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(Disclaimer: I don't have kids, and none of my close friends do. This is purely from observation.) I think one thing that deserves more scrutiny is how hard it

(Disclaimer: I don't have kids, and none of my close friends do. This is purely from observation.) I think one thing that deserves more scrutiny is how hard it is to have a 'regular' W2 job and have a baby. I've seen a few parents become entrepreneurs after having kids not because they want to work less (ha!), but because they want/need to work at odd hours, in odd places, with babies on their laps, without any heat/ politics/ favors/ specially negotiated deals at the day job. In the US at least, any kind of unconventional work set-up can be kind of a pain in the butt (working from home, working 4 extremely long days, etc). Having a kid could be a second great reason to have a start-up, in some cases.

leftnode 16y ago
I do have a kid and that's one of the main reasons that I'm starting a company. Need to work 4 days because the kid is home sick? No problem, I don't have to get it approved, ask anyone, none of that bullshit; just do it. Want to work from 3am to 10am and spend the rest of the day with him; just do it. I know I'll work more, but the important thing is the freedom to work when. Being successful later in life is a big motivator as well and making sure he's more than provided for.
jtbigwoo 16y ago
You're right to a point. The big benefit to working a regular job is that there's a whole infrastructure of day care, preschool, sports, music lessons, etc. built around your schedule. In a start up or even a job with odd hours this infrastructure doesn't work quite as well.
- tpz 16y ago
  You're also right, to a point. :) I suspect that at some point in the past, and perhaps even today for some limited set of careers (though none that would really apply to anyone on HN), the regular job and the infrastructure are at odds more often that one might hope. Given commutes, expectations held by 'regular' employers, etc., so much of this is incredibly restrictive in this day and age. For your examples and how they apply in my city, at least: day care - Fingers crossed you never get stuck at work late, or caught in a nasty rush hour, because your day care has very specific pick-up hours, will charge you big-time if you are late, and good ones may very well fire you as a client if you are late too often. preschool - Pre-school schedules are not even remotely aligned with 'regular' job hours. sports - As but one example, do you have any idea the hours hockey moms and dads (not to mention the kids) keep so they can take part in their sport? It's no wonder there are hockey parent fight breakouts from time to time. The parents are exhausted! :) music lessons - This one isn't so bad, especially as kids get older, but can be much like daycare in that if you're late from work your kids either miss their lesson or are stranded afterwards. I, for one, would much rather restructure my life so as to work from home during hours that I more directly control than work a 'regular' job. It'll be easier to take advantage of much of the infrastructure, and would eliminate my need to even utilize some of it at all.

leftnode 16y ago

I do have a kid and that's one of the main reasons that I'm starting a company. Need to work 4 days because the kid is home sick? No problem, I don't have to get it approved, ask anyone, none of that bullshit; just do it. Want to work from 3am to 10am and spend the rest of the day with him; just do it. I know I'll work more, but the important thing is the freedom to work when. Being successful later in life is a big motivator as well and making sure he's more than provided for.

jtbigwoo 16y ago

You're right to a point. The big benefit to working a regular job is that there's a whole infrastructure of day care, preschool, sports, music lessons, etc. built around your schedule. In a start up or even a job with odd hours this infrastructure doesn't work quite as well.

tpz 16y ago
You're also right, to a point. :) I suspect that at some point in the past, and perhaps even today for some limited set of careers (though none that would really apply to anyone on HN), the regular job and the infrastructure are at odds more often that one might hope. Given commutes, expectations held by 'regular' employers, etc., so much of this is incredibly restrictive in this day and age. For your examples and how they apply in my city, at least: day care - Fingers crossed you never get stuck at work late, or caught in a nasty rush hour, because your day care has very specific pick-up hours, will charge you big-time if you are late, and good ones may very well fire you as a client if you are late too often. preschool - Pre-school schedules are not even remotely aligned with 'regular' job hours. sports - As but one example, do you have any idea the hours hockey moms and dads (not to mention the kids) keep so they can take part in their sport? It's no wonder there are hockey parent fight breakouts from time to time. The parents are exhausted! :) music lessons - This one isn't so bad, especially as kids get older, but can be much like daycare in that if you're late from work your kids either miss their lesson or are stranded afterwards. I, for one, would much rather restructure my life so as to work from home during hours that I more directly control than work a 'regular' job. It'll be easier to take advantage of much of the infrastructure, and would eliminate my need to even utilize some of it at all.