You're going back to work and there are so many decisions to make.
Why did you decide you needed to go back to work?
With first baby, I planned to stay home full-time but was told by DH that our finances were too bad and I had no choice but to go back. It killed me to have my dream of being a SAHM taken away from me. After my 2nd, I chose to work part-time to save my sanity!
Is it worth it to go back to work financially?
I think these days it's very hard to work full-time and pay for daycare. That's what I work part-time, evenings and weekends, so I don't have to pay for daycare. Otherwise after I paid daycare costs I'd be working for maybe $10/day or even for free.
Does your SO pick up extra household duties?
He's better than he used to be, but I still carry the load of the household chores and childcare. Even when I'm working at night or on weekends I still have to do the cooking and cleaning for the most part.
Did you ask for and/or get a flexible work schedule?
After my first, there was no way I could ask for a flexible work schedule as the attitudes of the senior women in the company were already sour against my getting any "perks" because I was pregnant or had a baby. After my 2nd, I just looked for jobs that offered the hours that I was looking for.
How did maternity leave work out?
In Canada we get a year's paid leave, but it's a drastically reduced amount of your working salary. It was very tough making ends meet.
Any other issues you might have run into that I'm forgetting to ask?
Mostly attitudes of other women in the workplace when you have kids. They get upset if you have to take time off to care for your children and even if you make up for it with overtime hours the next day or week to compensate, they don't see that. I find most women I've encountered as co-workers have easily forgotten how hard it was to work and take care of kids and if you make the mistake of complaining about how difficult it can be, they verbally crucify you (mostly behind your back).
Can you tell this is a sore spot for me?
Christine
