Kids vs. career: New top job with travel

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you to everyone for your input. I have accepted the job.

The company has said that I can do 30% - 40% travel and I will have flexibility to manage it. DH is scaling his travel back so that one of us will be at home. As a back up we are also getting a live in nanny so that the kids have a stable routine. We already have a cleaner and lawn service.

I have a lot of flexibility and so does DH when we are not travelling so one of us will be at home most of the time so Im hopeful that this will work out for us as a family.

As I have said before I took 5 years off from work when my kids were born as I felt that was the best thing for our family. I now feel confident that we are all in a position to cope with my stepping up at work. I feel lucky to have the option and I know that if this all falls apart I will step down from this.

Thanks once again - particularly to those of you who took the time to post thoughtful comments.

Good for you OP- this sounds like the best of both worlds kind of situation, and honestly much more manageable than your 1st post. DH being crucial here. May I ask your industry? I don't know anyone who could take off 5 years and get to "big bucks"- but all the high end career folks I know are big law partners (500K) or high end engineering manager (200-300K) etc

[Anonymous]

Congratulations! You have done what so many people/women will never be able to achieve. Great job!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you to everyone for your input. I have accepted the job.

The company has said that I can do 30% - 40% travel and I will have flexibility to manage it. DH is scaling his travel back so that one of us will be at home. As a back up we are also getting a live in nanny so that the kids have a stable routine. We already have a cleaner and lawn service.

I have a lot of flexibility and so does DH when we are not travelling so one of us will be at home most of the time so Im hopeful that this will work out for us as a family.

As I have said before I took 5 years off from work when my kids were born as I felt that was the best thing for our family. I now feel confident that we are all in a position to cope with my stepping up at work. I feel lucky to have the option and I know that if this all falls apart I will step down from this.

Thanks once again - particularly to those of you who took the time to post thoughtful comments.

I'm the PP who had a spouse with a similar arrangement growing up, with both parents having high-powered careers and a live-in nanny (and it all worked out fine, with money for great privates and top colleges, and now they have extra resources to pay for family vacations for their adult kids, etc.). Congrats! Sounds like this could be great for your family--good for you for following what you think will be the best arrangement for your family.

[Anonymous]

I would, and have, turned in down in a heart beat. My personal priority is my son having one loving parent around. And for us that means I keep the family friendly job and refuse all travel. But I would not judge you if your priorities are different. Plenty of families make this work. But you and your husband need to have an honest talk about family priorities. That will drive your decision.