Parenting and caring can be a juggling act, with parents trying to manage all the different roles they need to fulfil, including those relating to work requirements, additional study to upgrade knowledge, their own sport and leisure pursuits and their family commitments. These roles of work, study, sport and family need to be balanced to ensure that everyone’s wellbeing needs are met. For parents to balance their multiple commitments there are many strategies available for them to use to cope with their busy lives to not only satisfy their dependent’s wellbeing but also their own.
With changing economic climate, many families require both parents to be working to meet financial needs to satisfy their dependent’s specific needs and wellbeing. The money the parents earn can be used to provide their dependent with a higher standard of living. In order for parents to their work and family roles, they seek for flexible working hours, this allows the parent to start work later in the day, or take leave during school holidays. This strategy allows parents to spend more time with their family to attend their dependent’s school function such as drama night or go see them play netball on a Sunday which satisfies the dependent’s emotional wellbeing. Another strategy for parents to work and provide care for their dependents is making childcare arrangements, whether formal such as childcare centre or informal such as with grandparents or friends. This strategy provides children with greater socialisation opportunities as in child care there are other dependents to play with, which can enhance their social wellbeing.
Parents may decide to upgrade their knowledge, hence may want to study further. To take care of their dependent and study parents can study online, as some universities such as University of New England enables that to happen. This strategy enhances the dependent’s emotional wellbeing as the parent can study anytime they want and at the same time look after their child instead of putting them into childcare which can have negative impact on the economic wellbeing. The benefit of online studying is that it is more flexible as a parent can balance their commitments as they don’t physically have to go to an institute as they can do it at home which is time efficient.
Sporting and leisure pursuits is an important commitment as parents need physical activity to maintain their own health in order to take care of their dependent to satisfy their needs and wellbeing. Physical activity reduces stress level which many parents experience as they have so many commitments to fulfil. A strategy that will enable a parent to achieve their physical activity is that one parent can look after the children, while the other can go exercise. This strategy enables a parent to fulfil their sporting needs while at the same time their dependent is being looked after by the other parent. This enhances the parent’s physical wellbeing as they engage in physical activity and also enhances the dependent’s emotional wellbeing as the other parent is there spending valuable time with them. Another strategy is parents who both want to engage in physical activity to choose exercise activities that the whole family can be involved in such as bike riding, with toddler seats attached to the parent’s bike for any younger children. Bike riding can enhance the family’s social wellbeing as they spend quality time together exercising.
Family commitment includes parents to cook, clean, help children with homework and provide a loving home environment. To better manage these roles, parents can get their older child to take care of the younger dependents while they cook. This enhances the parent’s emotional wellbeing as they won’t feel stressed to cook and take care of the child at the same time. By assigning chores to older children and washing the dishes with a dishwasher allows a parent to spend more time with their children to contribute in building a positive relationship with their children as it makes the children feel more valued, thus enhancing their social and emotional wellbeing.