How many hours do you work a week? - Page 2

[hulamama]

The thing I don't think most people understand, is that at 40 hours--7.5 there and more at home--I am still spending tons less in my room afterschool than I used to. (AND feeling intensely guilty about it too......) I used to stay 10 hours--and still not feel that everything was done. Since I had dd, I leave right when I can 4/5 of the time.....and have given up the perfect teacher thing. It sucks. I really want to be that person--but you CAN'T and be a good parent. Teaching requires much more time to be like they show in the movies....it is so unrealistic to think you can leave and be done after 7.5 hours!....ok, back to your regularly scheduled post....just had to get that guilt off my chest.

[Hannah's Mom]

I work 40-45 hours per week plus a 40-minute commute each way. Funny thing is that after leaving private practice (I'm now an attorney with Legal Aid), it feels like an easier schedule. Of course, it is way too much time away from DD. I wish I could be a SAHM or at least work PT but bc of student loans, I can't.

[delighted.mama]

Hi! I currently work between 30-35 hours. Technically, my job is a 40 hour a week job, but I have been cutting the time short for approx the last year. When its very busy, then it is a 40 hour week. Now that dd is bigger, however, I REALLY want to be with her more, so I'm looking into part-time options. Hopefully, I'll only be working about 20-25 hours part time. We'll see.......

Libby

[Threefold]

I hear ya Shannon.
Before I had ds, I could spend as much time prepping as I did teaching, so, let's see, 7.5 x 2 and that makes my hourly rate, what?!?
Fortunately, I've had an easy time leaving at 3:30 these past two years. Nothing seems to keep me from ds!

[Jazmommie]

I worked 44 hours in 2 weeks last pay check-I work Saturday & Sunday-about 10 -11 hours a day-
My mom is next door & watches my dd-the boys are old enough to stay home -
I have worked weekends only (8 hour shifts for 12 years--10-11 hour shifts for 1 year)==13 years !!!

I was getting time & 1/2 even for the 8 hour shifts!Long time employee I was for them.

Now I can work a few hours at home for extra $ so I can pay off
those credit cards !!!!

Does anyone feel parttime is the best of both worlds OR like you can not be a good enough mom when home-& not a good enough worker-YKWIM?

[1jooj]

I can feel the potential for the "best of both worlds" scenario--I already like being back in the place where I make a little $$. Even though it's not nearly what I used to make, I feel like I'm a little more in control of finances. I also like the external feedback--pats on the back, lunch with the boss, etc--that my $$ job gives me. I just having a hard time "giving up" some of my standards for the house and our food, and I am having to reach waaay down inside me to find the energy for it.
So, for now, I feel some guilt--although, honestly, while I love being with ds more than anyone, I have found he has learned a lot (good stuff too) being around a house full of little kids (my sister keeps him ~20hrs/week, and she has 4 of her own and plently of play dates). And I do feel less burned out about being Momma.
So, I do feel like this is the best set-up for us, but I feel as though I have yet to succeed in realizing our potential.

[artgirl]

best of both worlds or half there everywhere

I think it depends on the day. But that's because I have a job that feeds my soul for the most part instead of one that sucks it dry. I'm a creative director/graphic designer and I get really happy when I am successfully creative. So if I had to give it up I think I would lose something... ALTHOUGH I could paint more if I didn't have to work And that is really my dream...to be a successful artist.
But dd feeds my soul also. So I'm distressed to have to leave her.
On a good day I do something great at work, I pick up dd and I'm a better mother because of it. On a bad day I bring the stress from work home and maybe have less patience or am distracted as a mother.
Okay... I guess there are a lot of scenarios... maybe I have a bad day at work but dd is in a happy mood when I get her afterwards and she brings the sunshine back into my day... ??
Ideally I'm more creative because of my time with dd and a better mother because of my time creating. Of course it depends on the day... and I think I said that right in the beginning. Sorry to torture anyone who bothered to read this with such loose association.

[Liz]

Artgirl - I'm a product designer. I gave up my not bad paying, highly stressful 'real' job as an in-house designer and now work from home. I find the work more creative (less admin stuff) and so much less stressful. My ds is still with a babysitter 40 hrs a week but I don't have to rush to get him there in the morning and I actually have time to make dinner in the evening. I probably work about 30 hrs a week although this week I just can't seem to accomplish anything. Anyway, seeing as you're a designer and freelancing is so common in our field, couldn't you work from home? An obvious suggestion but I just thought I'd throw it out there.

