Managing Work/Life Priorities As Working Parents And Working Grandparents
A Team of Working Parents and Grandparents
Every person on our team is in a parent or grandparent support role, and we’re all living very busy lives. One of us is a working single parent; three of us are active, working grandparents. “Working grandparents” is a phrase bound to enter the lexicon as the population ages. Whether we, in our sixties and seventies, keep working out of love for the profession or because of current economic realities, we play vital roles in supporting our families.
What the Numbers Say
AARP research backs this up:
69% of grandparents provide some form of grandchild care.
511 average annual “care hours” are spent by caregiving grandparents.
28% of grandparents under 50 are caring for both grandchildren and an aging adult.
Source: AARP Research, 2026.
Balance Is Really About Priorities
As working grandparents, we may bring a calming “been there, done that, seen it all” perspective. As my daughter’s second pregnancy nears its end, I look forward to caring for two grandchildren, and I don’t worry much about “work/life balance.” I think “balance” is better understood as “priorities.” I have been prioritizing work and family for close to 35 years. I became the owner of my first business when this same daughter was 6 months old.
Working parents and working grandparents don’t need to achieve perfect balance. I truly believe balance is overrated. We need the freedom, clarity, and confidence to set priorities that reflect our responsibilities at every stage of life.
Where Priority-Setting Skills Come From
I was talking to a friend recently about how financial services firms and other large companies are heavily recruiting job candidates with sports backgrounds. It’s not just about a competitive edge. These candidates already have the discipline to get to practice, play the sport, finish their schoolwork, submit projects on time, and prepare for exams.
Given my background as a dancer, I would include people from the performing arts. While performance backgrounds may be less common in business, the discipline is equally relevant.
Young people who grow up in competitive sports, theater, music, or dance learn to juggle practices, rehearsals, performances, deadlines, and personal commitments while keeping up with schoolwork. Research suggests that organized sports can strengthen self-discipline, planning, and adaptability. Those same skills prove invaluable years later, when careers, parenting, and family responsibilities compete for attention.
A Teammate Who Lives It
The single working parent on our team is a marathon runner with young children. How does she find time for it all? It comes down to her time-management skills. She has trained since she was younger, and that training now gives her an edge as a successful working mother.
Deciding What Deserves Your Time
The challenge is not fitting everything into our schedules; it is making intentional choices about where our time and energy belong. Be open and set your schedule based on your priorities. Not everything can receive equal time, and knowing how to prioritize may be one of the most valuable skills we embrace. In the end, success is not measured by how much we fit into a day, but by whether we invest our time in what matters most.