Childcare Hacks for Working Parents

The summer months bring sunshine, outdoor adventures, and for working parents—the annual childcare puzzle. How do you maintain your professional responsibilities when camps are full, costs are soaring, and your usual childcare arrangements aren't available? You're not alone in this struggle, and there's hope beyond the traditional options.

This episode unpacks practical, creative solutions for working parents facing the summer childcare dilemma. These strategies help you expand your childcare options beyond what you might have imagined possible.

Beyond logistics, we dive into the transformative impact of mindfulness practices for both parents and children navigating irregular summer routines. Learn how simple techniques can help children self-regulate when emotions run high during transitions between different caregivers or environments. These portable tools not only create moments of calm amid summer chaos but equip your children with valuable life skills they can use anywhere, anytime—especially when you're not present.

The summer childcare journey doesn't need a perfect solution to be peaceful. By combining creative options, leaning into community connections, and weaving mindfulness throughout, you can create a summer experience that works for your whole family. 

Don't miss next week's episode on Financial Zen: managing those summer expenses without the stress!

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Episode Transcript

Spiwe Jefferson (00:05):
Welcome to the Mindful in 5 Summer Zen Series,
your hub for thriving leaders.
Here we will explore actionableinsights to support resilience
and success as we navigate theunique chaos of summer, and
success as we navigate theunique chaos of summer.

(00:26):
I'm Spiwe Jefferson, certifiedmindfulness practitioner, lawyer
and author of the Mindful in 5book series.
I believe we all deserve a bitmore balance and peace,
especially when work and lifeget a little hectic.
When work and life get a littlehectic While you're enjoying

(00:49):
the sunshine and this vibrantseason, I'm excited to share
insights and practices that canhelp you integrate mindfulness,
balance, peace and a sense ofpurpose, whether summer's just
beginning or winter's at yourdoor.
Grab a comfy spot and let'sexplore these practices together
.
Elevate your work, empower yourlife, work higher, live

(01:13):
stronger.
Let's go.
Summer is in full swing in theNorthern Hemisphere.
How are you managing?
Are you staring down a summercalendar and thinking this is
hard?
How am I going to keep my kidscared for and still get my work

(01:36):
done If the usual child careoptions feel out of reach or
just aren't working?
You are not alone.
Today's topic is child carehacks for working parents.
Let's explore creativesolutions to help you feel more
supported and less stressed.
Summer can be especially toughfor working parents.

(01:58):
Camps fill up, costs, soar andtraditional child care isn't
always a fit.
Singita from the Mindful in 5books knows this struggle well.
Disowned by her dad andjuggling family drama, she is
helping her sister, selma withher three kids for the summer.

(02:19):
Disowned by her dad andjuggling family drama, she is
helping her sister, selma withher three kids for the summer.
Sengita learned the power ofbuilding a child care village
even when family support iscomplicated.

(02:39):
Our big idea for today is togive you creative solutions for
working parents to augmentwhatever you're already doing.
There are three ways that youcan implement this idea.
Number one mix and match yourchild care options.
Don't feel boxed in bytraditional daycare options.

(03:02):
Don't feel boxed in bytraditional daycare options.
Many families find success witha blend of choices Part-time
summer school programs, au pairs, family members or trusted
neighbors filling in the gaps.
It's a great time to exposeyour kids to activities they

(03:27):
might enjoy but don't have timefor during the school year.
When our kids were younger,their school offered week-long
camps.
So one week would be cookingcamp, another week would be art
camp, another week would besports camp, another week would
be music camp.
You get the idea.
It was great for mom and dadbecause our drop-off and pick-up
routine stayed the same, eventhough we had to pay for morning

(03:49):
and aftercare, but it was worthit.
It also gave the kids anopportunity to experience a very
different curriculum that wasmore fun and relaxed in the
summer relaxed in the summer.

(04:09):
Some parents stagger workschedules to maximize coverage
or swap play dates with otherworking parents.
Sengita doesn't have kids, butshe has a lot of neighbors with
kids the same age as her twoyoung nephews and niece.
She introduces them to some ofher neighbors and now the kids
can enjoy visiting Aunt Singitabecause they have cool friends
there.
And this isn't just theoretical.

(04:30):
This is actually exactly whatmy husband and I have been doing
this summer to entertain ourgrandson, who's staying with us
for part of the summer.
We have a host of neighborswith kids who are in the same
age range, and so we'veintroduced him to some of those
kids and now he has a group offriends at our house that he

(04:54):
absolutely enjoys playing with.
So consider doing this.
Write down all the possibleresources that you have Paid,
family and community.
Even a few hours from aneighbor can make a big
difference.
Idea number two Tap intocommunity support.