[squeakermansmom]

i will be working about 25 hours a week (i start in 2 weeks). it's amazing how much inner conflict i still have about working. on some days i think it will be good for me to get out of the house, interact with other people, and also good for ds (12 months) to interact with other kids and spend some alone time with Daddy (dh will watch him part of the time that i'm at work, and he will go to a sitter with 2 children of her own for about 3 hours/day, once or twice a week). then there are other days that ds is being soooo cute and i think he's only young once.....those are the times i wish we could afford for me to be a sahm. we are working towards being in a better situation for when baby #2 comes along (maybe 1-2years). until then, i will try to see the benefits (for me and ds) of working part-time and be secretly envious of all those moms who can afford to stay home!

[indiegirl]

Right now I'm on maternity leave (so that means working 24/7 LOL), but during my normal work week I am at school from 7am-2:45--my regular contract is 40 hours but I also direct the fall and spring plays. So 12 weeks out of the school year I am there until at least five o'clock. Except for the actual performances--then I don't get home until after 10pm.

Don't even get me started on grading, creating curriculum, special education meetings and paperwork.

Ug. Do I have to go back???

Jesse

[Threefold]

Jesse-
7am?! How do you do it? I have to be at school by 8:05 and its all I can do to get out of the house by 7:30 (I have a 25 min. commute). I wish you didn't have to go back, but your big "kids" will be glad to see you.
Jazmommie--some days it the best of both worlds and others I feel like I can't get anything done anywhere. Even "just" two days a week really throws things off--dinner is catcah as catch can on those days and the house goes to pot, then just by the time we're recovering, boom, it's a work day for mama again!

[1jooj]

I second that! I work at the office 2 days in a row--Wed and Thurs--and Fridays are my "try to make this place look more like a home and less like a landing strip" days. I cook like a crazy woman on Tuesday, so we'll have lots of good foods for the two days.

I just don't know how you teacher-mamas do it. I've worked as a trainer, and I agree that the prep time is an absolute MUST. It's really too bad more teachers can't co-op or job share. Of course, one would ask whether you'd really WANT to...

So, do you teacher mamas have good support at home? My dh is supportive (yesterday I got 4 whole hours of work time in a row!!!), but he's very Old World--as am I in many ways. You know? I can't count on him to do a lot of my household work. If he could do laundry, or cook a decent meal, or play with ds without leaving a HUGE mess, I juest feel like my stress would be lessened a lot.

[Indigomama]

30 - 50 hours a week... depending on the week.... Pay is always the same unfortunately.

The good thing is that usually the 30 hours is at work, and the rest is at home whenever...... sometimes it's conference calls in the middle of the night (we do a lot of business with Japan) or it's going through email after ds is in bed.

I can basically make my own schedule as long as I'm getting most of the stuff done (like who ever gets EVERYTHING done?) no one complains. If someone gives me a hard time, I point out all the resources our company dedicates to teleconferencing availability... emeetings. That usually shuts them up quick.

Sometimes it feels like too much, but more so because I never have any time for myself. I rush home everyday to be with ds, but because I'm away during the day, I feel as if I can't take time off.....plus what time I could squeeze in after ds is in bed... is work so I can be with ds more during the day. Argh! It will get better.

[Betsy]

Another graphic designer here

I work 32 hours per week at the office. Fridays are my day off to do grocery shopping for the week, car repairs, etc etc. Weekends are entirely for my ds and dd. They'd like more of my time especially by Thursday, but its a careful balance because I too love the work I do.

Everything artmama said is true for me too, though I'm not destined to be a painter - I love the graphic arts. So I try hard to keep life simple so that my time at home is not filled with busywork - things that don't really matter. I'm always comparing whatever I'm doing to time with the little ones. It keeps me focused and connected.

I've lost some pay and opportunities due to not working 40+ hours a week, but its a price I'm not going to complain about. I'm just glad I have a great job and a great family with time to do both well.

[MamaKoala]

We have a sitter 24 hrs/week...and i am out of the house maybe 20 hours a week....that's about the minimum I can handle right now, since I am an acupuncturist and (yay!!!) my business is taking off. I actually need about 4 more hours per week to do paperwork (especially during tax time--UGH!), but I feel guilty about it, plus we can't really afford it.