The transition to September and fall always seems to be a big one for working parents. Gone are the days of summer camps, a little lighter schedule, and perhaps “summer Fridays” at work. September means bus drop offs, school schedules, arranging after school care, and balancing extra curriculars into the week.
There is also something comforting about being back into a routine. I’m not an expert in routines and back to school, but for what it’s worth, here are a few practical and realistic tips to ease back into the school routine.
- Mark Your Calendars Now
Be sure to put any pickup or drop off details in your work calendar now and share with your team and/or manager. For example, if you need to step away from the office for the bus pick up, or if you need to shift your start time to 8:30 to ensure you can get the kids off to school, make sure you are transparent about these. Clearly communicate these needs with your manager, letting them know how your schedule may change but also ensuring you share a plan of how these changes won’t impact your work deadlines, goals, and projects.
And, while you’re in your calendar, mark all those PA days and school shut down days. Whether you plan on taking them off for work or arranging for alternate childcare, it’s helpful to have them in your calendar. If you have a partner, invite them to these calendar dates as well so both parents are aware.
2. Don’t Overbook Your First Few Weeks
If you can, try to be kind to yourself in September and don’t overbook your work weeks. Regardless of how old your kids are, going back to school is draining. It can be emotional, kids are extra tired, and likely new illnesses and germs will creep up in your house. And, remember being sick as a parent is also not easy to navigate — we love this article. Give yourself room for grace these next few weeks.
A tip I heard recently from a mom friend is to take your child’s class calendar, feed it to ChatGPT and ask it to convert the calendar into an .ics file – now you have all of your child’s school day info right in your calendar.
3. Chat With Your Kids
About expectations, their fears or concerns about going back to school, what they are excited about, and asking them what they need from you as they transition back to school. Obviously, these answers will vary depending on the age of your kids, but having open conversations and listening to their answers will help you plan for the next few weeks. If you have a child just starting kindergarten, remember that they will be exhausted, emotional, and overwhelmed, so make sure your weeknights are free and clear. Your teen might share with you what they are anxious about or that they would love to hang out with their friends after school. Whatever the needs are, make space to ask and listen.
On the flip side, let’s talk about what employers can do to support their employees. And yes, employers are also probably parents too and need to take note of the above tips.
- Ask Your Team Members What Might Change
Reach out to your team members that have kids. Ask them if they are expecting any calendar changes as they navigate back to school. Show them support and confirm that they have enough time and space to achieve their work goals and deadlines. Make it okay to have a flexible schedule. Consider keeping meetings between the hours of 10-3 so that parents have time on either end of the day to be flexible with childcare needs.
2. Be Prepared For Extra Sick Days
If you have team members with younger kids, be prepared that they will likely be balancing extra germs and sick days. Circulate your sick day policy to the team, but also review it to ensure its supportive and equitable for parents and non-parents. Communicate your expectations around dealing with family requirements so everyone is on the same page.
3. Check in on Non-Parent Team Members
Back to school doesn’t just impact the parents on your team – it affects everyone. If your team members commute, remember traffic is always worse as we settle back into school routines and bussing. Ensure that extra work isn’t getting shifted to non-parents on the team – you don’t want to burnout anyone on your team.
The overall point here – be kind, give grace to yourself and others, and create space in your calendars. Enjoy all the things back-to-school and new routines mean – and treat yourself to a pumpkin spice something, fall is in the air.
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