(05:19):
Sometimes your best resource isnot a paid provider but your
own network.
Create a parent co-op, tradechild care days or join local
online groups to connect withothers facing the same
challenges.
Faith-based summer programslike Vacation Bible School also

(05:41):
offer great alternatives to notonly entertain your kids but
teach them values as well.
So ask yourself who in mycircle might be open to a child
care swap or a shared solution.
Option number three mindfulnessfor you and your children.

(06:01):
This is an underlying strategyfor whatever you choose to do.
When routines are patchworked,emotions can run high.
Simple mindfulness practiceslike slow breathing, counting
games or storytelling help kidsself-regulate and bring calm to

(06:23):
chaotic days.
Bring calm to chaotic days.
Every morning, before her nieceand nephews scamper off to their
day's activities, sengita hasthem put their hand over their
heart and practice box breathingSlowly, inhale to the count of
four, hold it for the count offour, then exhale to the count

(06:43):
of four, then exhale to thecount of four.
She has them repeat this threetimes and gives them a simple
affirmation to say to themselveslike I am calm or I am clear.
She encourages them to practicethis simple technique whenever

(07:05):
they feel themselves gettingagitated or overstimulated
throughout the day.
If they're embarrassed to do itat their desk, she tells them
hey, go to the bathroom, sit ina stall for five minutes and do
the box, breathing three times,and then recite in your mind
your mantra.
You can do it inside your headso nobody else can hear you.

(07:28):
But give yourself the time andthe space to reset and center
yourself.
Involving your children inthese practices and sharing
mindful moments with othercaregivers can make transitions
smoother for everyone.
When our kids were little, myhusband and I had the same

(07:49):
bedtime routine for them, andduring that bedtime routine we
would ask them if there'sanything they wanted to talk
about and reflect on.
We were teaching them the habitof introspection and we also
wanted to create a safe space sothat as they grew into teenage

(08:10):
years and there were maybe morecritical and difficult
conversations that they wouldhave liked to have, that this
was a space where it always feltsafe for them to ask things and
to talk about things.
But it also gave them theopportunity to think about their
day and if something went wrongat school, whatever it was, the

(08:33):
teacher said something and Iwas upset, or they got into a
fight with their friends.
It gave us a chance to unpackthat and think about what they
could do to address whateverthey were unhappy about, because
, of course, you can't controlother people, you can only
control yourself, and so what Iwanted to teach my kids is no

(08:54):
matter what happens to you outthere, you have the choice of
how you respond to whatever thatis, and so how are we going to
respond to this thing thathappened, that we did not like,
and it was very helpful.
Now they're older, they're outof the house and they are as
adulting goes they're doinggreat.

(09:15):
They're figuring life out, butthey're also using these skills
that they learned when they werekids.
Try teaching your child a calmdown breath technique.
It doesn't have to be boxbreathing, but anything.
It could be just as simple ashold yourself in a self-hug and
close your eyes and breathe.

(09:36):
It could be just that simple.
All of these things are rootedin psychological, science-backed
strategies that work for awhole variety of reasons we
don't have time to get intotoday, but arm them with tools
that they can use anywhere, inany environment, especially when

(09:58):
you're not there.
So, in conclusion, summerchildcare doesn't have to be
perfect to be peaceful.
By mixing options, leaning onyour community and weaving in
mindfulness, you can feel moresupported and resilient, even

(10:19):
when plans change.
You are not alone.
Your village is bigger than youthink.
You are not alone.
Your village is bigger than youthink.
What is one creative child caresolution that you will try this
summer?

(10:43):
You can send me a DM on LinkedIn, instagram or Facebook, or tag
at mindful in five that'smindful I-N and the number five
to share your hack.
If this episode helped you,please rate and review and share
it with someone who could usesome new child care hacks for
the summer.
I invite you to learn moreabout Singita and her Mindful in
5 friends, as they havenavigated the ups and downs of
life, the dark, dawn and dayseason of life, by leveraging

(11:07):
and harnessing the power ofmindfulness meditation to
achieve clarity and focus andreduce stress.
Click on the link at the top ofthis episode for access to the

(11:28):
Mindful in 5 series and pick upyour copy on Amazon, and I would
love it if you would rate ittoo.
Okay, join us next time when wewill be talking about financial
zen, managing your summerexpenses.
This is very important.
Until next week, this is BeWeigh saying be mindful and be

(11:49):
well.

James@DiscovertheVoice (11:50):
Thank you for listening to Mindful in
5.
If you enjoyed it, share itwith a friend, follow and rate
it on your favorite podcastplatform.
Pick up your signed copy of thebook and journal from
spiwejefferson.
com, or unsigned copies fromAmazon, Barnes and Noble or
wherever you get your books.
Visit spiwejefferson.

(12:11):
com to download sample chaptersof the book, watch videos and
become a mindful ninja.
Join us on the LinkedIn Mindfulin 5 group and share your
thoughts.
Until next time, be mindful andbe well.