Parents: Switching to a more work / life balance friendly job

My DS is 15 months and I admit it's becoming harder and harder to keep up with the demands of my job. Harder to come in early because I have daycare drop off, and harder to stay late - DH usually picks him up but I would like to see him for at least an hour before he goes to bed

Has anyone gone through this and successfully made the switch? Where do you wind up working? Did you have to take a paycut (or did you get lucky and it just worked out?!)

I don't have a career per say - I mean I have a professional job (HR) but I am not career driven - I really do not want to be the director, etc. I am happy to be employed and collecting a paycheck.

Re: Parents: Switching to a more work / life balance friendly job

I am like you in that I am not "career driven", I chose a field that I love but at this stage in my life I do not want to supervise people, be a Director or Manager or take a position that would require me to work long hours, or complete work at home.

My story is that I was home with 2 kids for 6 years, went back 3 days a week, then 4, and now am going back full time. However, I took a position that pays $3 less per hour than I make now and one that I am overqualified for.

Granted the position is on LI (which has cut my commute down significantly, yay!) vs. Manhattan and I will now have benefits, a salary and PTO, growth and job security.

I want a busy day at work but just don't want the stress (I am also going through things in my marriage and need to be there even more for my kids because DH is not).

So NO, you are not alone!

Re: Parents: Switching to a more work / life balance friendly job

Yes... though it ended up being a better move for me career-wise anyway. I was working at a firm when I had Alex - I nearly had a breakdown. When I was told that my pay wasn't going to be at parity with the other two associates who didn't have children, despite having a better performance review, because I was a "new mom", I decided enough was enough.

I jumped ship - found an attorney position with the federal government. I am now doing what I LOVE (civil rights), get paid more, and I work in the most family-friendly environment EVER!! I only work 8 hour days, can come in early to leave early, can work from home 2 days a week, get time off for preventive medical appointments, parent-teacher conferences, school trips, etc. I was also allowed a 6 month maternity leave...

Having this freedom to balance my work/family life successfully has made me into that much more of a productive worker and better mommy, and I find that I'm flourishing at both. So much so that I was promoted a few months after I came back from maternity leave.

I know that many of my attorney peers feel as though I "sold out" because I"m no longer in the rat race because I don't work for a firm and I don't have clients, nor billable hours. But I don't care, because what I'm doing is 1000 times more meaningful and impacting for my community, and 1000 times better for my family...

Re: Parents: Switching to a more work / life balance friendly job

I gave up a supervisory position and took a $2K pay-cut (big deal!).

I also have an arrangement with my boss that I can work from home on Fridays.

I am starting to look to see what else is out there however, because the demands of this position are going back up again in other ways that I am not happy with.

I think it's good as a rule to keep our options open and see what else is out there.