My work keeps scheduling meetings at 4pm on Fridays which is when my son has soccer. I've asked them to move it but it's with clients so apparently I can't skip it. I've missed 3 games now and he's starting to notice. Told my boss I need Fridays off at 3:30 but he said that's not realistic. What am I supposed to do here? Anyone have success pushing back on this kind of stuff?
I coached my sons to a championship and work still tried to pull meetings during practice. I just started declining the Friday 4pm meetings. They can happen Monday. Your work schedule has to flex around family sometimes.
This is the tough part of being a working dad. I'd try documenting the conflict and proposing a different time block to them in writing. Shows you're professional but also serious about not missing your kid's games.
Man I've been there. I finally had to tell my manager that Friday 4pm was a hard stop for me and offered to take a different day if they needed me. Sometimes you gotta be direct about it. Your son's soccer is important.
I'm in the soccer field wars too. The 4pm Friday meeting is brutal. Have you tried proposing an alternative time or offering to record yourself for that specific slot? Some companies will budge if you show them you're trying.
See if you can get someone else to cover those meetings or find a standing conflict you can block on your calendar. If you don't protect that time they'll keep booking it.
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That's messed up. Your son's soccer game is important. Have you told your boss straight up that you won't be available at 4pm on Fridays? Sometimes you have to be direct about it instead of just asking.