What would it take to convince me to take a full time job? Honestly - a lot! I have never been shy to working and will always pursue "work" to keep me busy and my life enriched - but to go back to working a 8am-5pm Mon-Fri schedule would be suffocating. Like many moms (or dads) who have the luxury of being at home with their kids more, I have come to appreciate my days at home ((like today)) and the flexibility to come and go as I please.
When I am teaching - I'm dedicated and focused for two days. Then I am home or moving on to the next job. There really isn't a monotonous routine, I meet several great people every week, and I don't have to worry about someone seeing I have worn the same outfit this week twice! (Because believe me my husband wouldn't notice except that the laundry pile was slightly smaller!) I have had the great pleasure to work for several different companies now - representing their business and providing a great class for their clients. And I have made many more contacts across the province now since I started contracting myself out to training companies.
Don't get me wrong - we can't afford for me NOT to work. But we can afford for me to be home more. Less travel, less day care costs, less work-expense costs. This would not have been possible a few years ago, but with Jeremy's success with his job, we have found things have become a little easier. I also like to challenge ourselves to see if we can live comfortably with one income (plus whatever I can make) so that we can have the luxury of one of us home for the kids more and live a less "keeping up with the Jones' life.
Being home is not without it's challenges. And I definitely don't have the patience to be home everyday, all day. I love my kids - but I love my independence too! Plus I would have to figure out things to keep me busy here and the yard is just not an interest of mine. But being home every so often has allowed me to catch up on things and to have a little down time with the kids. I'm not super mom. I have it easy because my girls are very independent and play with themselves for hours. But it is still nice to be with them and pause my tasks to play or jump on the trampoline or make a batch of cookies. Every day is busy but that is the point.
I get a little freaked out that I am not where I thought I would be in life. No full time, management job. No pension. No RRSP plan. No benefits. But I have time. And flexibility to use it as I need. And I have more things that mean more to me that all those work-benefits - my gym time, my time in the kitchen, my cuddle time with the kids, time to visit a friend this afternoon, time to book dentist/doctor/massage/hair/volunteer appointments, time to go to the spray park, time to go for a walk to the post office and time to be whatever it is I need to be that day. So given all the things I am coming to realize are very important to me....I'd say I would be giving up a lot to go back to working full time.
Not that I would never consider it. But the further I go away from it, the less likely I think it will happen. I also often remind myself that the jobs that I had that were strict, full-time, demanding management jobs - my marriage, my health, and my attention to other things was by far at its worst. So - the right job, for the right person, the right atmosphere and purpose, and with the right freedoms may come around...but until then - I'll keep myself busy and I'll explore ways to build my business and reputation.
I don't know where this will all lead to - but for right now I guess I better accept that it is what I need and what my family needs. And although I have no fancy title behind my name - I still consider myself to be a "working mom".
Plus - who wants to start a full time job right before the summer ?????
No comments:
Post a Comment