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I really wish more companies would be willing to do this, as a childless adult I have no need for more than 20 hours worth of pay, and my health definitely bene

I really wish more companies would be willing to do this, as a childless adult I have no need for more than 20 hours worth of pay, and my health definitely benefits on a lighter schedule. Currently I'm achieving this through contracting but I would much rather have a more typical employment situation to reduce the administrative burden and the need for sales.

prawn 9y ago
Is there an issue with a part-time job that was either 2-3 days/week or 0.5 FTE spread across the week? There are countless part-time jobs out there.
- jrumbut 9y ago
  There are countless part time jobs, but fewer interesting ones. That's a little picky on my side, however at the same time there are so many companies looking for developers full time you would think a few more would become part time friendly as a way to differentiate themselves.
  - prawn 9y ago
    I don't see how your wish for a "typical employment situation" intersects with a preference for "interesting" jobs. ;)
wfunction 9y ago
> I really wish more companies would be willing to do this, as a childless adult I have no need for more than 20 hours worth of pay, and my health definitely benefits on a lighter schedule. Pardon my ignorance but in your view how is having a child supposed to push this in the other direction? Do you see having a child as an opportunity/reason to raise the 20 hours/week to 40 hours/week and stay away from home longer? Because I thought the point of raising children was so you could spend some of your time raising a family, and my impression was most older people would rather be with their families than at work. Do you see yourself wishing that you could work 40 hours when you have children or something? Wouldn't it make more sense to work more now and save for that future instead so you don't have to work as hard then?
- Nullabillity 9y ago
  Children are very expensive.
  - wfunction 9y ago
    Yes... I was trying to say, wouldn't it make more sense to work more right now so you can save for when you do have children. Because, like you said, you'll need the money more later than now, and you'll want to spend more time at home than you do now. i.e. if you're like most people, you'll be less excited to work, and will do it more out of necessity than desire. So why not plan accordingly.
    - bvda 9y ago
      Assuming he is going to have children
      - wfunction 9y ago
        Yeah, I suppose if he's already decided for sure he doesn't want to, then this doesn't apply, good point. If the possibility is there though it seems a little dangerous not to try to save up for it. Worst case is you end up with too much money and can retire early and do whatever you want, which hardly seems like an awful outcome. Especially considering the reverse might mean not being able to provide for (or have much time to see) a potential family you might want later...
    - Arizhel 9y ago
      It's not going to be enough, that's why. Sure, you can work more right now to try to save up money, but making 30% more money now isn't remotely enough to make up for how much those kids are going to cost. On top of that, you have to remember that you can't have kids by yourself (at least not easily, if you're male): you need a willing partner. If you're working your ass off to save money for kids, that means you're either letting your relationship suffer because you're at work all the time, or you're missing out on opportunities to find a partner. And the older you get, the harder it is to find a good partner (really, you need to find her in college; if you haven't found her by age 25, you probably won't). All in all, our society simply isn't set up to have an enjoyable middle-class lifestyle and have kids. You need to pick one or the other: either be poor and have kids and struggle financially, or enjoy a more financially comfortable lifestyle and forgo having kids. Also, having a happy relationship and having kids are at odds with each other, so again you have to pick one. Either have kids and look forward to divorce and child support or at least a miserable marriage where you dread coming home from work, or find a partner who doesn't want kids and enjoy spending time with her. It's little wonder that the birth rates in developed nations have fallen so low.

prawn 9y ago

Is there an issue with a part-time job that was either 2-3 days/week or 0.5 FTE spread across the week? There are countless part-time jobs out there.

jrumbut 9y ago
There are countless part time jobs, but fewer interesting ones. That's a little picky on my side, however at the same time there are so many companies looking for developers full time you would think a few more would become part time friendly as a way to differentiate themselves.
- prawn 9y ago
  I don't see how your wish for a "typical employment situation" intersects with a preference for "interesting" jobs. ;)

wfunction 9y ago

> I really wish more companies would be willing to do this, as a childless adult I have no need for more than 20 hours worth of pay, and my health definitely benefits on a lighter schedule. Pardon my ignorance but in your view how is having a child supposed to push this in the other direction? Do you see having a child as an opportunity/reason to raise the 20 hours/week to 40 hours/week and stay away from home longer? Because I thought the point of raising children was so you could spend some of your time raising a family, and my impression was most older people would rather be with their families than at work. Do you see yourself wishing that you could work 40 hours when you have children or something? Wouldn't it make more sense to work more now and save for that future instead so you don't have to work as hard then?

Nullabillity 9y ago
Children are very expensive.
- wfunction 9y ago
  Yes... I was trying to say, wouldn't it make more sense to work more right now so you can save for when you do have children. Because, like you said, you'll need the money more later than now, and you'll want to spend more time at home than you do now. i.e. if you're like most people, you'll be less excited to work, and will do it more out of necessity than desire. So why not plan accordingly.
  - bvda 9y ago
    Assuming he is going to have children
    - wfunction 9y ago
      Yeah, I suppose if he's already decided for sure he doesn't want to, then this doesn't apply, good point. If the possibility is there though it seems a little dangerous not to try to save up for it. Worst case is you end up with too much money and can retire early and do whatever you want, which hardly seems like an awful outcome. Especially considering the reverse might mean not being able to provide for (or have much time to see) a potential family you might want later...
  - Arizhel 9y ago
    It's not going to be enough, that's why. Sure, you can work more right now to try to save up money, but making 30% more money now isn't remotely enough to make up for how much those kids are going to cost. On top of that, you have to remember that you can't have kids by yourself (at least not easily, if you're male): you need a willing partner. If you're working your ass off to save money for kids, that means you're either letting your relationship suffer because you're at work all the time, or you're missing out on opportunities to find a partner. And the older you get, the harder it is to find a good partner (really, you need to find her in college; if you haven't found her by age 25, you probably won't). All in all, our society simply isn't set up to have an enjoyable middle-class lifestyle and have kids. You need to pick one or the other: either be poor and have kids and struggle financially, or enjoy a more financially comfortable lifestyle and forgo having kids. Also, having a happy relationship and having kids are at odds with each other, so again you have to pick one. Either have kids and look forward to divorce and child support or at least a miserable marriage where you dread coming home from work, or find a partner who doesn't want kids and enjoy spending time with her. It's little wonder that the birth rates in developed nations have fallen so low.