I recently received a copy of Maternity Leavers from the author with a request to read and review it. This book would have been very useful to me about six years ago, when I was pregnant with my first child and still trying to establish a career. Back then I had floated from one entry level administration job to another following my graduation from university. My glamorous career in broadcast journalism never came to fruition, although I eventually realised that it was not my forte.
Anyway, Maternity Leavers – What to do about work now you’re a Mum, is a quick, informative guide for parents who are trying to juggle their lives around young children. You don’t necessarily have to be pregnant or planning a family to gain value from this book. I still found it very useful at my current stage, where I am slowly building a freelancing career as a writer on my own terms. I also feel a sort of kinship with the author, Soozi Baggs, although I had never spoken to her before receiving this book.
Maternity Leavers offers up suggestions for all prospects when you have a baby or small children to consider. It covers advice about the practicalities of returning to your previous job, or starting a new one, with guidance about flexible work and shared parental leave. It talks about how to set yourself up as self-employed, and the various business models that you could try. And finally, it suggests other ways to occupy your time that are not necessarily geared towards earning money. Soozi is very keen to reassure us that the parental journey is unique for everyone. She reminds us that our self-worth is not measured in cold, hard cash. We can choose to stay at home and nurture our children, or we can take on additional academic or practical studies. Or we could do voluntary work, if it fulfils us and makes us happy.
My overall review about Maternity Leavers – What to do about work now you’re a Mum, is a good one. I enjoyed reading the book. The language is casual and friendly, and the chapters are short so you can read it around your baby/toddler/puppy etc. There are additional resources in the back for further investigation, and you can visit the Maternity Leavers website for more details. The book is available in paperback and Kindle formats on Amazon.
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