With Father’s Day coming up, we asked the fathers at Booking Experts how they combine work and family life. Curious? Read on!

Casper: “Work and life are easy to balance here.”

Casper is 35 years old and has been working at Booking Experts for 7 years, where he is now Team Lead of the CMS Website Team. Alongside his work, a new and important role has been added over the past year and a half: being a father. Together with his wife Heleen and their son Fedde, he forms a family of three.

During the working week, he is fully focused on his job, but on Thursday afternoons his attention intentionally shifts to home. That’s his regular “dad afternoon”, filled with cycling, walking through the village, playing in the garden and reading books together.

Casper: “As a father, I really enjoy doing things together with Fedde. We’re never just sitting on the couch, we’re always playing. He learns something new every week, and it’s amazing to experience that. I’m really proud of him.”

Father at home, colleague at work

That clear separation between work and family is important to him. During working hours, he is fully there for his team, and at home he is fully there for his family. Casper: “By focusing on the role I have at that moment, I also experience a good work-life balance.”

What he takes most from fatherhood into his work is the idea of learning by trying. Casper: “Fedde really likes to do everything himself. I recognize that at work as well: I now often let colleagues try and learn things themselves, instead of doing it for them or showing it step by step. Just trial and error :)”

At Booking Experts, Casper values the flexibility around parental leave and the freedom to combine work and family life, even as a Team Lead. Casper’s tip to other fathers balancing work and family: “Focus on the role you have at that moment: a fun dad at home, and a supportive colleague at work.”

Edward: “The greatest happiness is at home.”

Edward is 54 years old and works as a Business Development Manager at BEX. His career started at the age of 24 when he moved to Spain to work at Camping Las Dunas. He worked there for 13 years, a period in which he not only built his career but also met his wife. Together, they later made the move into the holiday home industry, first as entrepreneurs and later as employees at companies including Villa for You.

Today, Edward combines his work with a life in Spain. His family consists of his wife and their 14-year-old daughter.

Edward works mostly from home, which allows his day to naturally move along with his daughter’s rhythm. Edward: “In the morning, we take her to school together, and in the afternoon we pick her up for lunch. After that, she goes back, and we do the same again at the end of the afternoon.” They are always there for their daughter when needed and pick up work whenever it fits. That brings him a lot of peace. 

Making time to recharge

For Edward, balance is about moving with the rhythm of the day. His family always comes first. The short walks to school are more important than they might seem. Edward: “Those are actually my regular break moments. Just stepping away from the laptop and being fully present.”

Because Edward likes to get things done and often works long hours, he makes time to recharge. He finds those moments in the small things. Edward: “What really helps me is going outside: the walks to school or going for a run. I also recharge through time with people, like having a coffee or lunch with my wife or friends.”

As Edward has only recently joined Booking Experts, it’s still early days, but his first impression has been very positive. From the start, he felt warmly welcomed. Edward: “The way the company takes care of its people and supports employees is impressive. There is a genuine focus on the person behind the employee, and that gives me, as a father, confidence that I can maintain a good balance between work and family life here.”

His advice to other fathers

What advice would Edward give to other fathers? Edward: “Set clear boundaries and protect your priorities. Work is important and gives you a lot of satisfaction, but your family always comes first. Time with your children flies by, so make sure you’re really there when you are with them. Happiness at home is priceless.”

Edward: “My most special Father’s Day gift is already here: my family. That is the most important thing to me. Everything my daughter gives me on top of that, like a drawing, is just a bonus. Her smile and the fact that we celebrate this together is the greatest gift I could wish for.”💚

Jens: “Prioritise the things that give you energy.”

Jens is a Product Manager CMS at Booking Experts. Together with his wife Anita, their son Lasse (almost 2), and their labrador, he lives in ’t Harde. A busy family life, combined with a job that requires him to travel to Enschede several days a week.

On office days, Jens’ day starts early. The alarm goes off at six and around seven he is in the car. Often, he only gets home around seven in the evening. Luckily, Booking Experts offers the flexibility to structure his workweek in a smart way. Jens: “On Mondays I have parental leave, and on Thursdays I work from home. I drop Lasse off at daycare and then start my workday calmly.”

Jens describes himself as an approachable and playful father who loves joking around and playing with Lasse. Jens: “When I’m at home, I really try to be present, both physically and mentally. The TV is often off and phones are put away. That’s our time together.”

Making time for what gives energy

For Jens, balance is not only about flexibility, but also about actively making time for himself. At the start of the week, he and his wife plan moments to exercise or relax. Jens: “On work-from-home days, I try to fit in a workout or take a walk in the woods with our dog.”

