Thriving on Two Fronts: Balancing Career Aspirations with Parental Support

Schlepping kids to soccer practice. Getting your parents to doctor appointments. Dealing with pressure at your office – when explaining why you need to arrive late or leave early. If this scenario rings familiar, congrats. You are officially a member of the sandwich generation. Not a good kind of sandwich, with plenty of cheese and mayo. The kind of sandwich where you are tightly squeezed between the demands of your little ones and your older parents. Everywhere you look, somebody needs your time and attention. Though you want to step up as both parent and child, the responsibility can overwhelm financially, spiritually, physically and emotionally.

How do you answer the call with love and enthusiasm - without depleting your own resources? Check out these tips for navigating this rewarding but challenging chapter of life.

Get Organized

Creating a daily, weekly or monthly to-do calendar will help all parties involved understand priorities and time commitments. If your parents know you are obligated to be with your children at a certain day and time, they will be able to plan accordingly and avoid double booking.

Sharing is Caring

Now that you know where your responsibilities lie, it’s time to share the wealth. If you have siblings, get them involved. This is not a burden you need to bear alone. Monthly family meetings will keep everybody up to date on your parents’ status and you can delegate tasks. If your kids are a little older, they can help by spending time with their grandparents and helping them with tasks around the house or apartment. Said kids can also be enlisted to pick up some of the slack at home. Research has yet to prove unloading the dishwasher can cause irreparable harm to a teenager.

Look Ahead

Encourage your parents to assess their finances and begin estate planning. If they don’t want you directly involved, find a qualified financial consultant. The more you can help develop a realistic retirement budget, the less you may need to dip into your own savings to subsidize them. Eliminating surprises helps eliminate stress.

Don’t Forget Your Own Oxygen Mask

It’s standard procedure for the airlines to advise you to place your own oxygen mask over your nose and mouth before attempting to assist others. When expending energy in so many directions, it’s easy to ignore your own needs. But nobody can drink from an empty cup. If you are completely drained and exhausted, it’s impossible to be of service to anyone. A foul mood will make you snappy and impatient. It’s a lose/lose for you and your loved ones.

Self-care does not have to mean a week at a fancy spa. It does mean taking time out to engage in activities that nourish and refresh you. Whether that means putting aside time to go for a run, grab a coffee with a friend, watch a favorite old movie or curl up with a good book for an hour, make sure you put that on the calendar too. The world will continue to spin without you for a few moments and the break can make all the difference to the quality of your life and your relationships with the people who depend on you.

It's the Right Time to Rightsize

If the root of family financial headaches is the money pit that used to be the family home, it’s time to consider letting go of the old and embarking on the new. Overture senior living apartments are the gold standard for retirement life. With resort worthy amenities, upscale apartments designed specially for senior comfort and safety, and endless activities and social opportunities, Overture is exactly what the sandwich generation ordered. Your parents, happily ensconced in a welcoming community of like-minded peers, will surely be less demanding of your time, giving you some much needed breathing space and peace of mind.