I can’t believe that my maternity leave has come to an end.
52 weeks since I gave birth to Kaiden. Well, just a bit over. My maternity leave ended on May 12 (that was my last day of work in 2017) and it meant making some decisions.
I made the decision a couple months ago to not return to work and it was the most nervewracking and exciting decision I’ve made in a while.
I kept it quiet since I was technically still an employee until my maternity leave was officially completed, but out of courtesy to my workplace gave my notice with plenty of heads up.
The Choice of Staying at Home
I think internally, I knew that once I got pregnant, I wasn’t going to go back to work. Both Andrew and I grew up with stay-at-home moms (who went back to work later in life, although my mom worked from home). I knew that was something that I would want to do if financially possible.
I never realized how hard it would be to actually send the email announcing my resignation. I love the people that I worked for and with. They allowed me certain freedoms with my work and encouraged me to challenge myself with more roles in the company. I definitely grew as a person as an employee with them.
But you only have one chance with your baby(s) while they’re young. Work will always be there.
While not a hard choice to make (between work and Kaiden), it still wasn’t easy. I’m extremely grateful that I have the opportunity to be able to not have to work. I find that now that I’ve made that decision to not go back – I am very resistant to the idea of working 9 to 5 again! I enjoy the freedoms of making my own following my baby’s schedule.
Financial Changes that Come with the End of Maternity Leave
The hardest part of this choice will be the financial changes that I will have to make. I keep having to remind myself that we don’t have the second income anymore! Granted, if I had gone back to work it would have meant the same thing – I would be using my income to pay for daycare (of some sort) and the leftover would have been for bills etc.
But now we don’t have any secondary income coming in. For the first time in a long time, my bank account has nothing going into it. Just leaving. Which is extremely scary!
So the financial changes that will have to happen are:
No more impulse spending! Andrew and I are readjusting our budgets to see what needs to be done. We want to really buckle down and get some debt paid off. We are reaffirming what we want to do with our money. Travel, finish the house, pay down the house. This is really the big one for me. I’m the worst for buying little things that eat away at my money.
Planning. This ties into the one above, but we are really aiming to cut out the unnecessary fat from our lifestyle. Eat out less. Don’t buy things. Meal plan so we don’t blow budgets in grocery stores and aren’t wasting the food we do buy. Cut down on costs like cable and internet. Be savvier with our utilities (we’re actually pretty good on this one, but can always be better!).
Be Mindful. I really want to be more aware and mindful of where my time and money is going. I need to stop investing time and the money that usually follows, where it doesn’t matter. Time to do some self-reflection!
What Am I Doing Now
I am very fortunate that I am able to work for Andrew part-time. So I will be getting a little bit of an income and keep myself busy. It also lets me get out of the house and interact with adults twice a week!
Not that when I’m not working, I’m not busy! I feel like between this blog, certain social media, working, taking care of the house, AND raising a baby I have more than enough on my plate. But it’s lovely to be able to figure out my own schedule and not have the feeling of not having enough time if everything isn’t completed.
I know that this isn’t the choice for everyone, but it’s mine and I’m so in love with my life right now. The choice to stay at home after my maternity leave has me feeling so fulfilled in a way that I never expected. Or maybe it was the ability to give me the option without the scary thought of “What am I going to do!?”
If you have kids, did you go back to work? Or did you stay at home? Or like me, a little bit of both? Let me know! I’d love to hear your stories.
J x
