Working Mom Question!

Do (or did) any of the working moms work 50+ hour weeks after they had their DC? Was it too much? How were your DH's hours?

I went back to work last week and I am having a hard time

On a good week, I work about 50 hours. Once you add on my commute, I usually am gone for close to 12 hours each day. I also have a stressful job and am working on the train or from home in addition to the 50 hours in the office. DH hours are slightly better than mine - but not much!

I feel like I don't get to see enough

I know this is mostly a vent, but I wanted to see if there were any other similarly situated moms out there!

Re: Working Mom Question!

I work closer to 40 hrs right now but, I'm gone 12 hrs a day with my commute.

Luckily, I work from home on Fridays so I have some extra morning time with DS and extra afternoon time with him as well.

It's difficult but, it gets easier - I just appreciate the time that we do have together and enjoy the "me" time I have with commuting and all - and the freedom I have at work without him with me.

Re: Working Mom Question!

Yes, I'm in the same boat. We lived in the city until DS was 2 so that would at least cut down on my commuting time (I used to leave for work at 7am and get home betw 5:30-6). Now I have an hour door to door commute so I'm out of the house from 6am to 6:30pm. Similar to you DH has better hours (he leaves the house at 8am and gets home around 6pm). It's HARD but you eventually get into a groove (it took ~2mos for me)

Now that I've got #2, I'm thinking about trying to go 4 days a week (probably impossible) or at least WFH one day a week.

Re: Working Mom Question!

I work 40 hours/week now. I used to put in a lot more and travel more. It is what it is. I give my all for the 40 hours and usually work through lunch to get out on time. I wish I worked less and made more, but I enjoy the time I have with DS.

Re: Working Mom Question!

I work 40 hour week but there is never enough time in the day

I spend the weekends hanging with my kids which leaves little time for laundry, etc so I wind up doing these things after the kids go to bed (and I wind up staying up until 1am'ish )

very tiring

Re: Working Mom Question!

I work 40 hours a week and went back to work 2 weeks ago. Everyday is repetitive and goes so fast. I get to have quality time with DS prob after 8pm and he is usually asleep by 10. It is really hard, but I get to bring him to work with me on days i really miss him...so 1 or 2 days i bring him.

Re: Working Mom Question!

Thanks so much for everyone's responses. I am having a rough day and just needed to hear that it will work out!

Re: Working Mom Question!

I work closer to 40 hours but I am out of the house from 7:15 to 6:15 the earliest. DH has a more flexible schedule so he gets ready in the mornings. He helps in that respect but not with anything else that needs to get done lol.

Re: Working Mom Question!

With my commute I have 12 hour days. It sucks. I leave really early in the morning and am home by 515 so at least I get to see them when I get home from work for a few hours. I teach in NYC to luckily I get a lot of days off.

DH has 50 weeks but sometimes more. He is only 15-20 minutes away though so it isn't that bad.

Message edited 7/8/2010 4:08:55 PM.

Re: Working Mom Question!

my last job was like that, with a lot of traveling and time into the city, so I resigned while I was on maternity leave.

I know work a standard 40 hour work week. In my new company we are very lucky that at 5, everyone is out the door.

I barely see him as it is working 40 hours, my last job wouldve been too much and I didnt love it enough to sacrifice time with DS for it.

Re: Working Mom Question!

Re: Working Mom Question!

Before Ryan I did 10-12 hr days (plus commute time)

Then with Ryan, I did 45hrs or so, plus 2.5 hrs of commuting each day on top of it. It was difficult, but we managed. DH has better hours (he was out of the house before me - 6AM, and home to pick up Ryan by 4:30PM. I would get home around 7:30PM).

When I had Colin, I decided it was too much and cut back my hours to 4 days a wk - and it's still a lot. And I'll probably have to return to FT in 2011, but we'll make it work.

As you can see from how much I've been on here today, I'm very productive at the office

Re: Working Mom Question!

Do you have the option to work from home at all? I find it helps TREMENDOUSLY. I work a 40 hour work week, but I also work from home 1-2 days a week, which gives me so much more time with the girls, and allows me some time to take care of household chores.

When I was at the firm, I was working 50+ hour work weeks - it was an unmitigated disaster after I had Alex, and that's why I transitioned to the federal government, where I've found it entirely manageable.

Re: Working Mom Question!

I worked about 60 hours (some at home at night) plus the commute for 12 months. DH left/leaves the house at 5:45am and got home at 7:00pm. I had enough and got a job on LI with less responsibility and lower paycheck but it was totally worth it. When DD was 18 months I went PT.

Re: Working Mom Question!

Re: Working Mom Question!

Yup. I left my house at 7 and got home around 8 (M-F)

To be fair I only did it for 6mo then moved to TX.

I felt like she was more comfortable with my hubby than me because she saw him much more than me.

But as far as hours go.. even now its still pretty long. We drop her off at daycare around 7:30 and pick her up at 6pm. This will change a little with our recent move.

Boy do you learn to live for those weekends! Nothing is as important has mommy time for me on the weekends.. groceries, chores, movies, family, all that.. doesnt come close to spending time with my kiddo. When she was smaller that meant we stayed home a LOT but now that she's older we go out and do stuff together.

Re: Working Mom Question!

Re: Working Mom Question!

My last job was very demanding. I worked 50-70 hours a week. I lasted 4 months back to work. Then I got a new job. My hours are MUCH better now. I work 10-5:30 now with a nice long lunch break everyday. Sometimes I leave at 5. I'm so much happier now. I felt like I never saw DS when I was at my last job.

Re: Working Mom Question!

I work 40+ hours a week but I only work 4 days - that's 80% for me so I know how it goes. I was able to come back reduced so if that or working from home could be an option for you, I'd totally pursue them. It helps knowing I have my Fridays with DD. This was my first week back and I hope it gets better too, but knowing I had that time with her to look forward to definitely helped!

Re: Working Mom Question!

I work between 40 - 60 hours a week in the office, and some nights I have to take work home with me. I am at the point where I feel like I am not giving my children enough time, especially my younger son, and am looking for a way to improve my work situation.