New Research reveals 76% of working parents say their kids’ summer schedules impact their job focus

Summer break can be a terrific time to relax, but with school out and children’s new found freedom, this is the time of year when the pressure really ramps up for working parents, according to a recent article in New York Family.

The article references recent research from the Modern Family Index (MFI), commissioned by Bright Horizons (NYSE: BFAM) and conducted by The Harris Poll, which revealed that 68% of parents surveyed agreed that sometimes summer feels like a break for everyone but themselves. This time of year is particularly challenging for working parents—with 76% saying the level of focus they have at work during the summer is directly tied to the reliability of their children’s summer schedules.

As working parents try to juggle professional responsibilities with increased family demands, their level of focus and productivity tends to suffer during the summer months, with 87% reporting that they experience challenges or disruptions while their children are home in the summer. Claire Goss, Senior Manager of Parenting Education at Bright Horizons, suggests a few tips for parents on creating a home environment where everyone feels supported.

• Give kids their own summer schedule or daily checklist filled with fun, age-appropriate activities. Allowing children to have a say in how their day will unfold helps foster a sense of independence.
• Create a positive, easy chore routine for kids during the day.
• Have open-ended materials available and easy to access for times when boredom might arise. Consider swapping out available materials throughout the week to create a sense of novelty and variety for your children.
• Set clear do-not-disturb times with a signal system to note when you shouldn’t be interrupted.

Let Go of Super Mom/Dad: Some additional ideas from a story in Forbes encourages working parents to release themselves from the perfectionist trap and set realistic expectations. This includes:

• Managing expectations: Explaining that while summer will be fun, you still have work responsibilities.
• Setting boundaries with your partner: Have honest conversations about sharing the summer load equitably.
• Communicate with your manager: Have proactive talks about summer flexibility and potential schedule adjustments to ensure a smooth transition.
• Give yourself permission to be imperfect: Your house might be messier, dinner might come from the freezer more often and your kids might watch more screens than usual.

Support For Working Parents

To alleviate the burden and provide more peace of mind, many working parents are looking to their employers for additional support. Results from the Modern Family Index survey revealed that more than three-quarters of working parents (76%) say they wish their employer offered more supports to help them arrange a reliable summer schedule for their children.

“Today’s working parents aren’t afraid to speak up and ask for what they need,” commented Stephen Kramer, CEO of Bright Horizons. “When employers offer meaningful supports that help working parents—whether by providing access to childcare, back-up care, camp resources, or other benefits—they’re not only relieving pressure on parents, but are fostering a more engaged, loyal, and productive workforce.”

About Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc.

Bright Horizons^® is a leading global provider of high-quality early education and childcare, back-up care, and workforce education services. For more than 35 years, we have partnered with employers to support workforces by providing services that help working families and employees thrive personally and professionally. Bright Horizons operates more than 1,000 early education and childcare centers in the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Australia, and India, and serves more than 1,450 of the world’s leading employers. Bright Horizons’ early education and childcare centers, back-up child and elder care, and workforce education programs help employees succeed at each life and career stage. For more information, go to www.brighthorizons.com.

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This time of year is particularly challenging for working parents—with 76% saying the level of focus they have at work during the summer is directly tied to the reliability of their children’s summer schedules.