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I am not female but have been through this. Keep the kids at home. The only time to work is at night after everyone is asleep and it is quiet. Time trying to w
by bendoit 15y ago
I am not female but have been through this.
Keep the kids at home. The only time to work is at night after everyone is asleep and it is quiet. Time trying to work during the day will be wasted due to constant interruptions and thinking about other things, and you'll be frustrated as well.
This means during the 16 day hours you need to take them 8 hrs and your partner needs to take them the other 8 hours. That means you aren't spending much time together. That's right, that's how this will work.
In the old days professionals made enough cash to hire a professional staff to raise the kids at home, and later off to boarding school. This is not possible now since most IT jobs that pay well are in areas that have such a high cost of living there is no money to hire a staff. Staff is for executive level folks that make $3 million +.
- Jem 15y agoTo be honest we barely see each other now - we're at work all day then dealing with house stuff/etc in the evening. It wouldn't be a major difference! Thanks.
- petercooper 15y agoStaff is for executive level folks that make $3 million + Maybe in the US but it's pretty common amongst middle class British families, especially as there are various (and frequently substantial) tax breaks available to people who need to hire people for child care duties.
- gte910h 15y agoSecond tier cities (Atlanta, Austin) do pay less, but cost of living is much much less, and you can hire staff here. Even if you end up paying them 1/2 your takehome: You triple your free time, the most valuable resource you have.
- alaithea 15y agoOn the other hand, if you live in a first-tier city, this makes the au pair program that much of a better deal (see my other comment on au pairs), as you get a first-tier salary, and their pay is federal minimum wage. It's too bad for the au pairs, but that is how the program works, and they are getting free room and board, plus some cash, in a first-tier city.
- gte910h 15y agoI'd say a house big enough for a au pair to live in as well, you might find it better hire a nanny.
- infinite8s 15y agoIf you live in a first-tier city (like New York City) and can afford an extra room for an au pair, then you probably don't need to worry about the cost of childcare.