Three Days a Week, Then Family Time

Balancing Work and Family Life

For many parents, the challenge of balancing work and family life is a constant struggle. Over the years, I have found ways to adapt my career to fit around my children's schedules, and summer has become a special time for me to spend more quality time with them.

Since my kids are at home all summer, I approached my boss and asked if I could reduce my workload to three days a week. To my surprise, my boss agreed. This change allows me to enjoy the summer with my children while still maintaining my professional responsibilities.

My job as a digital director has always offered me flexibility, especially since I am a contract worker. This flexibility has been crucial in managing my family life, particularly during different stages of my children’s development. For example, when they were in pre-K, I could only work during those hours. Once my youngest started kindergarten, I worked five days a week. I even took on a full-time contract role for a year after that.

This summer, I decided to make another adjustment. I now work three days a week in the office and spend the other two days at home with my kids, who are 6 and 8 years old. I simply asked my boss for an accommodating schedule, and he agreed. My boss understands that as a proven contractor, I can manage my workload effectively.

I have a history of meeting deadlines, even during challenging times such as surgery, travel, or dealing with a sick child. Because of this track record, my boss allowed me to reduce my schedule to three days this summer. We agreed that my pay would remain the same since I’m a contract employee.

After making this decision, I had to inform the rest of the team about my new schedule. I announced it during the next management meeting and also spoke with my subordinates. I made sure they knew they could reach me via email or text in case of an emergency. There was no animosity because I take on some weekend responsibilities, which others prefer to avoid.

In return, I get the freedom to come and go as I please, work from home, and attend all my kids' events without using up PTO.

Making the Most of "Mommy Days"

Being home with my kids during the summer is something I truly value. I get two days at home with my kids, plus holidays and weekends. These days are often referred to as "Mommy days" by my children.

We usually start our home days by doing some chores. I handle tasks like running laundry and doing the dishes, while the kids pick up their rooms and do simple chores like bringing in eggs or taking out the trash.

Once the chores are done, we decide what kind of day we're going to have. Sometimes, they have a friend over, or they want to play in the backyard. On open evenings, we might plan something more exciting, like heading to a splash pad, swimming, visiting a park out of town, golfing, or even visiting family members.

We've gone on train rides, visited museums, and spent the night at friends' houses with other kids of similar ages. As my kids have grown older, we've become more flexible about what we can do and how long we can be away.

Spending this time with my kids during the summer is a privilege. While it requires some extra effort on my part, it's all worth it for the joy and fun that comes with being there for them.