20+ Tips for Working Parents with Kids Home During the Summer
A few weeks ago, when I was talking all things summer with kids on Instagram, this DM came in:
“Can we talk about mom guilt with working vs spending time with kids??? I work remotely so it’s very easy for everyone in my family to look at me as always available (and truthfully the availability is why I continue to work remotely!) but it is SO hard in summer. I feel guilty if I spend time with my kids bc I’m not working and guilty about not spending time with my kids when I’m working. My oldest is 21 so you’d think I would have figured it out by now…but I’d love to hear what your readers think.”
Well, I know that feeling too! I also work from home and the balance between “hey, I have flexibility!” and “I really need to get things done!” is rough!
I asked for suggestions and they come pouring in. If you’re working from home or balancing a job outside the home with summer demands, I hope these recommendations will help!
20+ Tips for Working Parents with Kids Home During the Summer
“Hi! I work from home and felt this comment to my core. I try to work flex as much as I can…. Logging in at 7 and powering through the first two hours of the work day. Blocking off lunch time and end of day is huge too. This means actually taking my lunch break! That way I am fully present with them. Also when I log off for the day I am done. No checking emails, no logging in late.”
“Sectioning off time blocks for family and time blocks for work. And every day doesn’t have to be the same, especially when you have older kids that can handle that concept.”
“Everyone in my house is old enough to think with reason, so I say, “Yes, I can do that in the middle of the day, but that means you will have to cook supper (or do another evening task on my list) so I can finish my work.” I think this helps create an understanding that everyone’s time is valuable and that if you’re asking someone else to be flexible, you need to be flexible too.”
“Set office hours for kids and office hours for work, and then “offline” time where you are just living life. Keep work devices in an office and go to them, do not bring them out into your family\personal space.”
“Oh! I’m struggling with this as well! Excited to hear what people say. I have mostly teens, and my work schedule is flexible and only part time, so I switched my hours to start early morning while they are all sleeping in. By the time they get up, have about 1-2 hours left to work.”
“It has made such a difference for us as a family who has a kiddo home all summer (and neighbor kids whom we are so grateful to have over for free play!). Husband works partly from home but is mostly gone 5 a.m.–7 p.m. weekdays. I am still working partly from home. He is home one day a week when I need to be in clinic with patients. If parents are working from home and neighbor kids are over, they must be playing outside (or under the deck if it is raining). My husband’s work phone has “grounded” hours where it isn’t allowed to come out so he can be fully present. He is on call 24/7/365, so this is how we get creative with boundaries. The phone is benched Sundays 7 a.m.–2 p.m. if we are hosting, and if he gets home in time for dinner, it is also benched from dinner until 9 p.m. This works because his job is not crisis work.”
“I spent many years as a working mom and can relate. I became purposeful in carving out planned time with them. I got up early and worked for a couple hrs before they got up. I asked my employer for a 4 day workweek in the summer -they agreed so every Wed we did something fun (library, park, games, etc) and then other work days took an intentional hr lunchtime -picnic in yard with a short planned game or 20 min bike ride, etc. planning was key!”
“I’d love to hear what others say! I work 2 days at home and 3 in office and feel so guilty not spending all the time with them. Especially as they’re getting older and summers together feel less and less. I try to make the moments we are together count. Playing games. Watching movies. Always family dinner. Weekend family outings. They still get bored weekdays, but hoping we get in a routine and they’ll re-learn it’s ok to be bored.”
“I work from home but I’m paid hourly which makes it a little easier. My kids know I have to work 40 hours a week. So yes, I can take a long break in the middle of the day to drive you somewhere or do something with you. But then I have to work later that night and might not be able to make dinner or hang out with them then. They are teens so they can grasp this and know my work has to fit in somehow even though it’s flexible. It is still hard though! There’s lots of them coming in to talk to me or ask me things when I’m working and I’m definitely not as productive in summer. When I have calls or really need to focus I shut the door to my office.”
“I’m in this situation exactly – plus my husband is a teacher so he’s also home for summer while I’m still supposed to be working. Oy. Work fast and earlier in the morning. Later afternoon pool trips can be done. I take most of my vacation weeks during the summer because the weather is best where I live and my family is all available. We go to a summer cabin where my family can play and I can take calls but still make time for hikes and adventures. I definitely take advantage of the “flexibility “ of work from home during the summer most and don’t feel guilty about cheating my company when I know I’m working longer hours in the dark of winter. Work can wait a bit, my growing kids cannot.”
“Keep evenings and weekends free for family fun so that it still feels like you are getting to rest with the kids (at least rest from the school year grind) and have fun!”
