A week lasts seven days — unless you’re talking about one of the last few weeks of summer. Those go on…forever.
That’s at least how it feels if you’re a working parent with kids at home. Because those last weeks between summer and school are the season of “no” — no camp, no school, no help for the kids. It’s just you at work trying to pedal through until classes start up again. “The fact that the kids are super wired because summer’s ending,” says Melissa, a mom of two, “is just icing on the cake.”
So what do you do? The answer is to have a few tricks up your sleeve.
Find a pinch-hitter: What if you could pick out a few days you need help and then have someone else do the work of finding care for you? That’s how back-up care works (really!). It was invented to fill holes in your care schedule — and we can all agree, the last couple of weeks of summer leave a giant hole. The number of days varies by employers, so you’ll want to check the rules — and register. Then, make your request and…done.
Explore drop-in camps: We know, we know — regular summer camp (maddeningly) ended weeks ago. But drop-in camps made to run with the school year may still be going. Steve & Kate’s Camp is a popular drop-in camp that runs during school vacation, too.
Contact a local college: College campuses are great resources for babysitters — and end of summer is when a whole crop of new students start arriving looking for jobs. Visit your local college website or employment office to find out how to post a job. Extra points if the nearby school has a degree program for students studying education.
Team up with a friend: Got a neighbor in the same “I don’t have child care” boat? Why not take turns watching each other’s kids? A couple of days of fill-in may be just enough to turn the tide, transforming those final weeks from “No I can’t,” to, “Yes, I can get some work done.”
Get a leg up on school: Yeah, we know — this will land like a brick with your offspring. But the hard part about the end of summer isn’t just having the kids at home; it’s having aimless kids at home. So giving them something to do — a little tutoring for subjects you know they have a tough time with; some help acing that reading-list essay they’ve been putting off; a little test prep for a high schooler on the road to SATs — could be just the ticket. Plus, the combo of productive kids and less stress during the upcoming school year is a potential twofer that’s too good to ignore.
Start surfing: Sure, you could pay a fee for access to a database of sitters and other help. Or, you could check your benefits to see if your employer pays your admission for you. We’re betting there’s a good chance they do. Then, surf away for the help you need.
Final note: a good starting point is to read through your benefits. See what you have from your employer; get registered; then save yourself dollars, productivity — and sanity.
These weeks won’t last forever — we promise.
