The Management Tip of the Day

Balancing Career and Family as Your Children Get Older.‌ Lots of advice for working parents focuses on when children are small, but there are new challenges that arise as they grow up. For example, when your kid enters school, the childcare arrangements you've come to rely on often get upended. Prepare for this transition by thinking ahead to (and budgeting for) the new arrangements you'll need. For example, you may have to secure after-school and summer care months in advance. There will also be situations you haven't had to deal with yet — snow days, early school dismissals, parent-teacher conferences — so have some backup options, whether it's nearby family members or a reliable babysitter. You should also cultivate networks of support by getting to know fellow working parents who can share carpool or childcare duties. And develop allies in the office who support your efforts to integrate work and family. Without an effective support network, balancing the two is unlikely to get easier over time. Today’s Tip  Balancing Career and Family as Your Children Get Older Lots of advice for working parents focuses on when children are small, but there are new challenges that arise as they grow up. For example, when your kid enters school, the childcare arrangements you've come to rely on often get upended. Prepare for this transition by thinking ahead to (and budgeting for) the new arrangements you'll need. For example, you may have to secure after-school and summer care months in advance. There will also be situations you haven't had to deal with yet — snow days, early school dismissals, parent-teacher conferences — so have some backup options, whether it's nearby family members or a reliable babysitter. You should also cultivate networks of support by getting to know fellow working parents who can share carpool or childcare duties. And develop allies in the office who support your efforts to integrate work and family. Without an effective support network, balancing the two is unlikely to get easier over time. This tip is adapted from “How Being a Working Parent Changes as Children Grow Up,” by Danna Greenberg and Jamie J. Ladge ADVERTISEMENT Our content. Your success story. Get access to HBS's world-famous case studies and 4 complimentary eBooks with our new subscription plans. Choose your subscription plan Newsletter The Daily Alert Links to all the digital articles published in the last 24 hours. Sign up Bundle HBR's 10 Must Reads 2020 (Paperback + Ebook) by Harvard Business Review, Michael E. Porter, Nitin Nohria, Katrina Lake $34.95 Learn more Don’t forget you’re entitled to 20% off your first purchase* *Use promo code HBRORGREG4. View details here. View in browser Contact us Manage newsletter preferences Privacy policy Unsubscribe

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