I have a little girl who just wont sleep. Last night she was in and out of her bed between 2:30 and 6:00am. It is horrendous when you have a presentation, training, long car journey and early start the next morning and this happens. This has gone on for years with our little girl- we have simply not got it right from day one.
When I first started in my career I had minimal sympathy for parents with newborns and toddlers - I just didn't understand the world they were in. Why could they not come out for a drink as much? Why can't they attend the usual sports or social outings? Why can't they do more at work and bust a gut to meet a deadline? It was simply that it didn't register for me all of the incredible life changing things that were happening to them. A real lack of empathy if truth be told.
I felt like Keith Richards after a heavy one...the kids had hair like Jedward
At 8:15am I woke up and felt like Keith Richards after a heavy nights boozing. The kids still in pyjamas, unfed and cranky. We were all up against it to hit our own daily family morning deadlines. God only knows what the nursery staff thought as I dropped off the kids with hair like jedward, a large tupperware box of cornflakes and both of them in yesterday clothes.
It is the toughest job in the world being a parent and I still count myself lucky when I think of other parents with children who have even more demanding or challenging lives than I have. The more I thought about this the more I wondered if employers are aware or even should be aware of the challenges new borns / toddlers can bring.
It is the toughest job in the world being a parent and I still count myself lucky when I think of other parents with children who have even more demanding or challenging lives than I have. The more I thought about this the more I wondered if employers are aware or even should be aware of the challenges new borns / toddlers can bring.
What about a toddler day?
Many line managers are fine about you coming in late every now and then and support maternity / paternity leave. Some organisations even let you ring up to say your having a duvet day. Something more formalised for mums and dads of young ones could really be handy every now and then.
As I understand it sleep deprivation can cause significant cognitive and motor performance impairments equivalent to being over the legal limit to drive in the UK! Anyway, at 8:59 (yes I made it back in time for work) I felt like I was wearing boxing gloves when typing in my password.
So what if employers offered new dads (mum's as well?)
a toddler day per year for emergencies?
Mums and dads go through a significant "What the hell is happening" and "Where's the rule book" stage which is exciting and tough - what a fantastic thing it would be if employers might want to get in on this world a little more - or am I simply asking too much and being a big wuss?
I am also looking for an ideal world here - and realise that this might then lead to other demographics asking for similar ideas such as carers for the elderly having similar days. Perhaps there would be benefits in exploring all of these avenues for the employer such as obtaining a more family friendly image, talent attraction and support employee engagement / retention.
For now I suggest a strict parent bedtime of 7:30pm!
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