How do moms who work on weekends manage?

It’s hard enough being a working mom if you have a 9-5 job on weekdays.

It’s even harder when you need to work on weekends or irregular hours like early mornings or late nights, especially around holidays like Easter or Thanksgiving.

Moms in industries like health care, retail and service work on weekends and holidays. This means that they may not be around for family get-togethers or school events.

They worry that a work schedule that spills over on weekends means not having enough time with their children, like the question in this reddit thread:

How did these moms make it work? We searched the internet for answers, and this is what we found.

Make the most of their time off

Working odd hours or weekends means not having a conventional weekday-weekend schedule. Moms manage by getting things done during the week, including quality time with kids.

The moms in this post find it easier to get chores and dinner done during the week, and even use their time off for unexpected day trips!

Ask for help

In the post below, both partners shared domestic duties equally. With the common goal of raising their kids the way they wanted, they also put down a financial and lifestyle plan.

This mom says that working for a company with generous parental leave made a huge difference, and we hope that more organizations go this way.

Some parents arranged for paid child care, or had a nanny share arrangement. For others like the mom in this post, the grandparents chipped in for that day, every week.

Be fully present with family 

Working on Sundays while everyone else seems to be out with their kids can feel like you’re missing out on quality time together, or that the kids are losing out on experiences. 

Family time is about being together, no matter what you’re doing, or for how long. Like in the post above, even PB&J for weekend dinners can become a fond memory.

This HBR study, on how parents’ careers affect their children, found that “.. parents’ time spent working and on child care … did not influence children’s mental health.”

What is important is that when you’re with your kids, you’re in the moment and with them fully – physically, mentally and emotionally. 

The HBR study echoes this thought: 

“We can and should focus on the value we place on our careers and experiment with creative ways to be available, physically and psychologically, to our children, though not necessarily in more hours with them.  Quality time is real.”

Prep for the week ahead 

Whether you work weekdays, weekends or both, prepping in advance has outsized advantages. 

First, planning in advance makes time for unplanned things during the week, like extra grocery pickups, school events or extra work. 

Second, prepping ahead is a great way to get the family involved in housework and chores. For example, the kids can ready their bags for the week on Sundays, whether you’re around or not. While they may initially do it only after you remind them to, when they see you prepping for the week in advance, they’ll do it too. 

Here’s a comprehensive list of all the prepping you can do for the week ahead.