Wife thinking of rejoining the workforce

[hoffdaddy 1]

She's been staying at home for the last two years with our twin boys. For the last 9 months, she's also been watching her cousin's daughter. After all of this time, I think she is now starting to get stressed out and is seriously considering rejoining the workforce. She has a degree in social work, but we've found that she would probably like to switch/stay away from that field due to the emotional stress of her previous jobs (AIDS Resource Center, Domestic Abuse Shelter.) She's been very active on the board of a mom's group, and also works every other weekend at a winery (!) now, so she's not completely disconnected from the workforce.

 

Any advice for a stay at home mom returning to the workforce? Any advice on what to look for in a day care? Anyone else been through it? Kind of a scary prospect for both of us.

[Riddlen 1]

I'll pay $34 for a bjer. send her over.

 

 

Seriously though, make sure and do the math on daycare before she goes back. My wife is going back half time (teacher) and we barely net a profit. She is going back becasue she loves her district and wants to keep tenure there so we dont have much choice, but that actual financial gain isnt there at all. I know social work pays poorly, so make sure you are actually netting a profit. Daycare is EXPENSIVE. Also, we are going through the schoool district for daycare. Its cheaper and there is more default check and balances in place than a private place.

[EndGame 0]

So your kids are two years old? I'm not being judgmental, but can't she wait another year until they're in preschool? Do you guys need the money?

[Riddlen 1]

So your kids are two years old? I'm not being judgmental, but can't she wait another year until they're in preschool? Do you guys need the money?

agreed BTW. My kids will only be in daycare 2 days a week so its worth it to her (my wife) to go back and keep tenure. If she had to work full time she would just quit. If you can afford it, have her stay home. If stress is the problem, dump the other kid.

[davebg 0]

Do you guys need the money?

It's not always about the money. Sometimes it's just to maintian a little sanity.

 

My buddy has a 16 month old and he can't wait for him to be old enough for his wife to go back to work, even just part time...b/c being home all day w/the kid is making her nuts, which he feels the brunt of.

[TimmySmith 2,782]

If stress is the problem, dump the other kid.

 

I could not agree more with this. You should tell the cousin to find someone else if it makes your wife's life tougher. Then if she is still stressed, she should do what's best. She might just be saying she wants to go back to work because she can't tell her cousin she simply doesn't want to watch the kid anymore. In which case you have to do the dirty work. It's a possibility.

[Riddlen 1]

It's not always about the money. Sometimes it's just to maintian a little sanity.

 

My buddy has a 16 month old and he can't wait for him to be old enough for his wife to go back to work, even just part time...b/c being home all day w/the kid is making her nuts, which he feels the brunt of.

true, but honestly tough sh!t. Its more important that kids are raised properly than the mom be less stressed. Being home with kids all day is HARD, but the problem in that situation isnt the wife going back to work, its the wife learning to deal with the stress/craziness and realizing whats important.

[TimmySmith 2,782]

true, but honestly tough sh!t. Its more important that kids are raised properly than the mom be less stressed. Being home with kids all day is HARD, but the problem in that situation isnt the wife going back to work, its the wife learning to deal with the stress/craziness and realizing whats important.

 

It's a tip that when you allow someone else to raise your kids, you bear no responsibility when they inevitably turn out to be fock-ups.

[davebg 0]

true, but honestly tough sh!t. Its more important that kids are raised properly than the mom be less stressed. Being home with kids all day is HARD, but the problem in that situation isnt the wife going back to work, its the wife learning to deal with the stress/craziness and realizing whats important.

I didn't say she wanted to leave the kid in a basket in the woods to be raised by wolves. I really don't see the harm in having day care or grandma watch the kid 2 or 3 days/week.

 

Frankly, Mrs. DaveBG has a friend who is a stay-at-home mom. Her kid didn't start talking until he was almost 3 b/c mom was always there to take care of him and give him what he needed. Only once a little sister came along did he start talking.

 

I think there's something to be said for a child being separated from mom for a little bit when they are young.

