To Go Back to Work Full Time or Part Time ... That Is the Question!

Wow! I see lots of great ideas to help you! I love this site! I am also in a stay at home business and the thing that I like about it is that it helps my family eat better and I make some money. I would definately try some of the stay at home options if I were you.
I guess choce #2 would be to work weekends while dad is home. I did the thing where we both worked full time and it was hard. I felt like my sitter-who was great- saw so many "firsts" that I missed.
Let me know if you want to hear more about what I do.
____@____.com
Best of luck with the little ones!

Ugh. . . it's tough. . . I say, if you get a good job offer, in this economy, take it! I've chosen to stay employed, knowing that I may not have a job down the road. . . nothing's permanent!

If you love being a SAHM then I would suggest trying to maintain that. Have you thought about starting your own business? You sound like you have a great business background, and the Small Business Association offers great loans for women. You may even find that you can have the best of both worlds: time with your kids and a good income. How about an independent marketing consultant to small businesses? You could work from home without a lot of start up capital.

I recently heard a radio broadcast where Jonni McCoy talked about her book "Miserly Moms". She was working, but really wanted to stay home, so changed a lot of their family's lifestyle, etc. I haven't gotten the book yet, but the interview was great - full of thought provoking ideas. For instance, besides childcare, there are a lot of other "hidden" costs of going back to work: wardrobe, car expenses (more gas and more frequent repairs), food bill often increases because of more lunches out and more dinners out because everyone is too tired to cook. Those are a lot of things I hadn't thought about!

I work about 12 hours per week teaching private music lessons - 6 hours are in my home when my hubby is here with our LO and then I'm one full day at a university while our adopted "grandma" stays with her. It works for us...I take a lunch to work and try to plan out an easy dinner so I won't be tempted to eat out that day. But, I cant imagine doing it every day - even with just the one day away from home, I see my tendencies to have a shorter fuse because I'm tired.

My thought? Check into some stay-at-home and work options - or do the part-time thing so that you can be with you LO more. But really...check out some of those "penny pinching" options too. I'm the oldest of 4 and my daddy was (and still is) a pastor. My mom stayed home until I was in HS and the youngest was in school (she is a pharmacist), but even then she worked on my dad's day off and then one other half day, ending with the school day. Before she went back to work? Yep, we were pretty poor. Found out after we were grown that my dad sold his college/hs class rings to pay for Christmas presents one year. We didn't go on exotic vacations (often went with family - which is what my family does now!) or out to dinner very often...but, you know what? We were really happy. I know when I was a kid I wished we could have done more, but as an adult, I am so thankful that my parents passed down the value of "together".

Just my 2 cents...hopefully a few new ideas to consider. :)

Take care,
R. G.

I'm in advertising too and would love to be home with my kids. It just doesn't seem to happen. I'm actually looking to change careers so that I can. I work full time, get up at 5a every morning, pick my kids up at 530p each night and I hate it. I know some women love the "balance"...for me I feel stretched, tired and that companies generally say how great and imporant family is, but what they really mean is as long as you put work first.

My vote is if you can swing it, do the part time gig. It means your weekends suffer, but if that's only for a year before your husband's job pays out more, maybe it's overall worth it.

Either way, good luck! Trying to find that right balance and do the right thing by everyone is always so hard!
-M

PS...just read more posts and I have to say to some of the ladies...sometimes you just can't make it work on one salary...I hate it when people suggest to me if I just "cut back in places"...really? Where? My mortgage? The electric bill? How about groceries...? We're as cut back as we could make it without moving away from the state which I'm not about to do, so please folks, come up with a better suggestion! And as for another person raising your baby, my issues with working don't come from that...I've found my daycare providers to be wonderful people who have given so much to my kids and truly been a part of my "village"...I just want to be home with them...I believe I will be, but it's going to take me some time and a lot of effort which I'm doing...anyway, enough of my rant...just wanted to share.

Advertising and Marketing is a really tough field to be in right now! My husband was a hot shot art director at an ad agency and got laid off a couple of years ago, and STILL can't find a position in his field. He's currently working in completely different industry and making about 1/4 of what he was making. I've always worked part time so I could be home with my twin girls and we're managing on our shoestring budget. Like all the other posts, I agree that staying home (if that's what your heart wants) is doable on any budget. I think part time work or work from home is a great way to have it all. When your kids are grown, they'll remember the time you spent with them, not how many toys they had or how many stars their hotel room had when you were on vacation. Consider two that with 2 in day care, a pretty good percentage of what you make is going right back out the door. Is that really worth it?

Best of luck to you.
sg

L., I hear what you are saying. My husband and I made some BIG changes in our lives to be PARENTS and not just providers. When I got pregnant with my first child, we were both working. We had long discussions about what to do. She was born in Nov and I was asked to come back to work the following Sept (I was a teacher). We tried the "day care" thing for 3 months and I HATED IT (and it was only for 3 hours a day!). Someone else was holding my baby when she cried, someone else was tickling her toes (or worse NOT!) someone else got the smiles and the coos that were her trademark and that were meant for my husband and I. My husband and I made a decision, one of us had to stay home. At the time, I was earning more than him so he quit and became "Mr Mom".

