S/O: Working Moms Pay & Hours

[Anonymous]

I work in financial services make $180K + bonus of 20% - 60% + stock options. Hours are 8:30 -- 4:30/5; I work from home 1-2 days a week; total flexibility to wfh when needed. I like my job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I make around $350 as a lawyer. I'm the main breadwinner. I work 8 to 5, go home and bathe, play with kids, then after putting them to bed (aged 4 and 2) make dinner and usually continue working from home. Some nights I work for under an hour, others I could be up til 3am.

I enjoy my work and it would be hard to do the kind of law I do on reduced hours. Sometimes I feel exhausted by it all, but generally I feel grateful that I'm able to continue working in this kind of role and also I get some time with my kids every day. The things that make it work for me are: husband being great and sharing the load, having a v short commute so I don't waste time with that and get more time with kids, having a v good boss who respects my off-hours in the evening, and also keeping my weekends generally clear. Any work I need to do I usually do in the evenings on weekends so I get to spend both days with family.

If money was no object I don't know what I'd do. I don't think I'd be a Satm because I had long maternity leaves and while I loved it for that amount of time, I think any longer and I would have been very restless, as I found full time childcare to be a combination of boring and exhausting. I love being with my kids but I don't think any of us would benefit from me doing that 24/7. I like the challenging aspects of my job and although I ideally would like a job with shorter hours/lower expectations, I can't imagine what that would be - but if money was no object I think I'd probably look into that further and try to find out.

I'm 34, kids are 4 (nearly 5) and 2.5

[Anonymous]

$150k @39 in marketing with 2 kids. Pretty flexible job with some intense times of year. In general a 9-5 gig.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$110,000, very flexible job most of the time. 8-5 with a lunch unless I'm super-busy. Sometime take work home. But almost always get to take off to volunteer at school, chaparone field trips, etc. when I need to.

I would never depend on someone else to support me, so I will always work unless I were to win the lottery and be Independently wealthy. If that ever happened, I'd volunteer about 30 hours a week.

Similiar.
For a while I "mommy tracked", not taking the hard projects or going above and beyond like I did pre-child. Kids are 6 & 9 now, so I'm volunteering for harder projects and taking a more active role. I enjoy work much more when I'm challenged and engaged. I can't picture myself staying at home... I'd certainly get a hobby or volunteer or something!

[Anonymous]

Oh wow, this thread is insane. I forgot/didn't realize how wealthy people are in DC, and how far below DCUM average we are! My husband makes $75K and that's what we live on. I only work part-time (8-10 days/month), and make $24K/yr which goes to savings, travel (both families live abroad). (these are pre-tax incomes, fyi.) We only have one 21 month old. We both work in international development, so clearly will never make the kind of salaries on this board, but I like that I am extremely flexible with my position, stay at home 2 days a week, only work 8-4 the days I do work, and was able to virtually stop traveling once my son was born. The trade-offs are worth it to me.

[Anonymous]

Fed govt attorney. $140K plus $8K student loan repayment. Three kids, 10, 4, and 1. Very flexible work schedule (arrive between 6 and 9) leave between (3 and 6), and I can flex within these hours daily. Alternative work schedule with one day off per pay period. One set telework day a week and situational telework available other days. 26 days of leave per year, plus 10 fed holidays, and 13 sick days. 3 hours of fitness time per week.

Workload is managable. Never work nights or weekends. 30 minute lunch daily. I like the work, though others may find it dry.

[Anonymous]

$170k/year. All telework with two overnights a month. Very flexible for the unexpected, dr appts, etc. "on" hours are 8:30-5:30 but I make myself available when I need to. Typically conversations that trail off at 5:30 pick up over email around 9 since I work with a lot of other parents who are also catching up.

[Anonymous]

$105,000, WFH, flexible hours (just need to put in 40 hours a week), occasionally need to work in the evening for an hour or so, but that happens maybe once a month. Only travel is twice a year, one being a company retreat to someplace warm in Q1, unlimited PTO (as long as manager approves it). I'm able to see all DC's events at school, pickup early if sick, take to dr appointments, etc.

Minimal stress, great flexibility and benefits, amazing people - I'm very happy and have a GREAT balance.

