Parenting & Work Hours

[Geodesic]

I am currently choosing between two jobs/career paths. I don't currently have kids but hope to in the next couple of years. I'm interested to hear from parents which work schedule they would prefer. If you could say why you made the choice you did and how old your kids are, it would be helpful.

Thanks!

ETA Additional Details Based on Questions/Remarks:

Parent #2's schedule is to be determined.

I wouldn't be working holidays at either job.

At Option #2 the number of weekend and/or evening hours that I work will be up to me, but if I am too restrictive, that most likely would mean missed income. (I'm not sure how many weekend and weekend hours I'll have to work a total of 40 hours per week, but I'm guessing that it wouldn't be more than 12-15.)

At Option #2, if something special came up on an evening or weekend, I could clear my schedule for that day and time.

 

[Southernmiss]

I am currently choosing between two jobs/career paths. I don't currently have kids but hope to in the next couple of years. I'm interested to hear from parents which work schedule they would prefer. If you could say why you made the choice you did and how old your kids are, it would be helpful.

Thanks!

What are the choices? Sorry. Didnt see the poll.

Dh had the 730 to 430 schedule when our oldest 2 were little. I dropped them off he picked them up. As they got older, we needed more flexibility and I took a part-time with some nights and weekends. This allows me to handle the daily during the week drop off and pick-up at school. We have never used after school care or summer care. I make the drs. Appointments and am available for after school activities. Dh rarely has to take off for the kids. Works for us.

Added: now that the kids are 11 and older, I am missing games and family time and would now like to go to 730 to 430 weekday hours. Hopefully in the next year or so I can

 

[Geodesic]

What are the choices? Sorry. Didnt see the poll.

The poll just went up. Thanks!

 

[ironpig70]

I'd prefer the Mon-Fri as I have done nights and weekends and most things in life happen then.

And when a job says some it usually means more than you would like and usually on the days you have plans.


I will say when my kids were young it was great as a parent was always home.

 

[happygirl]

I would rather set my own hours.

My main reasoning is holidays. I hate working holidays.

 

[Njord]

The first. A predictable schedule is much easier to plan childcare around.

 

[Southernmiss]

Op would you be a single parent? If not, what's the other parent's schedule?

 

[bellebud]

I didn't vote, because it depends on so much. But I'd say for when the kids are little, the opposite schedule of your spouse, so someone is generally home w/ the kids instead of using daycare.

Years later, when they're in school, I'd rather work their school hours so I was home with them when they were home.

The only thing is when one gets sick, you'll need a back up care giver, or someone has to take off of work.

 

[Geodesic]

Op would you be a single parent? If not, what's the other parent's schedule?

That's up in the air as well.

At Option #2 the number of weekend and/or evening hours that I work will be up to me, but if I am too restrictive, that most likely would mean missed income. However, if something special came up, I could clear my schedule for that day and time.

I wouldn't be working holidays at either job.

 

[SpartanMommy]

I voted to set my own schedule but it depends on a lot of factors. My DD is 8 months so right now I would choose to work at times DH could watch her as to limit day care. When she is older I would want to work M-F while she was in school.

 

[minkydog]

I couldn't vote both ways so I chose the flexible schedule with evenings and weekends. When our kids were little my DH worked a normal daytime schedule and I worked part-time evenings, nights and weekends. We did this to minimize the amount of daycare we needed for the kids. I knew that I would never be happy turning my kids over to someone else for many hours/week. This is no indictment of others who use daycare. All my sisters did. But it wasn't right for me. Instead, I cared for the kids during the day and DH took over in the evenings. It worked great for us and even enabled us to homeschool our kids for many years. Yes, we had to work around my schedule sometimes, but usually with a little creativity we managed to not miss major holidays, choir concerts and theater productions.

The only real serious by-product of working the flexible schedule was the toll it took on my health. As a result of working long hours of night shift in a hospital I was left with 2 sleep disorders, type 2 diabetes, ruined feet and knees, and obesity. So the decision was not without it's fallout. But I am satisfied that my kids have turned out well, in large part due to the fact that they nearly always had a parent around in their childhood. YMMV

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I think in an ideal world you'd have one of each. So one parent who can do a consistent daycare drop off, and daycare pick up, and be there all weekend, and one parent who can clear their schedule for sick days, field trips etc . . . .

I'll also say that my kid was in daycare from a very young age, and did great, but in an ideal world, I would have chosen reduced hours in care when he was under 3, and for a parent to be there when school got out from Kindergarten through High School. The "one of each" option seems like it would be most likely to allow that.

 

[disykat]

I think in an ideal world you'd have one of each. So one parent who can do a consistent daycare drop off, and daycare pick up, and be there all weekend, and one parent who can clear their schedule for sick days, field trips etc . . . .

.

This is what I was going to say too.

 

[lizabu]

I used to work 7-3:30. The only really had part is finding a daycare that opens before 7am. If the commute was not far or if the daycare was close to work it would probably be perfect. The majority of day cares open at 7. That still gives you a few minutes to get to work.

 

[StephMK]

How about benefits, long term security or career interest, and commute time? How family friendly is the workplace & would you enjoy either job? It is really hard to work a job you hate when you are away from your kids.

When mine were little, I worked PT days and DH worked nights. Grandparents filled in on the days that we overlapped. Now DH works 6-3 & I will be working 9-4 so that I can do morning drop off & he can pick up. We are in that stage where the kids can stay home alone if they are not too sick.

Without knowing more about your situation, I would pick setting my own hours because I like that flexibility and variety in a day.

 

[Caradana]

It's more about the what and less about the when to me. Which job puts you on a better path, career-wise?

 

[tvguy]

I worked graveyard shift (11pm to 7 am) M-F from before we had kids, until my youngest hit high school. DW worked 8 am to 5 pm M-F. Had about 30 minutes together as a family every morning, before DW headed off to work, kids to school, and me to bed, and about 4 1/2 hours each weekday evening. . My kids always had a parent available, and weekends were our family time. Once DW and I had a family, career took a backseat to everything.

Flexible hours and days could be nice, but I absolutely hate working weekends, too many family things happen on weekends. 34 years of full time working, only worked 1 year of weekends and it was the pits.

 

[Geodesic]

It's more about the what and less about the when to me. Which job puts you on a better path, career-wise?

They're equivalent.

How about benefits, long term security or career interest, and commute time?

There are a lot of different variables to weigh. However, I don't want to bias the responses. I just wanted to get feedback from parents on hours since I don't have firsthand experience in this area.

How family friendly is the workplace?

Option #2 would most likely be more family friendly.

 

[Geodesic]

I absolutely hate working weekends, too many family things happen on weekends. 34 years of full time working, only worked 1 year of weekends and it was the pits.

I've worked weekends for years, and it doesn't bother me much. But I'd imagine that I might feel differently once kids come into the picture.

 

[ilovefh]

I voted M-F 7:30-4:30. DH and I worked kind of opposite schedules when DS was born so he'd only have to be in daycare a few hours a day, 3 days per week. He'd drop him off on his way to work (between 12 and 4 depending on his schedule) and I'd pick him up at 5. I thought it was what I wanted but it put a strain on our family. We'd go 5 days without seeing each other awake. It just wasn't good for our relationship.

Now DH has a different job and we have different days off. I have weekends off and he has weekdays off. His hours are better so we get to spend more time together but not having weekends off stinks for my husband. He's almost always missing out on the fun things we do.