It was hard. We gave up one vehicle, our cable, our vacation plans, and other "non-necessities". We did it for our baby. Because SHE was our priority. When we saw that things were getting a little tight, my husband took a nighttime post for 4 hours a night, from 8 PM to midnight. It brought in just enough to keep him home with our baby. When baby number 2 was born we were already into full swing of our routine. We even started to be "not so tight" with our money. I wasn't really making any more we just had a much simpler lifestyle. SOOOOO many of our friends couldn't believe that we were "making it". They were shocked! And needless to say, so were we. My daughters are 14 and 11 now, my husband is STILL a full time dad, my home based business teaching other moms to create the world they want (www.TheYummyMommy.com) is flourishing and we wouldn't have done it any other way. My girls are brilliant, well behaved, healthy and well adjusted. (no bias here! LOL)

L., my advice is this...DECIDE what is important and STICK with it. It will work, whatever you decide. Children are only young for a few short years. In my opinion there is NOTHING as important as raising children, your own children. I would challenge you to do whatever you can to stay home and be the mommy that your baby needs and wants. When baby number 2 comes along it will all be perfect. Trust me, I have been there.

If you want any tips, just ask ____@____.com.

B.
Family Success Coach

You really need to assess what is most important to *you* and make a decision based on that.

THAT said, I would always choose the option that allowed my child to be with a parent.

Hi L.,

I just wanted to toss an idea out to you - just in case it might be something you'd be interested in. I just started a new business with It Works. If you haven't heard of it it is because it's really new in CA. Our flagship product is a wrap designed to detoxify, firm, tighten and tone where applied. It reduces the appearance of cellulite and skin slackening. With dramatic and lasting results all of our products are herbal based and very economical! It's a really fun and instantly profitable home business. I didn't believe it would work but I lost inches in 45 minutes and so did everyone I've wrapped so far! It's exciting and fun.
Anyway, if you'd like to check into it my website is www.debidoeswraps.itworks.net.
Let me know if you'd like more info or have any questions.
Best of luck to you!
D.

As Dr. Laura would say, a parent at home always is good. Whether you work on the weekends or during the evenings, a parent should be home with your child. That really is the best way to work it. I just wouldn't want someone else taking care of my child all day. I know I would miss it terribly.
Hope this helps! Nothing can or should replace you or your husband and a nanny would!

Well, option A might not be the best for your marriage but if it's only temporary until your husband gets his increase, then I would do that. I think it's so important to have a parent home with baby!

tap your old network and see if you can find contract work (and a flexible babysitter). it will give you the short term employment that you need and you won't feel bad about bailing on the company to have your second baby.

Kuddos L. for placing your family and kids first! Second for working through your options!

I for one stayed home with my two children for 7 yrs and with NO regrets, however I wish I had the opportunity placed before me 6 years ago with a network marketing company such as ARBONNE, Pampered Chef etc.

I was introduced to ARBONNE out of my passion and intrigue with health and skin care and today LOVE all their products as do most all my family. Today, ARBONNE is #35 in the nation for its excellent products, service and commitment to PURE, SAFE and BENEFICIAL!

I just turned 50 and am LOVING my options!

Continue to pursue your most excellent career: MOM and check out my website if you are interested. Always do your own due diligence and follow your heart!! www.beautifulfreedom.myarbonne.com

Grateful for freedom of choice!
D.

Is there an Option C where you get part-time child care and work part-time closer to home during the week? In-home child care centers are a lot more affordable than a nanny, and might be a more viable option for you and your comfort level if it's only for, say, 2 days a week. And your little one might enjoy the social time.

Whatever you decide, good luck to you! It's a tough decision but you will make it work.

Have you heard of Scentsy the Wickless Candles? I'm a Scentsy Director and work from home with my business. I have been a Scentsy consultant for 2 years and LOVE IT! It pays our mortgage and car payment each month. The earning potential can be part time or full time salary. It's up to you! Check my website out at www.scentsy.com/dfw for more information, to join my team or to contact me. Our products sell themselve and we are growing at 300%. I would love to speak with you about this amazing company. Have a ScentSational Day!

C.
WWW.SCENTSY.COM/DFW

Hi L. and all the other mommas, I normally wouldn't reply to a question like this one, but I just could not not do it! Starting a business is great! But starting a business from home that has no overhead is even better!All you have to do is be open to learning about opportunities out there.That's what I (and husband) did. I can offer you testimonies from other stay at home moms who currently run a successful home-based business.Just let me know.Email me privately if you're interested.

I'd go w/option A- just so the extra much needed $ goes to u & ur family & not to a sitter. But if u decide to go w/opt B don't feel bad for telling ur employer about the new addition no matter the amount of time u've been with the company. Good luck with everything & congrads on the little one (when the time arrives!!)