Re: Digest Number 2213 (working part time)

[Guest guest]

> This has worked for me. My kids are 16 and 20 (and she's away at

college

> most of the year), but I still work part-time. From the time my

son was

> diagnosed (after HiB meningitis) 15 years agao until he was in

1st grade I

> did not work at all. When he started 1st grade, I started working

> part-time-I am an accountant, so it's a very easy field to find

part-time

> work. I work 18 hours a week and I have appreciated being able to

be

> involved with both of them. And now that I certainly could, I

have NO

> desire to return to full time work. Part-time has been the best

of both

> worlds for me. My husband also has a very flexible schedule (he

manages our

> 80 acre avocado farm) and probably only works 20 or so hours a

week, so he

> was also very involved in the day to day stuff.

>

> Having said all that, I think it is very possible to successfully

raise kids

> and work full time-and it happens all the time.

>

> Joan

Joan,

You are very lucky to have a career where you can work as much or as

little as you like! I really wish that when I was 22 years old and

choosing a career, someone would have said to me, " Some day you will

have a child who will need extra attention. Try and pick a

fulfilling career where you can decide to work part time if you want

to. " Of course, maybe someone (probably several people!) did say at

least the second part, but did I listen? Of course not! I already

knew everything! :-)

It wouldn't impossible to do my old job part time. I have tried

teaching part time (that's half of my old job, but doesn't include

the research which I enjoyed most.) However, because the class met

at night, it didn't really fit our schedule. It cut into prime

homework time for the kids, so after 2 semesters, I quit. I think

some day I will find an ideal part time job. It might involve some

retraining, but it would be fun to do something different anyway.

In the mean time, I do a fair bit of volunteering at my kids' school

and some volunteer writing. It keeps my mind active and is a good

way to be in touch with what is going on at school.

Lydia

P.S. I love avocados! Are you in California? I remember not

knowing how to peel one when we moved to CA, but I learned fast!