Finding Your Best Life

When did you get your first job and how long did you stay there? Did you work after you had kids? How did you decided whether or not to work once the babies were born or did you wait until they left home? How have you balanced life and job/career?

I got my first job at 17 and stayed there for 2 years until moving into the same type job with a little better environment. I worked the same type work for years until I was expecting my second child. At that time my husband and I decided that financially we would be the same if I worked or didn't work because after child care expenses and other work related expenses, it wasn't really worth the hassle of my lower paying job. So I stayed home for many years and worked part time jobs here and there to help make ends meet. When my oldest started college and my youngest started school, I decided to go back to work more steady as our family's financial needs started to increase.

As a working, homeschooling, wife and mother,it's not been easy to balance, but as my children get older my life has gotten a bit easier and more organized (lol-it's take me years to get to this point). I think though, by the time I finally get my act together I'll be ready to retire. ;)

When did you get your first job and how long did you stay there? === well, it all depends on what you call a job. My first regular paycheck came in college my Sophomore year when I became an undergraduate teaching assistant. All of $30-something a month and I stayed with it for three years!

Did you work after you had kids? How did you decided whether or not to work once the babies were born or did you wait until they left home? === no kids so these questions don't apply

How have you balanced life and job/career? === it wasn't easy since when my husband got promoted, it affected my career path: we worked for the same company for my first 12.5 years of corporate employment so I was always being shifted around to prevent me from having to report to him in any way. And then, after I left the company and began teaching, he started getting transferred which means I had to quit my teaching job and look for a new one. Basically, I ended up being "retired" LONG before the usual retirement age simply because getting a new job when living oversea was logistically difficult (often, my spousal visa didn't allow me to work).

When did you get your first job and how long did you stay there? 17, 8 months

Did you work after you had kids? yes

How did you decided whether or not to work once the babies were born or did you wait until they left home? After my oldest was born, I was a single mother and had to work to support him.  After I married my husband and had my 2nd child it was agreed that I would be a SAHM.  Once #3 started school, I started working again and now that I'm about to be a single mom again I will continue working.

How have you balanced life and job/career?  It helps that I am able to work from home.