Tips for Working Parents during COVID
We know that being a working parent is no walk in the park, but COVID and online schooling have brought a whole new set of challenges into the mix. In honor of Working Parents Day this year, we want to offer a few tips to help you get through this unusual situation.
Create a realistic schedule.
Can you adjust your working times to earlier or later in the day to accommodate your child’s schedule? Is the child’s school schedule flexible at all? Creating a realistic schedule may seem easier said than done, but finding areas of flexibility that the school and your employer offer can help get you started. Especially if you have older kids who can understand, create some way for your child(ren) to know if you’re available to help them. For example, use colored post-it notes to represent times you’re available, on the phone, in a video call, etc.
Be a team.
If you have a partner, sit down and discuss how everyone’s schedules can be shifted to accommodate this new situation. Working together can decrease stress by splitting the extra workload in a way that makes sense for everyone.
Encourage independence.
When setting schedules and activities, try to build in as much independent play and/or study time for your child as possible to allow you to have more working time.
Have grace.
This is a new situation for most people, and not every day will run smoothly. You and your child will both have interruptions. Being forgiving can help prevent undue stress for everyone involved.
Whether you’re a working parent or not, we’re here to support you during a job search, whether you’re looking for a job or looking for an employee. Visit AtWork.com/locations to find an office near you!