 

Then again, I have no kids....so WTF do I know?

[phillybear 365]

I fantasize about marrying some rich broad and becoming a stay at home dad. Ah.....bliss.

[hoffdaddy 1]

Thanks for the info so far guys. I think having the extra kid in the house is really weighing on her. Our boys are pretty mobile, but with a ten month old around, she feels a lot more tied to house and can't get out as much as she'd like. Being that it's family, she's already feeling bad that she's even considering this and would have to tell her cousin. It didn't dawn on my until just now, but I think the extra kid is really the issue here.

 

As for money. Everyone would like more right? We get by just fine, so it's not really an issue. It's also not like we'd come out all that far ahead with TWO kids in daycare.

 

Sanity is precious thing as well, and it's a lot of work for me when mom is working on the weekend, and that's only two days. I can't imagine five days and having an extra kid around.

 

true, but honestly tough sh!t. Its more important that kids are raised properly than the mom be less stressed. Being home with kids all day is HARD, but the problem in that situation isnt the wife going back to work, its the wife learning to deal with the stress/craziness and realizing whats important.

 

This is true. That becomes much tougher when there is a third, not your own, kid involved.

 

She's said several times that her ideal gig would be just working a day or two during the week. Maybe that's something to explore too.

[Patriotsfatboy1 1,432]

Send the cousin packing. Sounds like it is the extra kid that is causing the stress. One kid is hard. Two is crazy. Three is psychotic, go straight to the loony bin.

 

My wife has been a stay-at-home mom for 5 years now. For us, she wanted to spend time with the kids and it was hard for us to break even with daycare. If she wants to go back to work, she can. If she does not, we will figure out a way to make it work.

 

Once the kids get a little older it is easier. Caring for a baby is stressful when combined with two kids who are looking to explore. As such, I say you suggest to the parents of the cousin that they may want to look elsewhere for their daycare. Tough discussion, but it sounds like it is the best bet.

[Ms. Shared-Syringes 0]

I'm "rejoining" the workforce in the fall.

 

I'll be teaching at the preschool Rusty III (age 3) will be attending, three mornings a week, the same hours he'll be there.

 

That said, I've been working at the church childcare (where I can bring the kids with me) and freelance writing/editing from home (I work at naptime).

 

It really works out well. I was/am a bit uneasy with the thought of my "baby" going to preschool three days a week, but it really only amounts to 12 hours a week, a drop in the bucket compared to what he spends with me. Plus, what I'll make outpaces the cost of his tuition by a good amount.

 

I hear you/her on watching kids in your home. I did that this semester, too, for a mom who was going back to school, and it sucked. You can't go anywhere (or at least, I couldn't - my car doesn't hold four carseats!) and it's just different watching someone else's kids.

 

Good luck with your decision!

[Jeremy 0]

Regarding the daycare,

 

Expect a bit of a rocky start for your 2 year olds. My first born son stayed with my sister in law for the first 2 years. When my wife was pregnant with our 2nd kid, her sister decided she no longer wanted to watch our kids (and we weren't very satisfied with her anyway).

 

But for the first month or so he had difficulty adjusting to his new environment, with a little more structure and all that. Eventually he settled in nicely and now does fine. But don't be alarmed if you run into some behavior issues at first with your kids.

 

As far as what to look for is concerned: If possible, tour as many places as possible during their operation hours so you can observe how the teachers interact with the children. That helped us disqualify one place, and helped us settle on the one we have now.

 

We had it narrowed down to 2 places. One was very big on learning. They had all these credentials and certifications as teachers. They were expensive because they hired the best. The place also looked like a school, with each age group having their own walled in room.

 

The other place didn't have all the diplomas, but I knew almost the instant we walked in the door that it was the place for us. Projects hanging everywhere. Children engaged in play as well as structured projects, teachers talking to the children respectfully. Only the babies had a room that walled off from the rest. There were boundries separating the rooms, but no walls. It was very much a family atmospere and the kids were taught that everyone was their friend and were expected to treat each other as such. and they do!

