Congratulations! You got a new job. You’re expecting new income but yet you don’t feel like celebrating as much as you should. Why not? Because now that you’ve accepted the new position with higher pay, your responsibilities have increased on the job. Typically, that means longer hours or being much more accessible than you were previously. No sweat – except this time you are also a mom. And if you are a single mom, amongst the myriad of issues that you overcome daily, now you often have to select a new childcare provider.

Enter the anxiety and stress. Selecting a childcare provider has proven to be one of the most stressful events for a new parent. Changing your childcare provider due to a new employment situation doubles the stress normally felt. Starting the childcare provider search over again once you’ve settled on a good option can be paralyzing and overwhelming. The guilt of having to change your child’s routine coupled with the anxiety that comes with a search like this is perfectly normal – unfortunately, this feeling isn’t discussed often. You are literally trusting someone new with the care of your proudest accomplishment.

To combat these very normal feelings, let’s take some time to travel back into your recent history. This will bring a bit of calm to your mind. Do you remember the process you took to select your OB? How about the process you took on to select your favorite bottle brand or pamper brand? Little do you realize you’ve been testing, comparing and trying various items and components that make up your child’s life and none of it was exactly easy. But you made it!

The truth is, that children are resilient and while they require a constant routine, most love having new experiences. You are the one at your desk contemplating very normal – but hyper-paranoid-questions like, “How is the environment? What habits will my child pick up from the new kids?” I’m sure you did your due diligence and selected a place that is licensed and receives great reviews on reputable sites like Care.com, Urban Sitter or Google Reviews. Blind trust is not being promoted here so I am sure you will still make surprise visits to your new childcare to make sure everything is running smoothly. Pro tip: Make friends with the other parents – even if it’s on a hi-and-bye basis. Don’t let your introvert or extrovert issues stop you here, it’s too important. Other parents can give insight to things they’ve seen. The parent tribe is real, so use it.

Take a deep breath. Who said parenting was easy? I can hear my own mother laughing at me as I typed that last question. You’re not alone on this journey and for me, that is very comforting. Wishing you the best and enjoy the new pay and job status, because your family needs it. You are a pro at providing the things that your child needs.