Work-Life Balance
So, I need some opinions from folks at there -- especially moms that stay/stayed home and moms that work.
Since Thomas started his new job, it has been crazy trying to balance things with Chance. We were really spoiled that for the past 3.5 years of Chance's 5 year life, Thomas had been either working from home as a contractor or at home because he was unemployed. I knew it gave us flexibility with the munchkin's schedule, but I didn't really realize how much flexibility.
I leave the house at 6 a.m. and get to day care at about 5:15 p.m. to pick Chance up. Thomas leaves the house at 7 a.m., drops Chance off, and he doesn't get home to after 6 p.m., and they want him to work over a lot.
This means really long days for Chance -- and we could do before/after school care at school, but then he's there like 10+ hours a day ... And I didn't want children so they could be institutionalized -- I want to be part of his life.
I already work a reduced schedule -- 32 hours a week, off on Wednesdays. Some options I'm considering:
1) Keep juggling -- lots of kids have two parents that work and we do have help from family if there's a crisis.
2) Change my schedule to 30 hours a week (Keeps benefits) and work 7 - 1 p.m. Get home in time to pick Chance up from school and spend the afternoon with him or taking him to classes/practices/cub scouts/etc. This also means I have to drive instead of ride the van, which will increase my commuting costs to about $300 a month. So, I lose two hours of pay a month and increase my costs. That's the sucky part about this option.
3) Change my schedule to part-time and get insurance with Thomas' company. We don't know what they offer yet, and less than 30 hours a week means it's harder for me to justify the commute time and expense. Not to mention, don't know if my boss would go for it.
4) Quit and be a stay home mom. I really like this idea :-) But I'm also worried about finances, finances if something happens to Thomas or between me and Thomas, feeling as fulfilled intellectually, and on and on. Other than the first seven months when Chance was a baby, I have never not worked outside the home.
Since Thomas started his new job, it has been crazy trying to balance things with Chance. We were really spoiled that for the past 3.5 years of Chance's 5 year life, Thomas had been either working from home as a contractor or at home because he was unemployed. I knew it gave us flexibility with the munchkin's schedule, but I didn't really realize how much flexibility.
I leave the house at 6 a.m. and get to day care at about 5:15 p.m. to pick Chance up. Thomas leaves the house at 7 a.m., drops Chance off, and he doesn't get home to after 6 p.m., and they want him to work over a lot.
This means really long days for Chance -- and we could do before/after school care at school, but then he's there like 10+ hours a day ... And I didn't want children so they could be institutionalized -- I want to be part of his life.
I already work a reduced schedule -- 32 hours a week, off on Wednesdays. Some options I'm considering:
1) Keep juggling -- lots of kids have two parents that work and we do have help from family if there's a crisis.
2) Change my schedule to 30 hours a week (Keeps benefits) and work 7 - 1 p.m. Get home in time to pick Chance up from school and spend the afternoon with him or taking him to classes/practices/cub scouts/etc. This also means I have to drive instead of ride the van, which will increase my commuting costs to about $300 a month. So, I lose two hours of pay a month and increase my costs. That's the sucky part about this option.
3) Change my schedule to part-time and get insurance with Thomas' company. We don't know what they offer yet, and less than 30 hours a week means it's harder for me to justify the commute time and expense. Not to mention, don't know if my boss would go for it.
4) Quit and be a stay home mom. I really like this idea :-) But I'm also worried about finances, finances if something happens to Thomas or between me and Thomas, feeling as fulfilled intellectually, and on and on. Other than the first seven months when Chance was a baby, I have never not worked outside the home.