Last month, Colleen Chulis, regional vice president of Regulated Industries at SAP SuccessFactors, posted a video of her daughter imitating a typical work scene – and it quickly racked up nearly 15 million views.
Eight-year-old Adele snaps her fingers at imaginary kids and pets while pretending to carry on an urgent conversation for work, taking frantic notes on a sticky pad.
More than 26,000 comments on the post, many from fellow working parents, note that the impression is a spot-on representation of the hectic nature of the workday at home. Like many working parents, Chulis juggles her everyday work responsibilities while her kids — Adelle, Luke, 10, and Declan, 6 — are all attending school through hybrid learning. It’s no simple task.
After a year of video conferences and e-mail at home, it’s no surprise that kids are integrating this everyday reality into their playtime just like they might play pretend school. But while videos and moments like these are lighthearted and special, thinking about what else children are absorbing from their parents this year is less so.
A recent study from the American Psychological Association found that seven in 10 parents say family responsibilities are a significant source of stress in their life; 47% of mothers who still have children at home for remote learning reported worsened mental health; and parents were more likely than those without children to have received treatment from a mental health professional since the pandemic began.
Chulis’s tale told with love and humor shines a light on every parent’s struggle with the juggle. “This has been a year like no other, with every person across the globe affected in some way. Thankfully, I have felt very well supported by SAP – the benefit policies, my team, and my management. My children have popped into the background of my Zoom calls many times – and everyone just smiles and says hello,” she said. “I’ve felt such kindness and warmth from my colleagues and customers – and I’ve loved getting a chance to peek into their lives and say hello to their children, significant others, roommates, or pets as well!”
The pandemic has made the difficult task of balancing work and home more difficult than ever. We want to help. That’s why SAP and The Female Founder Collective have joined forces. Back to Best for Parents provides special offers, resources, and content to make life easier for parents trying to juggle it all in the tough times of COVID-19.
To learn how you can improve your own experience as a working parent or how to help working parents you know or employ, visit Back to Best for Parents.
April Crichlow is global vice president and head of Marketing for SAP SuccessFactors.