Changing Career Paths for both of us

[DarthDaddy]

Well here is an odd turn of events. My wife has in the past flirted with the idea of going Part Time to 30 hours and now really wants to. Her company has many employess that do this. She would go from 40+ hours to 30+ hours. Benefits, Vacation, 401K... will all stay the same. Only difference is she would drop her salary by 25%. She would basically go to work when my oldest gets on the bus for school and next year when he is in all day 1st grade she would be home when he gets off the bus. She has felt that she has been too focused on work and less on family. Since we are expecting #3 in April/May she feels she would have to divide the little time she has 4 ways (Yes she actually included me...) Basically now she leaves at 6:15 and gets home around 5:00. She would add another 3 hours a day home with the family. Less traffic at different hours.

Now to pull this off and stay at the level we are at I would have to go from 30 hours a week from home to 40+ hours a week from HOME. We would be within about a grand of where we are now. (Funny thing is her dropping by 25% and me going full time...She still would be making more then me...LOL)

There are 3 possible wrenches for this situation. Her actually being able to go part time and me going full time and here review on Friday (Posibble supervisior role and EXTRA $$$)

If she CAN go part time and I CAN NOT go full time we would still be in a good spot, just not saving as much and we would have to tighten our belts just a little.

There are really only 2 NEGATIVE issues here
1. 25% decrease in wifes salary. (Its only money)
2. Wife slowing here future career path.

There are too many POSITIVES to count.
1. Mommy home more with kids
2. Mommy home more with kids
3. Mommy home more with kids
4. Mommy and Daddy BOTH involved with the kids all the time
5. Increased career path for me
and on, and on and on...

As of right now I can see no problems with her going part time. Even if I can not go full time. (99% I can) we would be in pretty good spot.

This is more of a declaration looking for clairification then anything else.

sorry about the long ramble.

Darth-Daddy

[jeffus]

Rambles are welcomed here......You go Boy!

[Jackson's Dad]

Sounds great Darth! If you can swing it financially, then go for it. Especially since her benefits stay the same. (If you are like me, the home business doesn't really have ANY benefits, so it's great to get them from somewhere.)

We are toying around with a similar set up in the future.

[Presdad]

That's way to good to pass up, Darth. My wife did something similar to what yours is considering. It made a huge difference for the better. She's so tired as it is that working longer hours would have been unhealthy for her anyway and now she also has a much more rigid exiting time at work versus when she was on salary. All things considered she's not making all that less money either.

Anyway, I hope you go for it and good luck,

Tim

[dad305]

Darth it sounds like you have done some serious homework.

From your "ramble" it is clear that you both are trying to do what's best for the family.

=D>

[DarthDaddy]

Well a slight wrench has hit the plans... My wife had her review finally and her boss had nothing but PRAISE and wants to give her a LARGE pay increase above company policy. She works for a fortune 500 company and one of the worlds largest employers as a Project Manager. Everything has a system, grade... They also want her to attend their internal Supervisor School and then have a bunch of direct reports....

Now things are not as easy as they seem....

Funny story: A week before her final review she basically told her boss there was no way he could do what he wanted on a project group and really let him know he was wrong. Short story it involved HER, an ENGINEER, and her BOSS'S BOSS. She thought this was going to kill her review... On the contrary!!! Her was very impressed with her strenght and admitted he does not always make the right choices and he appreciated her NOT backing down... Now here is the really FUNNY thing..She knew she was right, but was as strong willed because here HORMONES are all messed up... She admits it!!! LOL Twice in about 4 days her hormones got the better of her and she went OFF... One in MY DEFENSE and ONE IN HERS!!!!

Darth-Daddy

[DarthDaddy]

Well the FINAL review came in and the money came in as well. We were expecting maybe 5%...


Well we were rather surprised.... More then 16% increase. The math is ODD so not sure exactily, but more then 16%!!! She got 3 raises... First to correct a change in pay grades, Second for a GREAT review and Third a MERIT raise. They are not added together, but put in succession. Base + 1st then THAT total + Second then THAT TOTAL + 3rd...

So as of right now she does not want to change her job situation... They also have added some more training to her career path and will soon have a bunch of direct reports.

Mind you she made a lot before the raise... Now if I were to lose my job NO BIG DEAL...LOL Here raise was more then 1/3 my current pay.

I guess things happen and ideas change...

Pardon any spelling errors... So tired I can barely sit up....

Darth-Daddy

[jeffus]

My wife's company sort of did the same thing when she was pregnant and getting ready to go on maternity leave. Companies tend to lose a lot of women after they have kids. No matter how much they say they have every intention of returning, a lot of women cannot bear to leave the baby home or in daycare. Once they meet the little tyke, they often change their minds and decide to quit.

Like your wife, my wife was offered a promotion, raise, and a fast track to the next level. "Golden Handcuffs". Obviously, they have to be good at what they do, too.

Well, congratulations to you guys!

[DarthDaddy]

Well all this came about and NO ONE at work knew she was PG... A few know after yesterday, but she will not make an announcement until after the Doctor Visit on October 3rd. They had no idea she was PG...

I am just so happy for her... Well and us, but she is getting the recognition she deserves.

Darth-Daddy

[Jackson's Dad]

Sounds awesome Darth! Congrats to her!

[DarthDaddy]

Well it looks like very soon there will be major changes around here. My wife has toyed with the idea of going part time for a while now. Some things have made that more difficult, but now it looks like it will happen.

Basically she will work from 9:00 to 3:00 and be here to help get the kids ready in the morning and be back in time for the afternoon bus. (Once 1st Grade Starts) After the lose of the baby my wife has been feeling more pressure to slow things down. She spoke to here boss a couple of weeks ago and they are more then happy to accomidate here schedule. They have also indicated that if the transition takes too long she can work from home 10 hours a week in the meantime. They are willing to do what it takes. The only thing that will change is 25% less $$$ Same vacation, benefits...

As for me I am going to move from part time to full time. Not much of a change since I find myself working 33-36 hours a week as it is. My boss REALLY wants me to be full time and is rather excited. Since I work at home I view my work week as 7 days rather then just 5. I don't work on the weekends much, but with full time I just may.

This change should be really good for the family. If everything goes right we should be at ZERO money change at the worst.

[stretch]

Good for you, and good for her. Nice to see a company acting with enlightened self interest. Too many managers can't see past the short-term scheduling hassles to the long-term benefit of not driving productive employees out because they happen to want a family life.

When my wife was offered her current job, we scouted the company pretty hard. Next to the financials, the main thing we wanted to know was how many kids everyone had. As it turned out, loads. The clincher was when she asked the MD of her group how often he worked weekends and he flinched like she'd tried to bite him. "Never! I coach my daughter's little league team on the weekends!" That was pretty much the sale right there.

[Jackson's Dad]

Sounds like a good plan. Keep us posted on how it goes!

[DarthDaddy]

Well it is now Official!

Feburary 1st is the big switch. Not only will I be a work at home Dad, but a FULL TIME WORK at home dad. With my wife gone from 8:00-3:00 we will have a bit more time together even with me working more. She used to be gone from 6:00-5:00.

We will have more time as a FAMILY!

Don't worry I will still be here. I just will be working a little more. :lol:

[Jackson's Dad]

Congrats!