 

Personally, I thought that was more important than intellectual developement at that age, and we went that direction. Not that they didn't also have some learning. They did. Just not the PhDs. this other place had.

 

Good luck. I know it's tough.

[jerryskids 5,286]

It's not always about the money. Sometimes it's just to maintian a little sanity.

 

My buddy has a 16 month old and he can't wait for him to be old enough for his wife to go back to work, even just part time...b/c being home all day w/the kid is making her nuts, which he feels the brunt of.

From your mouth to god's ears, brotha. My wife has been home for 7 years with our kids. The youngest is heading to kindergarten, and she desparately wants to get back to work just to feel productive. She was never really cut out to be a stay at home mom, and I really respect her for making the sacrifice she did.

[EndGame 0]

1) Dump the extra kid. Sounds like that's really the problem.

 

2) Her working a few hours a day here and there while a relative watches the kids is a GREAT idea. My wife did that very same thing when I was fulltime outside the house, and now that I work from home and my wife works outside the house more, my MIL actually comes over several days a week so I can work from home uninterrupted. I was thinking you were talking about her going into the workforce fulltime, which is a different animal. If you need the second income to get by, then you make the choices you have to make because you have no choice. However, I just wonder about parents who work solely by choice, leaving someone from a daycare to raise their kids.

[Blitzen 0]

I fantasize about marrying some rich broad and becoming a stay at home dad. Ah.....bliss.

 

Careful what you wish for. I've been pretty much a stay at home dad for over a year now and the grass is not greener on this side of the fence. I had both kids at home full time for over three months right after a move (which stressed them out) and the kids were fighting constantly. Just about went nuts until we found some part time daycare. Now I work/do volunteer work a couple of days a week and feel much better. My son, who is now in school, is pretty quiet on his own but my daugther likes to argue every point. She also talks CONSTANTLY.

 

To me, the hard part was not having much contact with adults. Also, one comment I made to my wife was that you need to slow down your day and go at kid speed and when you're 40, adapting to this is not easy. If you keep thinking about what is not getting done while you're playing, you'll be certifiable before soon.

 

However, I just wonder about parents who work solely by choice, leaving someone from a daycare to raise their kids.

 

Have you tried having kids at home 100% of the time for a good long while? I used to say exactly what you just said but not anymore. I love my kids but my daughter would drive anyone nuts. She enjoys her part-time daycare now because she's making friends and the educator is really great. It's also great for her because she has a real problem with wanting to control everything and everyone and the lesson seems to be sinking in much better at daycare than it was at home.

[hoffdaddy 1]

One thing I'll also say, and I'm not trying to use it as copout at all, but it's much, much different when you're dealing with twins. Take everything that's hard with one kid at every stage, then double it. That adds a lot of complexity. And stress.

[ArnieBragg 1]

One thing I'll also say, and I'm not trying to use it as copout at all, but it's much, much different when you're dealing with twins. Take everything that's hard with one kid at every stage, then double it. That adds a lot of complexity. And stress.

 

Or 2 sets of twins

[Strike 4,046]

I sincerely doubt you'll make any money from her going back to work. No offense, but the fields she's looking at doing work in aren't high paying fields. That said, a study came out a few years ago that showed that in a hgh percentage of two income families, it actually costs more for the second person to work, especially once you include childcare, additional wardrobe they need for their career, a second car especially with gas at the prices it's at now, etc......Couldn't she just volunteer a few hours a week somewhere for personal satisfaction?

[hoffdaddy 1]

Or 2 sets of twins

 

No kidding. That's why I'm not sure I want to try knocking her up again. The odds of having twins goes up once you already have a set.

[hoytdwow 202]

can size?

