Would You Work As Hard If No Children?

[Anonymous]

Since I didn't have any children and kinda waltzed through life doing whatever whenever, I've pondered lately if having children made you work harder, earn more and the like than if you didn't have children? I see my step daughter who a few years ago her car looked like she lived in it with stuff falling out when she'd open the door, to this amazing mother of two but OMG I just don't have and don't think I ever had, the required absolute focus on other human beings virtually 24 hours a day.

Step daughter's husband went from a cushy federal government job to a big time insurance exec a few months after the first child was born. Much more work and stress for him but triple the money. Have wondered if he would've stayed at his old job and enjoyed life.

[Anonymous]

I'd work harder at work if I didn't have children because I'd have more time. Same with working out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd work harder at work if I didn't have children because I'd have more time. Same with working out.

I agree with this except that I think I wouldn't work as long, and would likely retire earlier than I plan to now.

[Anonymous]

I'd probably work harder without kids--I deliberately stayed in my "cushy" (meaning: regular hours, flexibility, job security) job because I had kids and wanted the stability and flexibility.

[Anonymous]

I definitely feel pressure to earn more money if I can but it's countered by my desire to spend as much time as I am able to with my kid. Right now I have a 40 hour a week job working from home, it would take a hell of a lot of money for me to take an office job with longer hours and a commute...

[Anonymous]

Longer not harder.

I would retire in 5 but college will have me working for 10 more years.

[Anonymous]

I resent the question, because having kids is work. I'm working 18 hour days, seven days a week between the job and the kids, but I can rarely go beyond my 40 hour weeks at the office, and I'm sure I would have received the promotion I wanted 5 years ago if I hadn't become pregnant with my second child, and would probably be on track for another promotion now, or have moved up elsewhere. Instead I'm bitterly stagnating in cubeland, and giving it the 40 hour workweek.

[Anonymous]

same
prob would have stayed in my former ballbuster field.
prob have more energy too. running a household is a lot of work!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Since I didn't have any children and kinda waltzed through life doing whatever whenever, I've pondered lately if having children made you work harder, earn more and the like than if you didn't have children? I see my step daughter who a few years ago her car looked like she lived in it with stuff falling out when she'd open the door, to this amazing mother of two but OMG I just don't have and don't think I ever had, the required absolute focus on other human beings virtually 24 hours a day.

Step daughter's husband went from a cushy federal government job to a big time insurance exec a few months after the first child was born. Much more work and stress for him but triple the money. Have wondered if he would've stayed at his old job and enjoyed life.

great question. maybe he made the move too soon, should have done it when youngest was in full day school. or never switch.

[Anonymous]

I would not work as hard if I didn’t have children.

[Anonymous]

Another childfree person here, and yes, I would probably feel more pressured to earn more. Instead, I stay at my comfortable six figure gov't job working mainly 40 hours weeks, then spend my free time doing things I enjoy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd work harder at work if I didn't have children because I'd have more time. Same with working out.

I agree. But then I really get a lot of enjoyment out of doing my work well and helping other people. I experience "flow" quite often, and I don't really get that doing other things. I look forward to working more when they get older and go off to college.

[Anonymous]

No, I’m a lawyer and I worked my butt off pre-kids. After kids, I have mommy-tracked myself to the extreme. And wouldn’t change it. DH recently turned down a job with a significant pay raise because it involved more travel than he is willing to do with kids.

[Anonymous]

I'm in sales and I've made more money and hit higher targets post-kids than pre-kids (two under three) and have spent probably 80% of the time post-kids than I did pre-kids.

I think having two kids has just made me laser focused when I need to be and I move faster.

So yes, I have done better in my career post kids.

[Anonymous]

I worked harder (at work) pre kids. Post kids I want more balance. But I still work hard just cut the work ‘work’ off at a point to do ‘mom’ work. It makes me more efficient and also realistic about what work I take on or don’t