From babies to business: Top Networking Communities and Sites for Working Parents. Your very own listicle!

A recent report conducted by Careers after babies* suggest that 98 percent of women want to return to work after maternity leave but only 13 percent say it's actually viable for them.

?This blog has come about from a post I shared on LinkedIn about my sheer desperation to find engaging communities that support parents who might be making their way back into the workforce after becoming a parent.

You, the LinkedIn community didn’t fail to deliver. I’ve caught up with people I haven’t seen for years and have had the most overwhelming responses, all sharing fab communities and plans people may find useful. IF like me, you amaze yourself every time you manage to get yourself out of bed and dressed wearing two (non-matching of course) socks after relentless broken sleep. This is for you!

?Keep in mind, I’m self-employed. I expect this list to grow and evolve, it is no way exhaustive. ?You may find you have support structures in place within your own organisations. If you do, grab those opportunities with both hands.

?Bringing some order to the chaos, and in no particular order, I’ve shared some communities here for your ease of reading:

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1 DIFTK

Doing it for the Kids.

Focused on freelance parents trying to make flexible working, work. There is a free community you can join, as well as a paid plan. Plus, there’s even a podcast which is well worth a listen. What a great way to feel connected!

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2 The motherkind podcast.

A podcast focused on modern motherhood. – A place where tools and ideas are shared to empower and help create resilience.

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3 A book called The mother of All Jobs by Christine Armstrong How to have children and remain sane(Ish)! -If you find time to read, share your secret with me!

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4 Careers after babies

A community that is leading a movement to create a cohort of employers who promote flexible working and getting parents back to work. They work with businesses to change behaviours and implement an accreditation (among so many other things!)

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5 Mums in Marketing

A free community on Facebook of Marketing and Creative individuals working their way through the complexities of parenthood.

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6 Geoellenjames

A working mum posting fun and informational content on Instagram, worth a follow for sure! There is a lot of Content Marketing knowledge shared here.

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7 Elizabeth Willetts

Elizabeth is a career coach who is the founder of Investing in Women. A community helping people find their ideal part time job in your area of expertise.

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8 Then you have companies like Amazon, who have just relaunched their ?Returnship Programme. A return to work 6 month employment opportunity with specialised coaching from career returners to support you in the workplace.

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People have also shared snippets of information with me. If you’re a parent who is feeling overwhelmed, stand back and take the pressure off yourself, not everything needs to be delivered yesterday. Here are some top tips I will be holding close:

1. ?Find time for yourself. ?Every. Single. Day.
2. Don’t stress about trying to find balance. When things get too much, strip things back and hold onto the simple things.
3. Be true to yourself, your instincts tend to be right.
4. People aren’t generally much good at dealing with someone else’s crisis. Some people can find vulnerability unnerving, this is a reflection on them and not you; find that person who will travel with you.

?There are communities and offerings out there for us to engage with. What are my take aways and first thoughts?

?Well, a lot of this content is aimed at women which is something to celebrate every day, not just on IWD but what about all the LGBTQ+ parents and fathers who, without the flexibility historically don’t get to be home for bedtime or school pick up, to witness first steps or clear up the poonami in real time! Would be fab to see more content to help them too. I can’t see why they couldn’t join, although there could be less sense of belonging which is a whole other discussion.

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Thanks for reading. A big shout out to everyone who contributed to my original post too. Another thanks to these communities who I’ll be engaging with to help get me through, anyone else have further groups we can share and join?

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Please do share this list with anyone who may find it helpful.

?The links provided in this blog post are for informational purposes only. I am not affiliated with any of the organisations, products, or services mentioned. While I strive to provide accurate and helpful information, I cannot guarantee the content or quality of external websites.

?*Careers after babies report can be found here

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