This article considers how parents of small children are challenged daily to balance the demands of a full-time job and child-rearing.

Why is it so draining to raise a small child? It is obvious that working is challenging for all adults, but the added strains of the small child in the home are tantamount to exhaustion. Here is a look at why. A small child, much like a baby, requires a lot of extra care that older children no longer need. There are so many routines, from personal hygiene, to preparing and serving meals, from constant supervision to keeping a small child entertained. There is the need to educate your child and to let him/her self-entertain. A tired parent may find these daily activities draining after a long work day.

What can you do to be good at parenting while continuing your full-time job? Whether you are single or married, there are many things you can do. Begin by accepting that there will always be more that you want to do than you have time to accomplish. Here is some simple advice. First, establish and maintain a schedule and a set of routines that you and your child can follow. This pattern will change as your work schedule changes and your child becomes more self-reliant. Second, adopt an attitude that each day you are going to draw the line between what must be done and what might get done. For example, you will always need to take time to brush your child’s teeth, but you might leave reading the story or mopping the floor for another day. Many parents make the mistake of trying to do too much. They also become less effective by neglecting their sleep and their health.

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