The Bride has been on maternity leave since the baby was born. (Wow, 10 weeks ago today, where does the time go?) It's been a blessing. My wife is a natural. She is nursing so being at home this long has certainly been a awesome. Their time together every day is well spent. They take walks, friends come to visit, both of our mothers have been over many times. It's a perfect setup...
Then you consider finances and the long-term security of the family. urgh! Why do we have to have money to make the world go round? Our rock and hard place is that my wife makes more than I do. Not just a little, a significant amount. She also really enjoys her job. Me...not so much. While I am doing fine financially, I really don't enjoy what I do. I am more of a go out and get em markeing/business guy, not a sit in front of a computer for a megga-corp guy. I did not choose this job, the failing music industry in Nashville chose it for me. All that to say, we don't want to put our baby girl in daycare for the first 2 years of her life. This is not a judgement to anyone that does, we know daycare certainly has its advantages. It's just not what we want to do. So, do we give up the enjoyable job and higher pay so that momma can be home with her baby girl or do we become new millineum cool and I stay at home while momma goes off to work. Both options would work for us, it'sjust WHAT IS THE RIGHT DECISION?
Prayers are appreciated for us.
Hey bro. I have checked out your tweets before and I decided to check out your blog today while in the waiting area to my 4 year's doctor's appt. Though the decision is up to you guys, I would go with the strengths going for you as a family. Your wife loves what she does and she gets pays nicely for her talents and abilities. You, on the otherhand, sound like you are looking for change. If an opportunity that caters to your internal clock came before you and you could work at home, I bet you would do it! I have been where you are. I am now blessed doing something that catered to my desire to get out of the "9-5 rat pack" corporate culture so I can daily be there for my son, as opposed to coming home at 6:30 in the evening tired and exhausted. What type of life is that?! Hey, if you want to contact me to hear more about my story, I'd love to share. It could be of some help to you in your decision. -Glenn
ReplyDeleteIt is a tough decision. I worked full time for about 2 years after my son was born, then through life's ups & downs I am now very part time. I was disappointed for quite some time and missed the income.....however, there are so many moments in my son's life that I have been present for that I would not trade if given the chance to go back.
ReplyDeleteHey man, found you randomly through twitter. Dad of two myself (3yo girl, & 5mo boy). I was laid off two months before our first was born from a steady job making the same as my wife. She does our finances and figured out a way to make it work if one of us stayed home (though I looked for a job over the course of the first year anyway much to her chagrin...but it was 2008). She very much wanted one of us at home with our kid(s), and while I somewhat agreed, I wasn't nearly as passionate about avoiding daycare as she was. However, I'm a home-body. I liked work fine, but I liked five o'clock better. For me, it's a perfect fit being at home with our kids. And over the course of the past three years I've built a business that I kind of fell into filming weddings. So I work on the weekends, and edit during naps and after the kids are in bed. It's not our 'forever' situation, but we're loving life right now.
ReplyDeleteAgreeing with what Glenn said above, it sounds to me like you're not in a position you want to stick with anyway, so maybe you could give the SAHD gig a shot, and if you don't like it, look for another job that you would enjoy.
One warning: My wife desperately wanted to get back to her job, she is NOT a home-body and loves what she does, but that didn't make the first two weeks back at work any easier. Just give her plenty of time with your daughter when she gets home (I'm sure you'll be ready to anyway). ;)
Best of luck with whatever you decide!