Are you employed?

[american_mama]

In all my years of reading BBB, I don't think I've ever gotten a grasp on how many posters work and to what degree. I was talking about the message board to a neighbor, who asked me if it was mainly stay-at-home-moms or not, and I had little idea. I am guessing about 60% stay-at-home-moms and the rest working to some degree.

Vote for how you see yourself. You might take classes but see yourself primarily as something other than a student, or you might work so many part-time hours that it feels like full-time. Seasonal means periods of the year where you work and periods where you don't at all, like a tax preparer I know who is otherwise a stay-at-home mom.

[happymomma]

I work "full time" but really only 30 hours a week. I love the flexibility and wouldn't want to work anymore than I am right now. So the nice thing is that I can be home when the kids are home (after school) and also am home 2 days a week during the weekday.

[TxCat]

I work full-time, which for my job averages about 50-60 hrs/week.

I love the fact that there seems to be a good variety of parents on this board - WOTH/SAHM and those trying to transition from one to the other.

[BabbyO]

I work full-time, which for my job averages about 50-60 hrs/week.

I love the fact that there seems to be a good variety of parents on this board - WOTH/SAHM and those trying to transition from one to the other.

Ditto to this...except my job is more like 40-45 hrs/wk with 10+ hours of commute/week

[elektra]

I work "full time" but really only 30 hours a week. I love the flexibility and wouldn't want to work anymore than I am right now. So the nice thing is that I can be home when the kids are home (after school) and also am home 2 days a week during the weekday.

Sounds perfect! Please give hints as to how you were able to work out that arrangement!

I work full time, primarily out of my house, with bi-monthly (or so) trips up to my home office in Santa Barbara. I work for a large company that is has a very generous Workshifting/Telework policy.

[weech]

I work 40 hours a week with about a 1 - 1.5 hour commute each day.

eta - I work at home on Mondays, so only commuting 4 days/week now

[AnnieW625]

I work full time outside the home 40 hrs. a week. I'd love to be able to work part time. I work in state govt. .

[baymom]

I've been a SAHM since DS was born 7 years ago. I did try working PT from home after my maternity leave ended, for about 6 months, but then realized I just didn't want to do it anymore. DD starts kinder this week, and I just started my job search. It's intimidating, as I am not interested in the type of work I was doing before and think it will be tough to find work in this economy, but hope to re-join the workforce soon. PT would be my ideal situation, or FT, with a short commute, and the option of working from home a couple days would be okay, as well.

[wimama]

I work full-time.

[WolfpackMom]

I work full-time, which for my job averages about 50-60 hrs/week.

I love the fact that there seems to be a good variety of parents on this board - WOTH/SAHM and those trying to transition from one to the other.

:yeahthat:
Same hours, but I telecommute.

[ellies mom]

I am looking for a job that is between 30-40 hours a week but haven't had much luck. I do have a seasonal job coming up in the next couple of weeks that should last through the fall (hopefully long enough to set aside DD2's preschool tuition for the year). But I don't know what I'll be doing after that.

So right now, I'm a job seeking SAHM.

[soon2b4]

I was a full time SAHM until last year, when DD1 began first grade. I went back to work part time (2 days/week) teaching at her school. Loved that! It worked out so well for us, and then in December, we found out DD2 was on the way - which was a blessing as we had a difficult time conceiving DD1. So, I am now a FT SAHM again, anxiously awaiting this late little girl!

[pb&j]

I voted full time, though I'm 35 hrs/wk. FT at my co is 37.5. I keep trying to go down to 30 hrs, but we are too busy, which is a good thing. But now that DS is in school, I would really like to be home in time to meet the bus.

My co officially has a strong telework policy, and I pushed very hard to get my dept to adopt it in practice after DD was born so that I could WFH more often and be able to nurse her at daycare (5 min from home, but 20 min from work - too far to go during lunch).

I now officially WFH 1 day/wk, and have a long commute for around here (25 min), but I think it's probably on the low side of most people's commutes. I'm able to WFH on an ad hoc basis as needed, too.

My advice to people who want a more flexible sched w/telework:
1. ASK.

2. Know what your co's official policy is re telework/flex hours - my co had the telework policy in force long before my mgr was comfortable with allowing us to use it. Be prepared to point this out to your superiors.

