In Germany, parental leave is an important achievement of the welfare state, enabling young mothers and fathers to take care of their children, build a close bond with them, and master the additional challenges this stage brings to running a household and organizing everyday life. For many parents, though, it's typical that toward the end of this period they don't want to go back to work after parental leave. We've summarized in the following lines how you can deal with this problem and find new motivation for working life.

Don't Want to Work After Parental Leave - Self-Motivation Is Everything!

If you find yourself in this situation and, once your parental leave runs out, feel no urge at all to return to working life, it's important to remind yourself that we all have to contribute to our own economic livelihood and can't always rely on the state and its support measures. So make it clear to yourself that with your job you can secure a high standard of living and a happy life for yourself and your family. Living on public assistance alone can't be a lasting model for a young family, and you would be harming your children, knowingly or unknowingly, by closing off so many opportunities for development and experiences.

[caption id="attachment_546" align="alignright" width="300"] Don't want to work.[/caption]

Don't Want to Work After Parental Leave? Career Change or Further Training

Another option for getting out of this motivational slump is a career change or further professional training. Many parents realize during parental leave that they aren't really happy in their actual profession. So find out about retraining and continuing education programs and see how you can make the most of your creative potential. You can find important help with this, for example, from the counselors at employment agencies or at the chambers of commerce. This option not only has the advantage of further developing your skills, but also of earning a higher income.

Don't Want to Work After Parental Leave - Working From Home as an Alternative

Finally, we'd like to recommend the option of working from home. The internet and its technological possibilities in particular make it possible for many people to find a gentle way back into working life after parental leave. Besides generating income, this option also has the advantage that you can work from home and stay flexible in caring for your young boys and girls.