“Camps and planned childcare. No one can do both. Work from another location. Plan specific days to flex and have a weekday off.”
“I need all the tips because I constantly feel like I’m failing during the summer…I also work from home and this summer I’m leaning towards a mixture of getting up early to get some hours in before kids are up for early sports practices and also trying to be the house that kids end up at. I can’t always get my kids places because my work schedule is inconsistent but I can provide popsicles and plenty of outdoor games!”
“First thought is: Simply being present in the same house can be deeply comforting to children, even if you are working in another room. Making visible cues when you can’t be disturbed like if the door is closed or headphones are on- but when those items aren’t visible you can be talked to while working. Another thought: micro connection time throughout the day with the kids. Such as eating lunch together, a morning walk together, a bike ride or board game in the evening- things like that.”
“Honestly, someone great to watch my kids! Makes a world of difference to know they’re having a great time while I work.”
“My best wfh home tip: schedule time with them the way you schedule work life. That’s it. If it’s on my calendar, I do it and I don’t feel guilty. If it’s not on my calendar and I’m just winging it—work will always in. This year, we’re having fun Fridays—I will work in the AM. But take no appts. Their friends are invited over anytime all day. No babysitters. Just me. And some fun activities.”
“I try to focus on the fun things we do do (camps, youth activities, baseball, swimming, field trips, etc) and provide things for the boring times in-between (art supplies, books, games, hammock, etc). It’s up to them to make my working times fun for themselves.”
“This feels like a Lazy Genius Podcast type question! She works from home and has great solutions/ideas/mindsets that aren’t about “maximizing” everything, but living in your season and being okay with lazy on the things that don’t matter, so you can focus on the things that do!”
“The thing that helps me most (as a part time working mom) if to remember that I can’t choose everything in one day. This last week I had a lot going on at work, so that got more of my focus. Other weeks, I will work more from home and have the focus on planning fun things with my kids when my hours are done.”
“Schedule blocked off leave time for family – whatever feeds your own soul. Two pool afternoons a week, a half day for a movie and park outing, a trip into the city… (these are examples from my mom of teens summer last year).”
“Clear expectations from the beginning! We had a family meeting where we created a summer bucket list and discussed my work hours, chore expectations, screen time rules, etc. I also made it clear to my coworkers the times I’ll be working and available for meetings. It’s alleviated so much guilt.”
“It is soooo hard! As my kids have gotten older summer is even harder! I feel behind at work all summer and like a bad mom that I can’t just play and have fun with them every day. :(“
“I relate to this comment so much. This is my first summer I will be working fully in the office (instead of about 13 years from home), and I actually think it might help with some of the guilt. Things that help: systems at home so kids know what’s expected throughout the day, strategically scheduling smaller together activities throughout summer, proactively scheduling out friend activities at our house when I know I can do it, and blocking out a significant period of time off for intentional family time. Also, deep breaths and taking care of myself physically, spiritually and mentally helps fend off the mom guilt too.”
“Please share those tips! I work from home for only a few hrs a week and even I am struggling with the guilt/pressure towards the kids and my boss.”
“I just went to the USNE Women’s conference today and there was so much talk about distraction and I realized that even though I have the Foqos app, I haven’t been using it like I intended. So I created 3 new profiles to keep social media open for only a short window during the day and I’m so excited.”
“I’ve hired a teenage nanny 2 days a week so that my 12 year old, who usually babysits siblings, gets time to be a kid too! It’s been a huge load off.”
“One summer when my kids were young, we didn’t have much money, but I used to be able to work 9-3. When I got home we would do something simple every single summer day without fail. Get an ice cream, go to the pool, go to the library, go on an interesting walk, go to a museum or new place in town, go to a playground, the beach, a matinee movie, etc etc. My now-adult kids still talk about that summer but it was low cost and so simple.”
“l’d love to hear from moms working outside the home. First few days of summer were hard getting one kid to one camp and one to another. Plus taking care of myself going through health stuff. The mom guilt is real and sometimes crippling”
“I’m struggling with this one because I’m working more hours this summer. My kids are old enough that they don’t need me all the time but young enough that they can’t go running around town by themselves. I have one that will sit and watch YouTube kids ALL DAY if I’m not on him!!!”
“Make a plan that gives the kids something to look forward to. Whether it’s something each evening or one thing during the week.”
“I work remotely, too, and I have my business hours and my family hours. People often think putting their family first means spending time with them. But by providing for them I’m putting them first. Then I make sure my time with them is quality. Love hard and they’re totally okay! They love alone time, anyway!”
“I read many years ago it’s quality not quantity and I stopped beating myself:)”
Any other tips for how to handle being a working parent in the summer? I’d love to hear!
