How to Balance Kids and Work in the Summer

When it comes to scheduling, the season of warm weather and backyard barbecues can make working moms sweat. Here are ways to beat the work/family heat.

By Julie Cole, WorkingMother

[post_ads]Working mothers everywhere groan about summer for the simple reason that while school is out, work is not. Summer represents the ultimate juggling act as we try to manage spending time with our kids while fulfilling our professional responsibilities. On top of the inconvenience, summers can be expensive when you take into account camp and child care costs. It’s no easy task, but some creative parents find ways to survive summer as working parents. Here’s how:

Juggling Vacations

One option is for both parents to take separate vacations so each can cover kiddo duty while off work. Trading off can be a smart financial move, but it does sometimes mean the family has to forgo a family holiday together. An easy solution can be to keep things simple. If a working parent can take a long weekend occasionally, it allows a family to do a local activity or even have a fun and cheap staycation. There’s nothing wrong with staying home as a family, turning the sprinkler on and having a barbeque!

Camp Grandma

Do you have a retired family member who might like a visit from your little darlings? Intergenerational fun is valuable for all sides: Spending time with an older relative is great for kids, grandparents often relish it, and it provides parents with an affordable solution for part of the summer. Not everyone has this option, so if you do, take advantage of it.

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Student Sitters

If you have school-age kids, you don’t necessarily need a child care professional to watch them. Hiring a competent and fun high school or college student will provide your kiddos with endless fun at a reasonable price. You may not come home to a tidy house or dinner in the oven, but many parents are just happy to see their kids having a great summer—which can mean crafts everywhere and kids covered in dirt!

ROWE Support

If you’re lucky enough to work for a company that operates in a ROWE, you have the flexibility to be on hand for your family even as you get your work done. ROWE means Results Only Work Environment, and we at Mabel’s Labels have been functioning this way for two years. This means we value our employees based on the completion of their goals rather than the amount of time they spend sitting at their desks. This means they can spend time with their families in the summer as long as they are able to get their work done. How and where it gets done is their business.

Working parents have to get creative in summer. What solutions have you found that work for your family?

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