For the past two years, I had the perfect arrangement. My husband stayed home all day, ate dinner with us and then left to go to work. My daughter got to hang out with both her parents all day and I got tons of alone time at night. Then last month, our income and my "me time" disappeared when my husband lost his job.
I spent the first couple of weeks dwelling on the negatives aspects of having a unemployed husband. It was easy, but unproductive. The second I started focusing on the positives, my mood turned around.
While I would never wish a job loss on anyone, if it happens to you, here are some arguments as to why this may not be the worst thing to happen to your family.
Night, Night: When my husband had a job, he rarely got to tuck our daughter into bed at night. Now, every night, she gets a book read to her by daddy.
Live-In Babysitter: Remember when you dreamed of having a babysitter so you could get some time to yourself or leave your apartment when your kid was sleeping? Those days are over! Now, you can leave your kid at home with your partner and go out for a long overdue night on the town with your friends.
Walks: Walks are free and fun, so take lots of them. You can give your kid a tour of the neighborhood you lived in before they were born or explore a new one.
Playgrounds: While you're going on lots of walks, don't forget to visit the playgrounds. This is another fun and free activity. We found a new playground five minutes away from our home filled with hippopotamuses! It's amazing how many cool things you miss when you are too busy.
Each Other: Make up for all the date nights you missed when your spouse was busy at work. It's good for your marriage to reconnect and once the dust is settled, you can start to come up with a plan to find a new job or maybe even start a business together?