As a working mom, your time is valuable and scarce. Still, your child's school and education are definitely a priority. Even if you want to be more involved at their school, it may not be possible simply because of your work schedule. School-age kids can range from young kindergarten students to teenagers but at every level parental involvement is essential for success on everyone's part. Unfortunately, the funding just isn't there for schools to do it all alone, which is why parental engagement is very important.
Teachers and schools depend on parents to help either with their time or money but do understand when many just can't make it work. Many of these teachers are working moms and dads themselves, so they do understand the tough choices. Working moms are stretched thin for time and that's ok.
Not every mom is able to join the PTA or be at the school during the day to help with the class party. It's also very valid to not want to spend any time outside of work baking for a bake sale or using your personal time off or sick days to go to your kid's school.
This Isn't A New Problem
Working moms have always struggled to balance their work-life responsibilities, but the school years are a time when it gets really difficult. There are parent-teacher conferences, possible after-school activities, plays and recitals at school, art shows, and more. Many of these events are held during school, which is of course during working hours. It can be so difficult to manage these school events and please bosses and jobs who don't like to give employees time off.
If you can't go, you feel like you're letting your kid down and missing a once-in-a-lifetime event. If you leave work for a school event, you may feel guilty for missing work, especially if coworkers need to pick up your slack in your absence.
The parenting book, Maternal Optimism: Forging Positive Paths through Work and Motherhood written by Danna Greenberg and Jamie Ladge is all about the impossible balance working parents with school-age kids are struggling to find. Mothers especially feel the stress since the role of caretaking still primarily falls to women.
In a discussion about working moms and their children's extracurricular lives, Greenberg wrote to Today about the dilemma for working parents and how moms feel like they can fail their children by just not having enough time.
"Working parents either experience endless stress as they piece together a complex schedule, which will enable their children to participate in after-school activities, or they feel guilty because they cannot fit in these activities given their work/care arrangements,"
Working Parents Can Help
Parental involvement is in school defined by the American Psychological Association as parents and teachers working together to create a successful school environment. This is a shared responsibility for both parties, and it's not just on parents to know what the school needs. Schools and educators should be creating multiple ways of engagement for parents to choose from and find an opportunity that may work for them.
School supplies
There are some low-key ways to be involved in your child's school but not have to dedicate any daytime hours to the school. Be proactive and email your child's teacher and see if there are any classroom supplies or snacks they may need. Even just sending in an extra pack of crayons or a box of tissues can be really helpful.
School festivities
If your child's class is having a party provide some food or even just plates and napkins to make it even easier. You can even send all these items in with your child, so you don't have to set foot in the school. These are all financial contributions so far, and we fully understand if that isn't possible.
Board of education vote
Another great way for parents to support their child and their teacher is to pay attention to what local school issues are on the ballot and vote. Vote for more classroom funding and put signs in your yard to support these measures. Watch or attend your local school district board meeting as well in order to be informed about what is going on. They also highlight staff and what needs to be worked on at these meetings.
Ease teacher's load
Another free way to be involved as a parent is to simply care for and make life easier for the teachers. Send back forms that need to be signed on time and make sure your child is keeping up with homework. Ask your child about their school day every single day and show you care.
Attend parent-teacher conferences and ask for a virtual option if you can't make it on your scheduled day. If your child's teacher reaches out, answer them. Being present and caring can go a long way for students and teachers.
Source: Today, Responsive Classroom, Reading Rockets, American Psychological Association