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Just wanted to share an article I ran across on being a working mom. Not surprisingly, they've concluded that working part time is the best option for mom. It seems mom is happiest and healthiest when she works part time.
It's nice to see a study that focuses on mom instead of our kids. In light of the fact mom is healtheir and happier working, I'm kind of surprised that studies on our children don't show a difference. More evidence that our kids adapt to and thrive in spite of this decision, which is a good thing.
It's too bad more companies don't have part time options. I was lucky enough to be able to work part time for the 3 1/2 years after dd#2 was born. I have to say those were very enjoyable years. I'm not sure they were worth the cost but they were enjoyable.
Last edited by Ivorytickler; 06-02-2012 at 04:06 AM..
Part-time employment tends to be cost-prohibitive to companies because their financial outlay is not proportionally diminished. A person may work half time, but her insurance premium (which the company pays most of, in companies that offer it) is not half the cost. Two half-timers have a greater environmental cost than of one full-timer when they work on site, although many companies are smartening up and allowing employees to work from home when possible. I've also read that PTers collectively can produce more than their equivalent FTers (2 FT vs 4 HT, for example), although obviously that will vary a lot.
Part-time jobs are hard to find, and sometime a PT job carries the expectation of FT output. I think that working PT would be great, although I don't see that happening at my current job. They eliminated one FT position in my department several months ago, and now I do most of his work as well as my own. In this economy, companies are all about the ROI. It's easy to dream about different jobs with cushy hours, but I am not about to give up a sure thing for a maybe and less money.
I wonder how common PT jobs are in white-collar, non-entry-level positions. I guess it depends on how much work you need. If you only need PT work to achieve results, I can see a company's cutting hours and pay to save themselves some money. However, if a job needs FT output, one employee tends to be cheaper than two.
I am curious if the study referenced in the article made a distinction between working a job vs. pursuing one's own career. I can imagine a large satisfaction difference between working a job part-time and continuing in one's field of choice part-time, which one would ostensibly find meaningful and/or rewarding. As per usual, applying group results with limited measured variables to individual cases is not going to be as predictive as it could be; particularly as I didn't see a description of the directionality of the effect (are mothers who are healthier and happier more likely to pursue P/T work or does P/T work increase health/happiness?). Although, on an anecdotal level, I can see the potential benefits of working part-time (as a "best of both worlds" scenario).
I know I would be happier if I could get out of the house part time. Whether that means a job or volunteering is irrelevant to me. Unfortunately, we just cannot afford childcare so I'll have to wait it out.
I think on the surface, working part time seems ideal. Actually doing it can be less than ideal, especially when kids are not yet in school. It is often either impossible to find part time child care, or more expensive hourly than full time care. Unfortunately there aren't a lot of career-type part time jobs, so the job itself is probably less satisfying, and probably doesn't pay very well.
I was fortunate enough to have the option to job share. the pay was the same, but the benefits were cut in half. So I could either opt out, or pay the difference. My job share partner paid the difference, and hardly made any money after that. I had to take a demotion in order to do this, so I didn't like my work nearly as much as when I was full time.
For me personally, I think I'm more of an all-in or all-out person.
The data they used to draw the conclusion was gathered from 1991 to 2001. I don't think staying home is the same now as it was in 1991, for one big reason...the internet. If you interviewed a bunch of SAHM's now, they would probably be happier and more fufilled than the moms in earlier decades.
I stayed home for 6 months in 2002, and I was bored out of my mind...but I didn't have the internet, cable, friends, places to go within walking distance, money to do anything, etc. When I quit working in 2005, I had the internet, a bunch of friends, a library and a bunch of stores within walking distance...it was entirely different from the first time I tried staying home.
The data they used to draw the conclusion was gathered from 1991 to 2001. I don't think staying home is the same now as it was in 1991, for one big reason...the internet. If you interviewed a bunch of SAHM's now, they would probably be happier and more fufilled than the moms in earlier decades.
I stayed home for 6 months in 2002, and I was bored out of my mind...but I didn't have the internet, cable, friends, places to go within walking distance, money to do anything, etc. When I quit working in 2005, I had the internet, a bunch of friends, a library and a bunch of stores within walking distance...it was entirely different from the first time I tried staying home.
I know I would be happier if I could get out of the house part time. Whether that means a job or volunteering is irrelevant to me. Unfortunately, we just cannot afford childcare so I'll have to wait it out.
What you need is to get your husband to watch the kids for at least one day a month, while you have time to catch up with friends and do things that you want to do. Motherhood is a job and every now and then, you need a day off.
I don't find that surprising. (I didn't read the article; I'm just agreeing with the premise.) I worked part-time when my son was a baby, and it was a decent balance between being home all day, every day, and being at work all day, 5 days per week. Then I stayed home full-time for several years when my daughter was born, to raise both kids and homeschool. Now I'm home (and still homeschooling at the moment), but working part-time on my own business. Right now I'm probably feeling the most fulfilled as a mother as I ever have, but on the other hand, my kids are bigger now and I'd have more freedom regardless. They're also going to try out a charter school this upcoming year, so that will be even more freedom and time for me to pursue my own career/goals/interests. It's all a balancing act, but you naturally get more time back once the kids are a bit older... babies/toddlers take constant effort!
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