Office going to five days a week from October. I'm the pickup parent

lemon_moon_408611 Aug 2026

Announcement came today. From October everyone at my level is expected in five days. Until now I've worked from home in the afternoons so I can do both pickups, the little one from preschool and the big one from school, and sit with the older one's homework. My partner already does the mornings and has fixed hours. So either we find someone for the afternoons, or I push back on a policy I'm supposed to be rolling out to my own team. Not a comfortable position. How have others handled a return-to-office change when you're the parent with the afternoon?

3 comments

banyan_diary_719011 Aug 2026
Is there room to ask for a fixed early exit instead of remote afternoons? Some managers who won't budge on location will agree to someone leaving at 3.30 and logging back in at night. You'd still be in five days, just not the same hours.
ochre_diary_640411 Aug 2026
I start at 7 for overseas calls and leave at 4. Nobody minds because the hours are visible. Put yours on the calendar.
peach_trail_869312 Aug 2026
the awkward part is real. when our office did this, the managers who quietly made exceptions for themselves lost their teams. if you need one, ask openly and say it's for pickups. people respect that more