As a home-bound parent, you need to figure out what it is that you miss about being at work. It might be the social interaction with work colleagues, feeling that you've accomplished something at the end of the day, being able to get dressed up for work, or just getting out of the house every day.
Once you know what you are missing, try to incorporate some of those activities into your home routine. If you miss talking to your co-workers during the day, get hold of work friends and arrange for a lunch date. Accomplish personal goals at home by researching future career paths, doing a part-time course or correspondence study, developing a new skill or learning an art or craft that can become a supplementary source of income.
If you intend going back to full-time work in the future, join a professional organisation that has regular meetings. This allows you to get dressed in work clothes and interact with people in your field of expertise.
While you are at home, try to see get the most out of the experience that you can. See the positive aspects of it; you get to bond with your child and be there when developmental milestones are reached. Try to make every day interesting by getting out of the house with your child and going to parks or to friends. Join a playgroup for your child and meet other parents who are in your situation. Being able to share your feelings and experiences with like-minded people will make you feel better about your situation. Remember that looking after your child is a full-time job in itself, and one that is very important. The envy you feel for your previous work friends may go away after a while, or they may linger for a long time. Either way, it is normal to have these feelings.
