Creating a Parent Action Plan

“I will be home at about 7pm, see you later on”

?While this sounds like a very normal statement, it wasn't on this occasion.

We had been up all night with our son who had a stomach bug, and we both had jam-packed calendars for the day. Back-to-back meetings and work commitments.

My husband was also back in the office from time to time so on this particular day, he had planned to spend a day working in the office and having face-to-face meetings.

I remember saying to my husband, "don't worry, I can work remotely today" but as soon as the door closed, it suddenly dawned on me “what on earth am I going to do, working from home with a sick toddler, on my own”.

We wake up every day in robot mode so it was a delayed reaction to the reality of the situation!

At first, I pretended it wasn’t happening. Cocomelon with a side of toast while I opened my laptop. That was my first mistake. I thought that I could operate as normal. I replied to emails and prepared for my first call and then my son crawled onto my lap groaning. Then I started to feel unwell. We had no one to call for help, it was just us. I know many people will end up in this situation so I hope it helps to know you aren’t alone.

I finally called my manager and explained the situation. I was able to move a couple of meetings, reluctantly, as I hate to cancel. But we had the day to rest and get through it. I then called my husband and asked if he was able to come back earlier than intended, and he did.

We went through a solid 2 weeks of feeling unwell, and sleep deprivation followed by a full day of work. It was beyond difficult to get anything done but we made it through. At that point, I thought about how unprepared I was for those situations. When you are feeling unwell and sleep-deprived, it is essential to have a plan to lean on.

A plan that is already made, you just need to read it step by step.

I hereby present to you, the PAP or Parent Action Plan!

I created my own Parent Action Plan. I didn’t even know I needed one until my son became sick, and then I got sick. The only thing I can describe it as a nightmare spacing over 2 weeks.

You know that feeling when you become sick and you think you will never feel well again. As dramatic as it sounds, I felt like small tasks were impossible. I also couldn’t get a doctor's appointment for 3 weeks. With so much out of our control, having a Parent Action Plan in place seems like a solid solution.

An action plan is necessary when you end up in a situation where you don’t have time to sit down and have rational thoughts.?

It is a checklist, you don’t need to have to think about but can do.?

?Preparatory Scheduling

?While life is unpredictable, there are a few steps you can prepare for in advance.

?1.????Schedule time with your manager today, to discuss what happens when your child is sick. Being open and honest means your manager can also share how they can support you. Having a discussion in advance means you will feel less anxious about approaching your manager when it happens...and it will! Discuss what communication channel they prefer to keep updated.

2.????Emergency List. I have everything saved within a note on my phone. You might like to have a page you stick to your noticeboard in your kitchen. Choose what works best for you but having a list to refer to when you are not feeling well, will help! If you have a partner, decide to rotate the ownership of who follows the emergency Parent Action Plan! If you are a single parent, I hope you can find support to lean on in these situations.

3.????Saved automatic responses. Rather than rushing to write an “I am offline” response, write one today. You can keep it generic and share “I am currently offline due to a family emergency. Please contact XYZ in my absence and I will respond upon my return”. Also, save a template with a response you will send via email to reschedule any meetings.

?Parent Action Plan

?To be implemented the moment you know you have a family emergency.

?1.????Call your manager

2.????Switch on your automatic replies

3.????Check your calendar and leverage your template to reschedule meetings

4.????Read through your emergency list and follow it

5.????Focus on helping your child & family at that moment

If you are reading this list in a very healthy state, it is obvious and unnecessary.

However, the moment you are feeling unwell and your child is unwell, a very rational and straightforward list is one of the most essential items!

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