[Willis McGahee's Dentist 61]

She's been staying at home for the last two years with our twin boys. For the last 9 months, she's also been watching her cousin's daughter. After all of this time, I think she is now starting to get stressed out and is seriously considering rejoining the workforce. She has a degree in social work, but we've found that she would probably like to switch/stay away from that field due to the emotional stress of her previous jobs (AIDS Resource Center, Domestic Abuse Shelter.) She's been very active on the board of a mom's group, and also works every other weekend at a winery (!) now, so she's not completely disconnected from the workforce.

 

Any advice for a stay at home mom returning to the workforce? Any advice on what to look for in a day care? Anyone else been through it? Kind of a scary prospect for both of us.

 

 

Having been there, I feel her stress. But after going back to work, realized it is a luxury to be able to stay at home with your children. Being at work half of there lifetime, you miss all the good stuff. My children are (daughter) 11 years old, (son) 10 years old, and I have to miss most of their plays in school, science reports (they are very independent and usually want to do things on their own). I guess them being independent is a good thing but that's when you realize you've missed most of the mom role and wish you could start all over just so you could be "Mom" and not just the one who "supplies school clothes and cool material things".

 

Maybe she should stop babysitting other children and focus on just the boys. That might relieve a lot of her stress. Perhaps researching a different area of degree that will require only part-tome work. Daycares-the horror stories, I know. My children go to a daycare provided by the YMCA but is held in a gym at a local elementary school which I feel very safe with and very at ease. In-home daycares, yeah I don't think so. Anything can happen and there is almost never enough eyes around to tell.

 

I would reconsider going back to work at least for another two years. But that's my opinion.

[hoffdaddy 1]

can size?

 

38DD.

 

Having been there, I feel her stress. But after going back to work, realized it is a luxury to be able to stay at home with your children. Being at work half of there lifetime, you miss all the good stuff. My children are (daughter) 11 years old, (son) 10 years old, and I have to miss most of their plays in school, science reports (they are very independent and usually want to do things on their own). I guess them being independent is a good thing but that's when you realize you've missed most of the mom role and wish you could start all over just so you could be "Mom" and not just the one who "supplies school clothes and cool material things".

 

Maybe she should stop babysitting other children and focus on just the boys. That might relieve a lot of her stress. Perhaps researching a different area of degree that will require only part-tome work. Daycares-the horror stories, I know. My children go to a daycare provided by the YMCA but is held in a gym at a local elementary school which I feel very safe with and very at ease. In-home daycares, yeah I don't think so. Anything can happen and there is almost never enough eyes around to tell.

 

I would reconsider going back to work at least for another two years. But that's my opinion.

 

It's funny, but I don't think she's making these connections. I just talked to her on the phone a minute ago, and she thinks the kid she's babysitting was calling her 'mommy,' or at least something like it. I pointed out that yeah, that's because you spend as much or more time with her on any given day as her actual mother. I guess we'll see how it plays out.

[Willis McGahee's Dentist 61]

38DD.

It's funny, but I don't think she's making these connections. I just talked to her on the phone a minute ago, and she thinks the kid she's babysitting was calling her 'mommy,' or at least something like it. I pointed out that yeah, that's because you spend as much or more time with her on any given day as her actual mother. I guess we'll see how it plays out.

 

 

Good luck to the both of you in what ever decisions you make.

[Agamemnon 2]

Thanks for the info so far guys. I think having the extra kid in the house is really weighing on her. Our boys are pretty mobile, but with a ten month old around, she feels a lot more tied to house and can't get out as much as she'd like. Being that it's family, she's already feeling bad that she's even considering this and would have to tell her cousin. It didn't dawn on my until just now, but I think the extra kid is really the issue here.

 

As for money. Everyone would like more right? We get by just fine, so it's not really an issue. It's also not like we'd come out all that far ahead with TWO kids in daycare.

 

Sanity is precious thing as well, and it's a lot of work for me when mom is working on the weekend, and that's only two days. I can't imagine five days and having an extra kid around.

This is true. That becomes much tougher when there is a third, not your own, kid involved.

 

She's said several times that her ideal gig would be just working a day or two during the week. Maybe that's something to explore too.

