Posted by: Amy Dunkin on December 21
“Full-time pay, part-time work!” Who wouldn’t want a job like that? What employer would be insane enough to offer it?
Yet for those of us with school-age children who have held on to the nannies/sitters we hired when our kids were babies, that’s in effect just what we do.
“The peace of mind premium” is what I call it. The price of knowing that when you are working, your children have that consistent, loving, completely trustworthy presence at home. Someone you don’t have to worry about, who will be there when they are sick or have a holiday from school or need chauffeuring around to activities in the afternoon, on days when you can’t be there because you must be at work.
It’s an expensive proposition, for sure, a luxury even. But then these are your kids you’re talking about. So you try to make it as financially viable as possible. You add new responsibilities and chores to the job description to fill in the time: more housekeeping duties, errands, meal preparation, things that are more valuable to you than they are to the kids.
You justify it in economic terms. When the kids were preschoolers and she was working virtually nonstop from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., it was an impossibly long day at relatively low pay. Now her overall hours are shorter and her wages are fairer. You can’t cut her salary because she needs the money to pay her mortgage, her bills, the babysitter for her own young child. If you did, if you said, “We’re going to pay you less because we need you less,” she’d find another job.
Still, I wonder. Our nanny, who was been with us for almost seven years, since right after my second son was born, can go to college full time, taking day and night classes, while she’s also working for us full time. She has the time to do it because I can’t possibly give her enough to do to fill all the hours. And there’s no purpose in making her sit in an empty house with nothing to do simply because we’re paying her to be there.
Friends have taken a different approach. They’ve given up the full-time sitter for au pairs, job-sharing arrangements, a hodgepodge of childcare situations that may involve after-school programs and the kindness of relatives and stay-at-home moms. I tried the latter once, when our nanny was on maternity leave last year. The increased stress level for me in having to rush home before the after-school program closed or cobbling together various arrangements was too much to bear.
So I fork out the full-time salary every week—and a full-time Christmas bonus this week—and I try not to count the hours she’s actually working. I know my kids are well taken care of and I can go about my professional business with peace of mind. It’s at a premium, yes. Part of it comes out of the college fund or the vacation budget, but I’m lucky I can afford it. Because that’s the way it has to be for now.
I, too, wish I could have stayed home with my 2 children. I would look for jobs that were part-time so I could take my children to school and pick them up. Times were tough many months, and we gave up my salary, but we felt like it was the best for our situation.
Because I wanted to be at home with my kids I found a way other parents could do the same.
And the best part was I was making our home a healthier, safer place by getting all the toxic chemicals out of our home. I never knew all the dangers in the chemicals and had no idea I could even get them cheaper than Walmart.
Anyone who would like to know more just let me know. I'll be glad to share this important information.
I'm a stay at home mom. Have been for the past 8-1/2 years. I've been looking for part time work during the day that will let me drop off and pick up my kids with out them even knowing I'm working. However, I have yet to find that perfect J-O-B. Any suggestions? Sincerely,
Stay at home forever? Nicole
Shere - I would love to hear more about what you are doing so that you can stay at home.
Send me an email if you don't mind!!
Thanks!!!
By the time I had my third child, I knew I needed a part-time job. I left the phone company making great money but the hours were too much, with travel and all. One day a came across an ad in my local paper looking for school bus driver's. I know a bus driver right? Well I'm going on my 8th year driving and I can't begin to tell you how it has changed my life.
I make 18.00 an hour I work 2 shift-3hrs in a.m(6-9) and 4 hrs afternoon(1-5) I have time to myself between runs. I also get medical. I've made great friends. I just love it. When my kids were young they were with me on the bus. Every state is different with their guidelines, but it wouldn't hurt to look into it, I promise you you'll love it. And no more worries about picking up/dropping off your kids, because you'll be the one doing it, just add a few more. I hope I could help. Good luck!
I'd love to hear more about your stay at home part-time
works.
Thanks
Belinda
I'd love to hear more about your stay at home part-time work.
I would love to work part time and receive full time pay!!! Please send me information. Thanks!
i would like to work a couple of hour more a week i work 45 hours now but can afford rent and car payment behind please help need at least 20hr more a week
My husband and I are both retired. We are living on a fixed income, which definitely is not enough. I would be willing to work whatever hours you would give me to be able to supplement our income.
Please send me some information
patfehr@aol.com
I need information and support regarding earning extra income to enable me to look after my child at home. It is difficult for me to look after him with my present job.
I need a part time income so I can stay at home for my kids
I am looking for a part time job. I have been in Law enforcement, Security and Loss Prevention for over 20 years. I am looking for someone who own a small business who is in need of someone to set set up a Loss Prevention Department.
Shere...I recently was laid off. I have two young children and one with medical issues that require me to be flexible with my schedule. I was fortunate to have this with past employer for the past eight years. Please let me know what you are doing so that you can work at home and still be there for the children. They are both thriving and would hate to compromise this....
I found a very good Indian site which really pays. For more details visit http://mana84c.blogspot.com
I spent many years exploring how to create solutions for mothers and parents in a flexible work life stage. ALUMRISE just launched this year and lets parents seekign specific work opportunities connect with buyers and organizations seeking flexible or re-entering workers. It helps people find new opportunities that are suited to their experiences and skills. Since it's completely free to join, it could be a useful resource for parents writing on this blog. Read our story at http://www.alumrise.com/Global/Help/AboutAlumRise/Story.aspx
I hope it helps!
I can tell there is a lot of lazy women here as a recruiter. Honestly do you deserve to be employed when you have a bad think tank. Stop using your children as crutches, Wow that's sick.
Did anyone really read this article? This is about a parent paying a sitter full time for part time work. Now the children are in school but is paid to be available. I am doing the exact same thing as her nanny. I take my kids to school and pick them up. I am available when school is out or a child is sick. The difference is I am the parent not a paid sitter. Which is better? Who is raising your child? A nice sitter/nanny at your home? Or the daycare center?
If you want a full time job outside the home I say go for it and pay the nanny if you want! That is your choice. If you would like to have your time back along with some additional income, that's possible too: PART-TIME! Visit my website at www.theacaistory.com/freedom4all and email me, let me know what you think(you can contact me thru the site)! Enjoy your kids and your life, whatever you choose!
In this blog, BusinessWeek’s Lauren Young, Cathy Arnst, Diane Brady, Karyn McCormack, Anne Newman, Mauro Vaisman, Lourdes L. Valeriano, and Joy Katz, Mark Hyman, along with freelance writer Savita Iyer-Ahrestani, lead a broad discussion of the issues and day-to-day concerns of working parents, offering up interviews with work/life experts, examinations of relevant research, and their personal accounts of bouncing between separate, sometimes conflicting worlds.