3. Keep asking.

4. If allowed to do it, be responsible. I work *really* hard on my at home days so there is NO QUESTION that I am actually working from home, not "working" from home. My kids are in school/day care when I am working from. My co specifically prohibits using telework so that you can provide childcare during work hours. You need to have childcare w/telework just as you would if you were in the office.

5. Ask some more. Ask to do it on a trial basis. Provide ways of verifying you're doing wht you're supposed to - being visible on IM, checking in periodically via phone/email, providing deliverables, etc.

6. If anyone around you sets a precedent, jump on that and be asked to be allowed to telework, too.

7. Find an employer who is telework/flex friendly, in practice and in policy. I might not bring it up in the interview, but if I got an offer, a firm commitment about telework/flex would have to be part of it. Look for ROWE companies.

I think a lot more companies are getting on the bandwagon with this, esp since fed/state gov't has officially adopted these policies as well. However, policy can be very different than practice. "Work is something you do, not a place you go."

[DietCokeLover]

I work as a therapist in private practice one day per week.

The rest of the time I am a SAHM who also helps out in our business once in a while.

[emily]

Work 40 hrs with 2.5-3 hr commute daily (live in burbs and commute into NYC).

My hope and dream is that i can cut down to 25 hrs with only a couple of days in the office once DC3 is born next year.

[scrooks]

I work 16 hours a week...2 days in the office.
I love it.
It's the best of both worlds.

[bubbaray]

I work FT, waaaaay more than 40 hrs a week.

[swissair81]

I voted as a SAHM, but I'm more a stay at home student. I'm finishing my Bachelors in Nursing online. My 2 oldest are in school, my 3rd is in daycare/playgroup so I can get work done. My baby stays home with me and plays on the floor next to me while I work.

[Indianamom2]

SAHM...1 first grader, 1 two year old. No plans to work full-time.

[Pyrodjm]

I work 15hrs a week, 4 or 5 days a week in the mornings. I love this schedule and have no plans to go back to full-time.

[kbud]

I voted other. I consider myself a sahm but I do have an independent contracting job that I can work as little as about 6 hours a month or as much as I want (meaning it's unlimited). So I do as much or as little as I can around our schedules/needs. It works great as I do it from home and can log in and work 24/7 and have no set hours.

[elephantmeg]

full time at 36 hours a week. I figure the other 4 I spend being household manager!

[jbbhb]

I work two 12 hour shifts per week which is considered part time at the hospital I work out.

[BDKmom]

I work 30-32 hrs/week, Mon.-Thurs. I like having Friday off as it gives me a chance to do housework/chores and grocery shopping so that our weekends are free for family time.

[eh613c]

I stopped working shortly after DS1 was born and that was 3 years ago!

[twowhat?]

I worked full time until 3 days before the babies were born, took 12 weeks FMLA, and returned to work part-time (25 hrs/week). PT work only lasted 2.5 months and then I quit work to be a SAHM. I was a SAHM until the girls were almost 2. I've been back to WOH FT for a little over a year now.

[amldaley]

I currently only work 40-45 hours a week but 18 months ago was working 50-60. I am looking to move to PT or go to totally be a SAHM.

[KHF]

I work full time (40 hours a week). I have a relatively short commute (about 15 miles) and my company is pretty good about the flexibility to work at home if I need to.

[lmh2402]

i work part time

usually two days a week. some time 3. one day in the office. the other day (or two days) from home

it's an awesome gig and i am scared for when it goes away...not sure what i'll do b/c if i have to go back full-time to a job similar to my previous full-time job, i will surely curl up and die

[BabyBearsMom]

I WOH FT for 40 hours per week. I commute 2.5 to 3hrs per day. DH also WOH FT 40 hours per week. He commutes 1.5 hrs per day. DH works 7 to 4 and I work 8 to 5. It is hard, but we make it work. I'm fortunate in that my boss is very flexible and lets me work from home if I need to and lets me make my own hours so long as my work gets done.

[elizabethkott]

I teach high school.
Next week.....
(shudder)
(sigh)
... we go back! But I am fortunate in that I love what I do - teaching theatre!

[happymomma]

Sounds perfect! Please give hints as to how you were able to work out that arrangement!

I work full time, primarily out of my house, with bi-monthly (or so) trips up to my home office in Santa Barbara. I work for a large company that is has a very generous Workshifting/Telework policy.

