Did you ramp up at work once the kids were older/gone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:After struggling with the kid/work balance for 20+ years and enduring the subtle and not so subtle discrimination against working women, I am now at 57 at a point where I have the time to focus and totally enjoy my work, and I do. But I look around and see my peers retiring and wonder if I am missing something? This is the most fun I have had at work since the kids were born, I am no longer torn all the time with work home issues, and I have to make up for that pay differential I was denied all those years. So until I win the lottery or I die, here I stay and I dont mind a bit!

what do you do for work that is enjoyable?

[Anonymous]

HI OP,

I might be an outlier it seems. I have 'sort-of' mommy-tracked myself. I am still in same position--but I don't volunteer or apply for details or special projects. I am 44 with a 7--year old and 9 year old and have 19 years in with my employer.

I can totally see myself--like the women about 10 years older than me--taking on more roles higher up when kids flee the nest. Many of my good work colleaugues are doing just that now that their kids are leaving for college. They have time and the motivation and aren't transporting kids all over. I guess it helps that we love what we do and the job has lots of flexiblity and allows for this gear-shifting pretty easily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:HI OP,

I might be an outlier it seems. I have 'sort-of' mommy-tracked myself. I am still in same position--but I don't volunteer or apply for details or special projects. I am 44 with a 7--year old and 9 year old and have 19 years in with my employer.

I can totally see myself--like the women about 10 years older than me--taking on more roles higher up when kids flee the nest. Many of my good work colleaugues are doing just that now that their kids are leaving for college. They have time and the motivation and aren't transporting kids all over. I guess it helps that we love what we do and the job has lots of flexiblity and allows for this gear-shifting pretty easily.

Do you work more than 40 hours a week consistently?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:HI OP,

I might be an outlier it seems. I have 'sort-of' mommy-tracked myself. I am still in same position--but I don't volunteer or apply for details or special projects. I am 44 with a 7--year old and 9 year old and have 19 years in with my employer.

I can totally see myself--like the women about 10 years older than me--taking on more roles higher up when kids flee the nest. Many of my good work colleaugues are doing just that now that their kids are leaving for college. They have time and the motivation and aren't transporting kids all over. I guess it helps that we love what we do and the job has lots of flexiblity and allows for this gear-shifting pretty easily.

Do you work more than 40 hours a week consistently?

I never work more than 40 hours a week. 40 is it.

[Anonymous]

HI OP,

I might be an outlier it seems. I have 'sort-of' mommy-tracked myself. I am still in same position--but I don't volunteer or apply for details or special projects. I am 44 with a 7--year old and 9 year old and have 19 years in with my employer.

I can totally see myself--like the women about 10 years older than me--taking on more roles higher up when kids flee the nest. Many of my good work colleaugues are doing just that now that their kids are leaving for college. They have time and the motivation and aren't transporting kids all over. I guess it helps that we love what we do and the job has lots of flexiblity and allows for this gear-shifting pretty easily.

I work in a very similar organization (non-profit that keeps good people by offering flexibility in place of good pay) and have similar hopes. There are a number of women who have moved into leadership roles now that their kids are in college, and I hope at some point I'll be able to do the same. For the time being though, I'm working 30 hours a week and trying to stay as relevant as possible. I'm 35 with preschoolers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:HI OP,

I might be an outlier it seems. I have 'sort-of' mommy-tracked myself. I am still in same position--but I don't volunteer or apply for details or special projects. I am 44 with a 7--year old and 9 year old and have 19 years in with my employer.

I can totally see myself--like the women about 10 years older than me--taking on more roles higher up when kids flee the nest. Many of my good work colleaugues are doing just that now that their kids are leaving for college. They have time and the motivation and aren't transporting kids all over. I guess it helps that we love what we do and the job has lots of flexiblity and allows for this gear-shifting pretty easily.

Do you work more than 40 hours a week consistently?

I never work more than 40 hours a week. 40 is it.

That must be why you are seeing colleagues ramp up. I've never had a job working only 40 hours a week. When you pull 40+ hours a week for 25 years, you've spent your career ramped up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:HI OP,

I might be an outlier it seems. I have 'sort-of' mommy-tracked myself. I am still in same position--but I don't volunteer or apply for details or special projects. I am 44 with a 7--year old and 9 year old and have 19 years in with my employer.

I can totally see myself--like the women about 10 years older than me--taking on more roles higher up when kids flee the nest. Many of my good work colleaugues are doing just that now that their kids are leaving for college. They have time and the motivation and aren't transporting kids all over. I guess it helps that we love what we do and the job has lots of flexiblity and allows for this gear-shifting pretty easily.

Do you work more than 40 hours a week consistently?

I never work more than 40 hours a week. 40 is it.

Are you in the Non-Profit sector or the Government?

[Anonymous]

I am looking to ramp up now that my kids are 17 and 20. I will say that I became a parent in my early 20's so I sacrificed having a good interesting career while the kids were younger. I have an government job that isn't really "me". I have the advantage of being 42 but looking 35 at the most so I am going to try to make some career changes before I get cold feet and settle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:HI OP,

I might be an outlier it seems. I have 'sort-of' mommy-tracked myself. I am still in same position--but I don't volunteer or apply for details or special projects. I am 44 with a 7--year old and 9 year old and have 19 years in with my employer.

I can totally see myself--like the women about 10 years older than me--taking on more roles higher up when kids flee the nest. Many of my good work colleaugues are doing just that now that their kids are leaving for college. They have time and the motivation and aren't transporting kids all over. I guess it helps that we love what we do and the job has lots of flexiblity and allows for this gear-shifting pretty easily.

I could have written this post. 48 with a 9 year old.

[Anonymous]

This is OP. Thanks for the perspectives. Still on the fence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:After struggling with the kid/work balance for 20+ years and enduring the subtle and not so subtle discrimination against working women, I am now at 57 at a point where I have the time to focus and totally enjoy my work, and I do. But I look around and see my peers retiring and wonder if I am missing something? This is the most fun I have had at work since the kids were born, I am no longer torn all the time with work home issues, and I have to make up for that pay differential I was denied all those years. So until I win the lottery or I die, here I stay and I dont mind a bit!

Agree. I'm 53, kids in college, and definitely able to put more into work. It's gone in cycles. I tried part time briefly when kids were preschool age. Then ramped up during elementary, then ramped down during high school, now have ramped up again. Work is a good thing for me as an empty nester. Plus now is the time to start ramping up retirement savings after years of private school and college savings/tuitions.

[Anonymous]

When I'm an empty nester, I want to spend my time on leisure activities - time with friends, weekend and longer trips with husband, volunteering, exercising in a serious way. I will have worked full time for 30 years. Can't imagine wanting to put more effort into work. Of course I've made six figures a year for 20+ years so it's not like I need the money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am looking to ramp up now that my kids are 17 and 20. I will say that I became a parent in my early 20's so I sacrificed having a good interesting career while the kids were younger. I have an government job that isn't really "me". I have the advantage of being 42 but looking 35 at the most so I am going to try to make some career changes before I get cold feet and settle.

[Anonymous]

No. Retired early so we could enjoy their childhood. Like a lot of people we had kids in our 40ties. If we waited until they were older and gone, we'll be dead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am looking to ramp up now that my kids are 17 and 20. I will say that I became a parent in my early 20's so I sacrificed having a good interesting career while the kids were younger. I have an government job that isn't really "me". I have the advantage of being 42 but looking 35 at the most so I am going to try to make some career changes before I get cold feet and settle.

Thanks for the eye roll but it's genetic. I have to thank my melanin rich cocoa skin and my mother. She didn't start getting wrinkles until she was almost 60.