[Anonymous]

I might teach some of your kids. I'm 35 and make 70K teaching at an independent, not Big 3 but the next tier. 7:45-4:00 officially, but of course teaching involves plenty of work outside of that. I'm not complaining. It's a great job for a parent, and I love it. That said, I wish I could have taken a year off. We managed to keep our son home for his first six months by cobbling together FMLA, DH's paid leave, and summer break.

DH is 36, makes 85K as a fed.

[Anonymous]

Make around $120k/yr, fed attorney. Like the work but often feel like a slacker for "only" working 45 hours/week (many of my co workers work more). Travel here and there, but that's not a problem. I need more hours in the day - to play with my kids, to cook meals, to go to the gym, to just relax. Looking for an intellectually satisfying part time position, but that is hard to find. If money/health insurance was not a concern, I would love to do pro bono work or be a solo practicioner part time.

[Anonymous]

I make about $400k as a PhD economist in an international organization. My office hours are usually 9-7.

I love my job and would do it even if I won the lottery

[Anonymous]

I work at an association and make $105k for working 33 hours/week. I work 7.5 hours M-Th and 4 hours on Friday. I work from home 2 days/week. Total flexibility for kid events, school holidays, etc.

My husband makes $150k so it would be hard for me to stay home. If we could afford it, I would quit this job and do something part time that is more meaningful to me. Or maybe work in a bookstore.

[Anonymous]

I seriously can't believe how much some people make. I thought I was doing well at 84. DH makes 200. I work 9-5 at a small non-profit as a director. Started in September after SAH for 4 years. I left at the director level 4 years ago. My job is a combination of marketing, sales, writing, and business development mostly. Workload is heavy and intense and I could easily bring work home but I choose to keep it at the office and just stress there. I don't take lunch and usually leave around 5:30. Not much flexibility. No working from home, very little time off with 14 total PTO (includes sick) plus the major holidays. Enjoy the work I do but find the lack of flex and limited time off very stifling. I have previously WAH and SAH and thought with both kids in elementary this year that it was time to go back to work but I miss them and feel I'm not really able to be there for them as I have been. I would take less money to WFH with flex for school events, gym, and no commute. But at that, I cannot believe that others are making tons more than me with a load of flex to boot!

I'm 36 with a Masters. DH is 38. 2 kids, 5 and 7.

Anyone in sales/marketing want to share more? I must be doing something wrong!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I seriously can't believe how much some people make. I thought I was doing well at 84. DH makes 200. I work 9-5 at a small non-profit as a director. Started in September after SAH for 4 years. I left at the director level 4 years ago. My job is a combination of marketing, sales, writing, and business development mostly. Workload is heavy and intense and I could easily bring work home but I choose to keep it at the office and just stress there. I don't take lunch and usually leave around 5:30. Not much flexibility. No working from home, very little time off with 14 total PTO (includes sick) plus the major holidays. Enjoy the work I do but find the lack of flex and limited time off very stifling. I have previously WAH and SAH and thought with both kids in elementary this year that it was time to go back to work but I miss them and feel I'm not really able to be there for them as I have been. I would take less money to WFH with flex for school events, gym, and no commute. But at that, I cannot believe that others are making tons more than me with a load of flex to boot!

I'm 36 with a Masters. DH is 38. 2 kids, 5 and 7.

Anyone in sales/marketing want to share more? I must be doing something wrong!

I posted back on 2/14 (13:59) I am 40 and work in tech sales. I have been doing this for 10 years, and previously worked for a non-profit, where I made a quarter of what I make now. I don't have a tech degree (I do have a Masters), but I know the industry that my company serves, and that experience is valuable in my position. What else would you like to know? Happy to share if it helps. One thing I will say about sales in my industry, I could probably make two or three times more than what I make now but I would have to travel more, which I don't want to do with small kids, and my husband travels fairly frequently. Right now I only have to travel 4-5 times per year.

[Anonymous]

I do political, policy and legislative consulting for nonprofits and make 150K plus bonuses/extra contracts. I sit down and work about 30 hours a week but I check email about 18 hours per day and check/answer on weekends.