child starting a new year in grade school, high school, or even college? Likely that entails more than sharpening pencils and pulling out their backpacks. As you prepare for your end-of-summer barbeque, their return to school may necessitate you again honing your organizational skills as you incorporate their new schedules into your own. We’ve got support and helpful tips here to help you handle the challenges of parenting – whatever the ages of your children.
If, like one-third of Millennials today, your adult children have returned home to live, you can work together with them on the process of planning for their move to a place of their own by next Labor Day. Our book, Whose Couch Is It Anyway, can help the whole family understand this family transition and learn smart strategies for dealing with the impact of boomerang kids. And don’t forget that balancing your roles at work and as a partner and mother also means finding time to care for yourself. Use our guidelines to create opportunities to relieve stress and nurture yourself as you bring a sense of harmony into your life.