The flexibility he experiences at Booking Experts is something he values. Jens: “There is always understanding when something comes up or when you need to leave a bit earlier. That makes it much easier to combine work and family life.”

Jens’ tip for other fathers: “Plan your free time in advance, before a busy period starts. Prioritise the things that give you energy.”

And his ideal Father’s Day gift? He doesn’t have to think long about it. Jens: “A drawing or a breakfast. That’s really all I need.”

Bas: ‘’Work can wait, but time with your family can’t.’’

Bas is 38 years old, married to Tamara and father of Olivier (8) and Lilly (7). As Head of Customer Success at Booking Experts, his days are often full, but at home just as much is going on. Luckily, there is one place where it all comes together: family life and the rugby club.

A typical workday starts together at the breakfast table. After that, either Bas or his wife Tamara takes the children to school, depending on who has which commitments that day. In the late afternoon, the family comes back together. Bas: “One of us picks up the kids, the other cooks. After that, we always eat together.”

This is often followed by the next family moment: rugby. Both Bas and his children play rugby. Bas: “After dinner, we often go to the rugby club as a family. After training, when the kids are in bed, I finish up my work for the day (my wife does the same), and we end up on the couch watching a nice series.”

For Bas, balancing work and family is all about setting the right priorities. Bas: “Work can often be caught up, time with your family can’t.” That’s why laptops and phones are put away during dinner, making room for real attention for each other. The work that still needs to be done can wait.

Patience as the most important lesson

What Bas takes from fatherhood into his work? Patience. Bas: “Only when you try teaching a toddler to tie their shoelaces do you really understand what patience means. When you’re trying to teach someone something, you need to be able to put yourself in their shoes.” That lesson doesn’t just apply at home, but also in his role as a manager.

At Booking Experts, Bas values the freedom to organise his work around his family. Bas: “I’m given the space to be a good father here. Because I can decide my own working hours, I can also set my own priorities. If one of the kids has a school day off, I might work a bit less that week and make it up later.” That helps him maintain a good balance between work and family life.

Where work and family come together

For Bas, balance is not only about setting priorities, but also about involving his children in the concept of work. It helps them understand why mom and dad sometimes need to work a bit longer. Bas: “Olivier and Lilly even see it as their contribution to the family. They say: ‘We’ll go and play at daycare so that mom and dad can reach their goals at work and we can “just like that” go to Disney for a week.’” (Ps, they really enjoy daycare 😉). 

Rugby also plays an important role in the family. It creates quality time together, but also gives Bas space to recharge himself. Bas: “After a busy workday, it’s great to spend 90 minutes on the pitch. After that, my mind feels clear again.”

Phil: ‘’Find what works for you: at work and at home.”

Phil is a Quality Assurance Analyst at ParcVu powered by Booking Experts in the UK, working closely with our client Haven. He is a proud father of two: Hollie (11) and Hugo (4). He lives at home with his wife Natalie, who also works at Booking Experts.

In his role, Phil is involved in testing releases, maintaining automated tests and supporting the team in resolving live issues. It’s a job that requires focus and calm under pressure, but one where he makes a conscious effort to switch off when the working day ends.

Planning ahead also plays an important role. Phil: “It’s about having a clear plan for the week. Sometimes I work a bit later, but working at Booking Experts gives me the space to balance that out at other moments for family life. ”What matters most to him is the understanding that comes with being a parent. “That support is priceless.”

Learning to switch off

For Phil, balance starts with switching roles. “I make sure I properly switch off when I’m not at my desk, so I can fully focus on family life.” That clear separation helps him be fully present both at work and at home.

When things get busy, it’s often the small breaks that help him reset. Even stepping away from the screen for five minutes can be enough to return with fresh focus. Outside of work, he recharges by staying active and spending time with friends.

Lessons from home to work

What fatherhood has taught Phil also shows up in his work. Phil: “I think staying calm under pressure is something that applies to both. It can be difficult at times, I’m not going to lie, but it’s something I really try to achieve in both environments.” Supporting others is something Phil values both at home and at work. Phil: “Helping people, even in small ways, can make a big difference in how they grow.”

Phil’s advice to other fathers: Take time to find what works for you and your family. There isn’t always a perfect balance, especially with younger children, as life can be unpredictable. What matters most to him is being happy, both at work and at home.

No perfect balance

As you’ve read, balance isn’t perfect, it’s personal. And at Booking Experts, flexibility and the freedom to work from anywhere help everyone find their own way to make it work.