Every year, World Book Day approaches, and every year I tell myself I’ll be more prepared. But as freelance journalist Georgina Fuller describes in her article, it can feel like a “nightmare for time-poor parents.”
The reality is, no matter how much I plan to plan, my kids often end up pulling together a last-minute outfit from what we have lying around: because planning a costume takes far more effort and energy than it seems.
It’s not just about picking a character and throwing on some random clothes, it’s another multi-step task to keep track of:
Step 1: Remember that World Book Day is coming up (well before the night before).
Step 2: Find time to negotiate costume ideas that are actually doable.
Step 3: Work out whether we already have what’s needed, can we make it or do we need to buy something?
Step 4: Plan for any face paint, makeup, props or accessories.
Step 5: Make and/or buy everything for the outfit.
Step 6: Actually send them in wearing it on the right day (really important!!).
I love seeing my kids’ excitement when they dress up, but getting to that point takes effort: planning, organising and remembering everything along the way.
The mental load behind it isn’t insignificant, especially when you’re already juggling work, school admin and daily life, it’s another thing to remember and organise. As Georgina Fuller puts it:
“My three are all at different schools and just keeping on top of the emails feels like a full-time job at times.
Alongside the school fairs and assemblies, fundraisers, information evenings, meet-the-teacher sessions and parents evenings, World Book Days just feels like yet another thing I have to fit in and manage alongside my day job.”
And it’s not just Georgina, I hear so many parents saying this.
Sometimes we get it right. Sometimes we don’t. And that’s okay. But wouldn’t it be easier if we had better tools to help manage it all?
This is exactly why I’m building Kiki. To take the mental load off parents and make school admin simpler. Because whether it’s World Book Day, parents evening or last-minute PTA event reminders, no parent should feel like they need to be superhuman just to keep up.
