WOHM - Why do you work? - Page 4

[deb_n]

Well, I am really somewhere between hating and enjoying my job, depending on the day. But I loved my career, which began in healthcare as an RN, then moved into clinical information systems to fulfill my geek drive. When I became pregnant with ds, I was travelling 100% for a large software company implementing systems. But after maternity leave, I was told to get back on the road or leave. And for me, there was only one choice...imagine breastfeeding by Fed Ex?? I actually did think that I could cut back my travel to occasionally if I could switch to another division, but I never knew how that bond would change me....I can't imagine a night without my ds, 20 months later!

After a few desperate months, I went back to work FT while dh has been struggling to find a decent job. I married him for his kind and nurturing soul, not his drive to succeed, alas! I found a local job doing the same thing, but can only give so much now, and would leave it in a second if the finances ever allow...I love every minute with my ds!

[tracymom]

I voted necessary and yes

simply because right now we're spending what we make, though I'm not convinced that we COULDN'T find a way to make it on one income. I just resigned as director of our local office because I just could not handle the stress, and I'm already missing THAT nice fat paycheck, but it was definitely a lesson in "if you make more, you spend more." Boy, was that ever true for us.

At any rate, I was lucky that my boss values me enough to create a position for me which utilizes my teaching and mentoring talents a lot better than the human resources/client stuff which was taking up so much of my time before. I was definitely out of my comfort zone and much of the stress is relieved, which makes for a far better home life now.

Still, I've been working full time for 15 years, since I was 22, (with only one 18-month interval of PT work after second DS was born) and I'm frankly a little tired of the juggling and sometimes wish to go back to PT so I could do more "mommy" stuff, particularly now that oldest DS is in school. I'd also like to get back to writing, which was so important to me all my life and which I essentially abandoned after DS #2 came along and there was NO time left for me. If I'm honest, I have a lazy streak a mile wide and sometimes just want to indulge it. Guess I gave all that up when I became a mommy, though!