When my oldest daughter was born in 2006, I took my measly 15 weeks (I added a few vacation days and sick days to extend it a bit) of mat leave and returned to my desk to sell semiconductors. I enjoyed this, at the time, the seminductor sales. I was decent enough at it, and I took home a more than average paycheck each week.
Then the redneck deer-hunting new boss took over, and I decided making no money was better than that money. So I stayed home while baby #2 baked, and I started my little business and blogged in my spare time.
And so it went until January of 2010 when I started to get restless. That being the case, I began my quest to find the "perfect" job. One that would engage my intellect (that I hadn't paid much attention to in a while), one that would pay at least as much as my nanny cost, and one that would allow me the flexibility I needed in order to feel good about my parenting.
Without judgement, I think it's kind of wasteful to pop out your kids, then see them for an hour a day. I know, some people can't help it, and I get that. But if you can help it - then why? I too require stimulation outside of my children's need for help tying shoelaces and buckling into carseats. I too desire the freedom to lunch with peers instead of tears, and attend meetings about things other than whether the school day should be lengthened by 30 minutes. But I also embrace the fact that I have put myself in the position where I can have both.
Part-time jobs ROCK for moms, as far as I'm concerned. Sure, my paycheck has FAR less zeros on it than it once did. Sure, I'm not first insofar as travel, and other perks. After all, I'm merely the part-time help.
But this morning there was a sukkah party at my daughters' school. It was at 8:30 and I went. And not just that, I make every doctor's appointment. Every single one. I take them on playdates, drop them off at school each day, and still I get to be Jill instead of simply Mom for a few hours most days.
See? You can have your cake and eat it too. I'm living proof. And you can eat the cake slowly, might I add, with no kids yelling at you from the bathroom that they're done, and to please come wipe them. :)
BTW, don't forget to cast your vote for the Avocado League - just follow the links in the post above!!
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