Childcare Tips for working parents
As we approach that time of year again, parents start to think about what to do about the school holidays. While children are looking forward to the long summer days, working parents may feel a little bit anxious. Where some parents can work from home, others don’t have that option. Unfortunately, not everyone has the luxury of having childcare all set. Small business owners still need to work, but how do you balance that with childcare?
Sports programs, summer camps and holiday play schemes are great options during summer holidays! However, working parents still have to arrange drop-offs and pick-ups. Also, these programs can be costly, especially if you have more than one child.
Although having to balance school holidays and work responsibilities may seem daunting to start, with a little organisation, everyone can benefit from the long summer school break.
Here are some tips to help you, as a working parent, stay organised, productive and calm, while you juggle work and childcare like a boss.
Time blocking
Managing your time one task at a time has proven to be a very effective method. Time blocking or “monotasking” can be a great tool if you stick to it. You can do this early in the morning (when the children are happiest, lunchtime when they are eating or studying, or perhaps you set aside some time when they are in bed). Squeeze in light tasks into short blocks of time or when you expect to be surrounded by noise and easily distracted. Leave your important jobs for days when you will not be interrupted.
Planning ahead and writing down not one but several daily to-do lists every day is a great way to keep things controlled and, with that, reduce stress levels. Six weeks of school holidays can feel like an eternity when you are trying to meet everyone’s expectations without planning ahead.
Set realistic goals
Make sure your clients have realistic expectations. Try being upfront about the situation you are currently in. Before taking on a task, ask yourself if you have the time available to complete it? It’s better to overestimate the time you can have something done rather than underestimate. Consider setting longer deadlines for some projects, and identify which ones can be delayed until the school holidays are over. Set non-essential jobs and tasks aside and concentrate on completing high-level priorities. Also, a great way not to lose track of things and keep focused is to use a planner for schedules, goals and tasks in one place.
Can you streamline any of your processes?
Whether you are working from home or the office, simplifying some of the processes by streamlining may make school holidays more enjoyable than you thought. If you can, slow work down while you struggle to find a minder for your children. It also won’t hurt telling your clients that you may be away for some time. Besides other multiple benefits from streamlining your processes and workflows, the most useful one while juggling work and childcare is better time management.
Consider hiring seasonal help
Is now the right time to look at bringing on a contractor or perhaps even an employee? Is your business going to benefit more from a contractor or a full-time employee? If you have second thoughts about who do you need to hire and why, have in mind that although contractors may have a higher hourly rate, they still cost you less than an employee. A contractor doesn’t come with additionals costs like insurance, benefits, retirement, etc. For more information on associates vs employees, please read our blog here.
Free childcare
If you can’t afford a minder or school club for your children during the school holidays, you could ask family members to step in. Perhaps there are other working parents you can talk to and see what their arrangements are during the school holidays. You may find parents who can look after your children together with theirs, and you can return the favour when you are off work. If there is a possibility, send the children to their grandparents for a week or two, or have the grandparents come over. Take up friends on offers for childcare help, and start worrying less about the school holidays.
Hopefully, these tips will help you maintain a healthy balance between working full-time and childcare this summer. If you are an employee and you need legal advice on your family-friendly rights, don’t hesitate to get in touch.