tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154009.post2437223824708835635..comments2023-10-30T04:41:01.066-07:00Comments on Confessions From A Stay At Homo (SAHM): Priorities or Neuroses?giddingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02999401177122785401noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154009.post-36100007213893383632009-02-10T15:12:00.000-08:002009-02-10T15:12:00.000-08:00I reckon I think about our family version of this ...I reckon I think about our family version of this every day. <BR/>Wifey relinquished a successful career to become full-time hands-on carer. I work full-time in a demanding job to bank roll us all. At times the grass is greener for both of us. Wifey regrets the sacrifice of her career. I miss out on being with our children. Feelings compounded by our respective roles being determined by the earning potential society attaches to my job.<BR/>We choose this as it means that one of us, at least, supports our children practically and emotionally as we expose them to the fullest range of childhood experience. We have four children: aged 8,4 and 2 year old twins. At times the skill of time management seems impossible; our lives are very full and very busy.<BR/>However, perhaps the biggest challenge for us two parents has been in finding satisfaction and fulfilment in our respective roles. Our physical and emotional comfort zones have been redefined over and over. Embracing this challenge has been a great source of fulfilment in itself. <BR/>Our choice to parent this way is fuelled and sustained by many different things- including childhood experience of emotionally or physically absent parents.<BR/>Perhaps it all depends on your definition of sanity or insanity: a well seasoned debate over the years!<BR/>Apologies for the lengthy comment- but one final point have you considered the importance of being around (and the impact of this on your availability for work) for the time he is at nursery/school?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154009.post-28414204713047918742009-02-06T17:00:00.000-08:002009-02-06T17:00:00.000-08:00Work life balance? You mean, balance can/could/mi...Work life balance? You mean, balance can/could/might be achieved? <BR/><BR/>Not happening for me.<BR/><BR/>I botch just about everything but childcare, which I do 75% of the time. Now if I go and calculate and find that the time I spend caring for one or both kids (&/or downstairs cousins) is any <I>less</I> than 75% of the time, the cause of the inequity will either be (a) my mathematical ineptitude, (b) my inability to judge time or priorities accurately, (c) the disproportionate amount of energy childcare feels like it takes up, or (d) all of the above.<BR/><BR/>Sigh. This whole work/life balance thing seems to be utterly chimerical. I'm trying to work on my outlook instead of my hours. Will send up a flare if/when I manage to lasso either one.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154009.post-19428288596952457222009-01-30T10:19:00.000-08:002009-01-30T10:19:00.000-08:00my thought: both the hardest and best time of my l...my thought: both the hardest and best time of my lifeMaMaMiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05833714576368911539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154009.post-58085795142900043312009-01-28T18:31:00.000-08:002009-01-28T18:31:00.000-08:00My empirical results on Niceness in Brooklynites ...My empirical results on Niceness in Brooklynites is based on quite a small sample (2) plus, you all aren't KNOWN for being nice like us Minnesotans now, are you?giddingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02999401177122785401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154009.post-61034878262732262922009-01-28T17:29:00.001-08:002009-01-28T17:29:00.001-08:00I think it's impossible. And, I think that we alw...I think it's impossible. And, I think that we always think we're not cutting it.<BR/><BR/>I once thought you could have both - have a wildly successful career and be supermom. Now that I have a career and have kids, I know that there would have to be more than 168 hours in a week to achieve that success. I think you can be good. Sometimes I think you can be great. But you'll always feel unsatisfied or that you're failing one thing or another. <BR/><BR/>But, really, I'm a pessimist with perfectionist tendencies.Gus&Ottohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08375764957301291503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154009.post-88025725233223341882009-01-28T11:32:00.000-08:002009-01-28T11:32:00.000-08:00Hey -- we have nice people here (well at least in ...Hey -- we have nice people here (well at least in Brooklyn, I can't be as indignant about Manhattan even though it is E's birth place). Ridiculous real estate, yes, but nice people too! <BR/><BR/>xoxo from Brooklyn!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com