 

After years of infertility treatment, we got things right and had three children in a 28.5 month span. My wife went from a well-paid professional to a stay-at-home mom, and I truly think she loved it until the third entered the picture. She could still get out of the house with two little ones, but the third left her house-bound until I got home from work.

 

We also moved a couple times while the kids were young, leaving her to build new social networks, which was difficult. Basically, she needed adult human interaction other than me. She eventually took a two night / week job at a local pharmacy as a Pharmacy Technician, and it helped. As the kids became ambulatory & began to enter pre-school & school, she had a social life again.

 

The oldest is now an eleven YO sixth grader and the youngest is in third. My wife took a full-time job about four months ago as a Research Assistant in a hospital. She'd been looking for just the right job for around a year...

 

In synopsis; if you can afford to have her stay home and only work one - two days or nights for sanity preservation, I think the kids definitely benefit from it. Her social situation will improve as the kids get older and she gets out more. There'll be gainful full-time employment for her in nine or ten years....

[phillybear 365]

Careful what you wish for. I've been pretty much a stay at home dad for over a year now and the grass is not greener on this side of the fence. I had both kids at home full time for over three months right after a move (which stressed them out) and the kids were fighting constantly. Just about went nuts until we found some part time daycare. Now I work/do volunteer work a couple of days a week and feel much better. My son, who is now in school, is pretty quiet on his own but my daugther likes to argue every point. She also talks CONSTANTLY.

 

To me, the hard part was not having much contact with adults. Also, one comment I made to my wife was that you need to slow down your day and go at kid speed and when you're 40, adapting to this is not easy. If you keep thinking about what is not getting done while you're playing, you'll be certifiable before soon.

 

The comparision point I have is my ex-fiance and her younger kid. Her daughter was 3, and then 4 years old when I was around. I used to watch her on weekends as her mother was at work. That kid had a motor that just wouldn't quit. That was the easiest part of my week. Staying home with kids being hard, IMO, is bit of a misdirection of the truth.

[Patriotsfatboy1 1,432]

The comparision point I have is my ex-fiance and her younger kid. Her daughter was 3, and then 4 years old when I was around. I used to watch her on weekends as her mother was at work. That kid had a motor that just wouldn't quit. That was the easiest part of my week. Staying home with kids being hard, IMO, is bit of a misdirection of the truth.

 

One is easy. Two is three times as hard. HTH

[Blitzen 0]

The comparision point I have is my ex-fiance and her younger kid. Her daughter was 3, and then 4 years old when I was around. I used to watch her on weekends as her mother was at work. That kid had a motor that just wouldn't quit. That was the easiest part of my week. Staying home with kids being hard, IMO, is bit of a misdirection of the truth.

 

Having a motor that doesn't quit is one thing but it becomes a problem when the kid in question cannot do any single thing for:

 

1-More than 2 minutes

2-Without you directing it

 

I can absofockingly tell you that you would be exhausted pretty quickly. I am the most patient guy I know and she totally wore me down. My wife can't comprehend how I can deal with her as much as I have. Also my daughter is 3 and there's a huge difference once the kids get older. I could stay at home with my son all the time because he can give me some time to myself but my daughter absolutely can't/won't.

 

One is easy. Two is three times as hard. HTH

 

That's another good point; although I would say 5 times as hard.

[Patriotsfatboy1 1,432]

That's another good point; although I would say 5 times as hard.

 

My second made it 10 times harder. I prefer to go conservative with estimates, however.

[Blitzen 0]

My second made it 10 times harder. I prefer to go conservative with estimates, however.

 

I think that after my son, who was a lot easier to deal with at that age, my daughter came as a bit of a shock.

 

The one thing I can say is that parenthood has made me appreciate what my mother went through a lot more, having raised four kids as a stay at home mom on a very tight budget. We were pretty autonomous but still...wow.

 

Another great story is my grandfather being one of 22 children. I know they say that the older ones would take care of the younger ones but Jeebus that's a lot of kids.

