What Working Parents Can Do Now to Prepare for the Long Summer Holiday Break

With the long summer holiday break only a few short weeks away here in Australia, it’s not unusual for working parents to start sweating over logistics! While it can be a time of fun and relaxation for a short period, the balancing act around work commitments can certainly be a challenge.

We’ve had our fair share of juggling acts as parents ourselves and have the added bonus of working with incredible family-friendly organisations for examples of how it can be done. So with a little planning and early preparation using our tips below, these summer holidays might be your most enjoyable (and stress-free) yet!

Start by Assessing Your Situation

Before the summer break arrives, take some time to assess your situation and your requirements around any planned leave:

Review Your Work Schedule: Understand your work commitments and availability during the summer. Are there any critical projects or deadlines that you need to manage?

Children’s Needs: Consider any specific activities they’ll be involved in like camps, sport programs etc.

Family Plans: Are there any travel or family gatherings planned for the summer? Make a list of important dates and commitments and diarise them on a calendar to get a bird’s eye view of the gaps you may require help with.

Communicating with Your Employer

Open communication with your employer is crucial to making this work for everyone. Once you have a clear idea of what your calendar looks like, discuss your summer schedule with your employer and potential challenges early on:

Talk to Your Employer: Start a conversation with your employer about your summer plans and any need for flexibility, moving project timelines forward and expectations around meetings. The earlier the better so all parties are across any new plans or timelines in place.

Flexible Work Options: If your organisation isn’t already adopting flexible workplace arrangements, this is a great time to start the conversation about it! Explore the possibility of working from home, flextime, or compressed workweeks during the summer.

Work-From-Home Arrangements: If you’ll be working from home, ensure you have a suitable workspace and discuss expectations with your employer (and family!).

Engaging Your Children

School-aged children love being involved in the decision-making process of how they will spend their holidays! So why not ask for their input and preferences and prepare to be amazed at what they come up with!

The long summer holiday break should be a time of joy and memorable moments for your family – it doesn’t need to be met with dread on how you will juggle your work and home life commitments. By following these tips and planning ahead with your employer, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to look forward to a summer full of fun and relaxation while successfully managing your work commitments!

Be sure to check out our Support Service providers here too.