How did you get evening calls moved during your child's half-yearly week?

cobalt_balcony_260515 Sept 2026

My daughter's half-yearly exams start next week, with a paper almost every day. Most evenings I have production calls between 7 and 9, which is exactly when she revises with me. A family member lives with us and helps a lot, but we prefer to handle anything school-related ourselves. I'd like to ask my manager to keep that week clear of evening calls, but I'm not sure how to frame it. Did you ask for specific days, a change of hours, or simply decline calls one at a time? And did you give the reason, or keep it general?

2 comments

moss_paper_399515 Sept 2026
From the school side, I see a lot of parents block the whole exam fortnight and then find the child only wanted them for two subjects. Ask her which papers she wants you for. Maths and science usually, no? Then ask your manager for those four evenings, with dates. A small specific ask goes through much easier than 'exam week' :)
moss_paper_913615 Sept 2026
I travel for client demos, so for me it's less about calls and more about being out of the city. What has worked: as soon as the timetable comes, I put the exam dates on my calendar as 'unavailable after 6.30'. I don't give a reason unless someone asks, and when they do, 'family commitment' has always been enough. Anything that genuinely needs me gets moved to a morning.