I was a stay at home Mom for about 6 years and then a job opportunity came up (a close friend told me about it). I was working about 25-30 hours a week at that time (3 days at the office from 6:00am - 2pm and then 6 hours from home on average. The job had it's pros (lots of independence and flexible hours) but my boss at that time wasn't good. Then another job opportunity came when my boss' friend recommended me for the position. By then they knew of my reputation at work and knew that I could do the job. I was told to submit my resume and when I was asked to do it, I knew that they would be okay with my hours. The new job had known that I only worked in the office 3 days a week. In my company, 30 hours a week is considered full time. I love those hours because I get full time benefits. Turns out that my company's insurance is much better than my husband's. So we switched to mine. I thought about working 40 hours a week so that I could be paid more but decided that I really like the flexibility. I think if you find job openings in your company, sometimes even though it is advertised as "fulltime" if you know someone, you can definitely try to see if they are open to more flexible schedule.

So since my 2 are now in elementary school full time, I've changed my hours to 7-3pm from Tues-Thursday and then Monday/Friday I work from home 3 hours each day.

[mommyp]

I work part-time. Love the flexibility!

eta: I'm on leave right now. Will go back to work 2 days/week at the end of January when DS is ~4 months.

[PunkyBoo]

SAHM since Punkin was born 7.5 years ago. I've been job-hunting (with varying degrees of intensity) for almost 2 years, since Boo was tiny. I've been job-hunting VERY intensely for the past few months and am hoping something comes through soon. I really don't *want* to return to work, but our financial situation has made staying at home not a very good option anymore.

[melrose7]

I put that I work part time but I watch 3 kids in my home so I don't have to be away from my kids. I watch them anywhere from 5 hours to 10 hours a day. It's the only way I can make income but not have to be away from the kids.

[hillview]

I have a full time job. I work from home about 60% of the time and travel about 40% of the time. I have pretty good control over my travel schedule (like no travel during important dates/back to school etc) also DH travels and we don't travel at the same time. When I am working from home I have some flexibility on hours -- that said I do work a lot just off hours sometimes. Like I work 6-7; 9-4; and when DH travels I work 8-10 pm sometimes.
/hillary

[KrisM]

I've been a SAHM since DS1 was born, just over 7 years ago. They're in 2nd, kindergarten and preschool this year. I have no plans on working full time again.

[niccig]

I was a SAHM, then worked part-time from home for my old employer for a year. Now I'm a full-time student. When I started this program, we thought I might work part-time initially, but depending on our finances, DH's work and where we are with financial goals, I might work full-time. DS will be 10 years old by then.

[jgenie]

I'm a SAHM with no extended family nearby and a husband that works crazy hours and travels regularly so no plans to return to work.

[stefani]

I was a WOHM, but laid off in January. I was taking a break, and taking in short contracting projects. Now I am looking for a full-time work again.

[MoJo]

I work three days a week, 8.5 hours per day, in two different offices. Although I really enjoyed working less, I'm hoping this will still allow me a good balance (this is my first week on the new schedule). I also commute 30-40 minutes each way each day, and now the kids are in preschools close to where I work so they commute with me.

I get sick every time I try to work full time now that I have kids, and I don't know how any of the rest of you do it.

[lizzywednesday]

I work full-time, but I am a partial teleworker - 3 days telecommuting, 2 days in the office (on a good week) and have been with my company for 10 years. The office to which I report is a 2-hour, 100-mile, round-trip effort, though I made it (one-way) in 45 minutes once because I left before the morning rush hour was in full swing.

DH is looking for work and has been since being laid off in January; he'd only been with his company for 3 years.

We'd discussed me becoming a SAHM, but, frankly, I don't think I'm cut out for it.

[essnce629]

Full-time SAHM right now. I hope to start doing doula work again (most likely postpartum) when DS2 starts preschool in a year.

[rolypoly27]

I work full-time outside of the home with about 1.5 hours daily commute. I'd love to be able to work part-time when I have more children.

[army_mom]

work full time for however many hours it takes....less than 9 years until retirement so I can be a "paid" SAHM!

[vludmilla]

I work full time, 36 hours a week close to home. I can leave work at 3pm most days and have lots of time off, summers, breaks, etcetera.