"It's all about priorities. I work out of necessity, but would LOVE to be home with my children. I place my family above all else. It bothers me that I'm not home when my children get home from school. I should be there for them.

I could care less about "achieving something in the workplace". I am not irreplaceable; most people aren't. Besides, I'll be an empty nester before I'm 45. Barring a major catastrophic event, my time left to work outweighs the time I will have to parent my minor children. "

It's not just about priorities, it's about different personalities and life experiences and time lines. I work purely from personal choice (my DH makes over $200,000 and we have no mortgage or other debt). When I was 45, my children were 11 and 9. I will have a kid in college until I'm 59. I'm sure not planning to work much beyond 62 or so, so if I don't continue to work while I have kids at home (until I'm 55), I don't have any meaningful time life to have a career rather than just a job. You work for the money not because you like what you do. Just so you know, just because I'm not home when the kids get out of school in no way means I place my work above my family.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I disagree. I'm not postponing my happiness NOW for the eventual payoff when I'm 60 or 65. "

When do you think you'll be able to retire, or you don't care?

I work and I'm planning (but not aggressively) for retirement. I'm enjoying my life now as well. Rather than work extremely hard now and totally relax in my retirement, I'd rather ration my relaxation as I age. I don't understand the mindset of people who delay their happiness until retirement. I'm not saying be entirely irresponsible, but live a little!

Working and raising children does not mean I'm not happy in the here and now. I just can't see giving up a good six figure job so I can be home at 3:30 instead of 5:30.

Well, like I said...different priorities. I would happily trade the difference in my salary for that reduction of hours.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's really sad here that the comeback to happy and fulfilled life choices is "but do you have an education/degree?".

Seriously, who gives a shit? I hold a degree and so what? I'm working at a job where I don't see my children until 6PM at night. That is not ideal. No amount of education can compensate for the time I have to spend away from my children.

The intellectual crowd needs to give it a rest..especially when you probably aren't as smart as you think.

You're home by 6 pm every weeknight? That's GREAT work/life balance IMO.

Yes, but my youngest gets home from school at 2PM. So yeah...not ideal. I would much rather get home by 4PM.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's really sad here that the comeback to happy and fulfilled life choices is "but do you have an education/degree?".

Seriously, who gives a shit? I hold a degree and so what? I'm working at a job where I don't see my children until 6PM at night. That is not ideal. No amount of education can compensate for the time I have to spend away from my children.

The intellectual crowd needs to give it a rest..especially when you probably aren't as smart as you think.

Amen sister!

I totally disagree. Why should I give up my career just to spend a couple more hours a day with my kids? When they are teens they're not home anyway. And what do you do when they leave the nest? I would highly regret not achieving something in the workplace.

It's all about priorities. I work out of necessity, but would LOVE to be home with my children. I place my family above all else. It bothers me that I'm not home when my children get home from school. I should be there for them.

I could care less about "achieving something in the workplace". I am not irreplaceable; most people aren't. Besides, I'll be an empty nester before I'm 45. Barring a major catastrophic event, my time left to work outweighs the time I will have to parent my minor children.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I disagree. I'm not postponing my happiness NOW for the eventual payoff when I'm 60 or 65. "

When do you think you'll be able to retire, or you don't care?

I work and I'm planning (but not aggressively) for retirement. I'm enjoying my life now as well. Rather than work extremely hard now and totally relax in my retirement, I'd rather ration my relaxation as I age. I don't understand the mindset of people who delay their happiness until retirement. I'm not saying be entirely irresponsible, but live a little!

Working and raising children does not mean I'm not happy in the here and now. I just can't see giving up a good six figure job so I can be home at 3:30 instead of 5:30.

Anonymous wrote:It's really sad here that the comeback to happy and fulfilled life choices is "but do you have an education/degree?".

Seriously, who gives a shit? I hold a degree and so what? I'm working at a job where I don't see my children until 6PM at night. That is not ideal. No amount of education can compensate for the time I have to spend away from my children.

The intellectual crowd needs to give it a rest..especially when you probably aren't as smart as you think.

You're home by 6 pm every weeknight? That's GREAT work/life balance IMO.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never worked since the day i I said "I do".
I am happy to help my working friends when they are in a bind.
What is the expression they use today, "haters gonna hate"?

Do you have education beyond high school?

Yes, a masters degree. Why do you care?

Did you use your master's degree before you got married? Why didn't you work after marriage?

Go away!

Ah, no good answer. Gotcha.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's really sad here that the comeback to happy and fulfilled life choices is "but do you have an education/degree?".

Seriously, who gives a shit? I hold a degree and so what? I'm working at a job where I don't see my children until 6PM at night. That is not ideal. No amount of education can compensate for the time I have to spend away from my children.

The intellectual crowd needs to give it a rest..especially when you probably aren't as smart as you think.

Amen sister!

I totally disagree. Why should I give up my career just to spend a couple more hours a day with my kids? When they are teens they're not home anyway. And what do you do when they leave the nest? I would highly regret not achieving something in the workplace.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never worked since the day i I said "I do".
I am happy to help my working friends when they are in a bind.
What is the expression they use today, "haters gonna hate"?

Do you have education beyond high school?

Yes, a masters degree. Why do you care?

Did you use your master's degree before you got married? Why didn't you work after marriage?

I'd like to know this as well. As for 'why do you care?' - it's a message board. You posted your situation and people are asking questions. I'm genuinely curious - what is the point of a master's degree, which I assume was expensive and time-consuming, if you never intended to work? No one can convince me that a SAHM (not to mention a SAH wife!) needs a master's if she never intends to work.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never worked since the day i I said "I do".
I am happy to help my working friends when they are in a bind.
What is the expression they use today, "haters gonna hate"?

Do you have education beyond high school?

Yes, a masters degree. Why do you care?

Did you use your master's degree before you got married? Why didn't you work after marriage?

Go away!

Anonymous wrote:"I disagree. I'm not postponing my happiness NOW for the eventual payoff when I'm 60 or 65. "

When do you think you'll be able to retire, or you don't care?

I work and I'm planning (but not aggressively) for retirement. I'm enjoying my life now as well. Rather than work extremely hard now and totally relax in my retirement, I'd rather ration my relaxation as I age. I don't understand the mindset of people who delay their happiness until retirement. I'm not saying be entirely irresponsible, but live a little!

Anonymous wrote:It's really sad here that the comeback to happy and fulfilled life choices is "but do you have an education/degree?".

Seriously, who gives a shit? I hold a degree and so what? I'm working at a job where I don't see my children until 6PM at night. That is not ideal. No amount of education can compensate for the time I have to spend away from my children.

The intellectual crowd needs to give it a rest..especially when you probably aren't as smart as you think.

Amen sister!

It's really sad here that the comeback to happy and fulfilled life choices is "but do you have an education/degree?".

Seriously, who gives a shit? I hold a degree and so what? I'm working at a job where I don't see my children until 6PM at night. That is not ideal. No amount of education can compensate for the time I have to spend away from my children.

The intellectual crowd needs to give it a rest..especially when you probably aren't as smart as you think.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never worked since the day i I said "I do".
I am happy to help my working friends when they are in a bind.
What is the expression they use today, "haters gonna hate"?

Do you have education beyond high school?

Yes, a masters degree. Why do you care?

Did you use your master's degree before you got married? Why didn't you work after marriage?

"I disagree. I'm not postponing my happiness NOW for the eventual payoff when I'm 60 or 65. "

When do you think you'll be able to retire, or you don't care?