Would you WOH if you didn't have to?

[Murihiku]

Say your fairy godmother appeared and gave you a choice:

"I can make it so that you win a monthly prize until you're 65 that is exactly equal to your current monthly wage/salary including any bonuses or promotions you might get, but you have to give up work to get it. Or you can just stay at your job, which I can guarantee you won't lose until you retire at 65."

What would you choose? (And you don't have to tell anyone about the offer.)

I'd choose the job.

[doctormom]

I love my job, and I love that I have the flexibility to work part-time. I'd definitely keep the job.

If I had to choose between full-time work and the money...that's a much harder choice...
I think then I'd take the money...would the fairy godmother allow me to volunteer at a nonprofit?

[4Blessings]

I would choose my children. That's the ultimate prize isn't it?

[major_mama11]

Eh, I like my job well enough, and I feel fortunate to have it, but with a guarantee like that? I'd quit my job in a heartbeat.

[Murihiku]

Originally Posted by Proud2BeAnAmerican

I would choose my children. That's the ultimate prize isn't it?

I'd say that for me children are the ultimate good but not the ultimate prize. I was lucky enough to conceive both my children the first time I tried, but I had to work hard for 12 years to get the job I have now.

I also believe that for me, choosing the job is choosing a happier and thus better mother for my children.

[2xy]

Originally Posted by Murihiku

"I can make it so that you win a monthly prize until you're 65 that is exactly equal to your current monthly wage/salary including any bonuses or promotions you might get, but you have to give up work to get it. Or you can just stay at your job, which I can guarantee you won't lose until you retire at 65."

Well, right now I'm working and also in school, hoping to get a real job one day. The amount I make at work each month is barely enough to make ends meet, so I sure wouldn't want to deal with a tiny income like that for another 27 years.

Nor do I want to be doing what I'm doing for just as long.

I'd keep my job, stay in school, and aim to eventually have a decent income.

My kids are older and I've already put myself on the back burner for a number of years so I could be home with them. I gave up a career in order to be a homeschool mom (which I was happy to do). I didn't anticipate being left by their father. I want to be doing well financially at some point so as not to burden my kids when they're grown.

[Attached Mama]

no way I'd keep a job I didn't have to - to me I keep bz all day long working at home w/o it being a separate paid job. I agree with the pp that my kids are the ultimate prize.

[Evan&Anna's_Mom]

I have discovered that I am happiest if I have A job, but I'm not sure if I would keep THIS job given an offer like that. I would probably jump at offer and then commit to a regular volunteer/save the world sort of thing.

[BugMacGee]

I might work less, but I'd remain employed.

I had someone tell me today, "What a great job you have!" And I do! :

[sadean]

Originally Posted by Evan&Anna's_Mom

I have discovered that I am happiest if I have A job, but I'm not sure if I would keep THIS job given an offer like that. I would probably jump at offer and then commit to a regular volunteer/save the world sort of thing.

This exactly.

[GuildJenn]

If you could I'd take the money and then do something pretty darn close to what I do now, for fewer hours on my own projects.

[alicia622]

I'd quit my job immediately!

[1jooj]

I'd walk.

There are about a hundred things I am waiting to do, but those 40 hours a week are spoken for. (I only work 32, but the prep, drive and daycare time eats my life too).

[springmama]

I love my job but I'd rather SAH with my kids. I feel so conflicted about working - I only do it because we CAN'T live off of dh's income alone anymore.

[Qestia]

I love my job, but I'd take that offer even if I didn't have kids. I'd exercise more, cook from scratch, garden, play piano, write a novel, actually decorate our house, you name it.

[mclisa]

I love my job, but I would take the money. I could use the money to be more flexible with my time while the kids are little. I could easily find opportunities to volunteer at their school or other places so I could feel useful.

[CatsCradle]

Way back before we had DD, I worked in the arts (theatre and visual) but was tired of scrambling and being poor, poor, poor. DH and I decided that I would get a professional degree which would allow me to contribute more to the household income. I got that degree, got the professional job with the professional level salary, and then SURPRISE, DD came along. I'm still working in that profession with its good salary, etc., but if I had the financial ability to go back to making art, puppets, working in theatre, etc., I'd do it in a second. Doesn't mean that I wouldn't be working outside the home, just means that I would have the flexibility and financial wherewithall to do what I want. I'd love to have the time to take DD around the world, bike across America, train for a triatholon, teach printmaking and bookmaking classes to kids who can't afford it.

So in essence, having the money wouldn't be about the ability to quit working outside the home, it would be about creating the lifestyle and the work that I've always dreamt of for me and my family.

No offense to the OP, but I didn't vote because I feel I fit into some third category: take the money and do the type of work I really would like to be doing right now. That of course, would include flexibility, ability to make my own schedule, ability to include DD in my work and adventures. I wish I could do that in my current position but it just isn't the nature of the beast.

[ShadowMoon]

I would keep a job but not necessarily the one I am currently doing. (If I assume the fairy godmother would allow me to take the prize money and work somewhere else )

[Alyantavid]

I'd quit. I don't have some wonderful fulfilling career. I have a job that I don't have any feelings, good or bad, for. Right now I work because I have to, if I could, I would quit and stay home with my kids. I know at some point down the road, I would want to start doing something again but not full time.

[therdogg]

Quit, work half-time.