[hoffdaddy 1]

The comparision point I have is my ex-fiance and her younger kid. Her daughter was 3, and then 4 years old when I was around. I used to watch her on weekends as her mother was at work. That kid had a motor that just wouldn't quit. That was the easiest part of my week. Staying home with kids being hard, IMO, is bit of a misdirection of the truth.

 

 

Well, that's one kid. And that's sixteen hours or so out of 48. Most stay at homes moms are in the house starting when the kids wake up, and ending when they go to bed. There is not "off" time for them. That's a lot, lot different. Add in not one 3 year old, but two, and it becomes even harder. My kids are up around 6 AM, and go to bed around 8 PM. That's 14 hours my wife puts in on most days, though she does get out at least one night a week, sometimes two.

[biscuitman357 0]

Have your wife look into 'at home' businesses.

 

Nothing crazy like the informercial crap or the beading but things like Ebay, medical transcription, etc.

 

If theres a way she can save some sanity, while removing the need to send your kids to daycare, plus generate some income, that would be the real boon for you.

[Blitzen 0]

My kids are up around 6 AM, and go to bed around 8 PM. That's 14 hours my wife puts in on most days

 

Sounds a lot like my situation. I can empathize...

[EndGame 0]

Have your wife look into 'at home' businesses.

 

Nothing crazy like the informercial crap or the beading but things like Ebay, medical transcription, etc.

 

If theres a way she can save some sanity, while removing the need to send your kids to daycare, plus generate some income, that would be the real boon for you.

Not trying to be a d*ck here, but how does that help her? It's been established that while having more money is always nice, it's not the primary motivation for her wanting to work outside the house. The primary motivation is sanity. She needs to get out in the adult world. Working from home doesn't help in the least.

 

Honestly, if she can get rid of that third kid and maybe find a part-time job that happens either when you're at home or when a relative/friend can watch the kids .. that sounds like it would be optimal. If no good part-time jobs are available when she wants to work, maybe she could volunteer somewhere.

 

I have just about the perfect situation right now. I get the kids up in the morning, feed them breakfast, play for a little bit, and then go upstairs to my office to work from about 10a until about 3p. Part of that time is covered by either my MIL or my mother, and part of it is naptime. If I have extra work to do, I do it at night or after my wife gets home from work at 3 or 4pm. One or two days a week my wife works a longer day, I have the kids in the afternoon and try to put my work down during that time (not always easy.) Really, the only downside is that since my wife isn't full time, we have to pay for our own health insurance .. which sucks.

[jackie sherrill 0]

My wife and I had twins almost 3 years ago and she stayed at home for two years. She's a teacher and just finished her first year back. Having just finished the school year and one week deep into summer, she's realizing work wasn't all that bad. The almost 3 yo twins along with our older two, she's going to go insane by the time the school year gets here again. It may do your wife and you for that matter good for her to get a job again. Two in daycare is tough, and she'd have to make decent money to even break even after you account for daycare, gas to and from work, sick days and federal holidays when they can't go to daycare, but you both may have to work, etc. It's a tough decision. My wife was semi mad at me for "making" her go back to work, but it didn't take her long to realize it helped her. Good luck!

[biscuitman357 0]

Not trying to be a d*ck here, but how does that help her? It's been established that while having more money is always nice, it's not the primary motivation for her wanting to work outside the house. The primary motivation is sanity. She needs to get out in the adult world. Working from home doesn't help in the least.

 

Uh, you mean having something other than to focus on the kids, the pride of owning your own business, the pride of generating your own income, the flexibility to run errands and take care of other household needs, the reduced stress of making ends meet to pay for daycare - yeah none of those things could contribute to saving this womans sanity right?

 

Lots of people in this thread have outlined one of the basic problems - his wife has a career that has, on the average, low wages compared to what it would cost to put the kids in daycare. Having your finances shot because you cannot afford daycare isn't going to help anyones sanity either.

 

Sorry for doing that crazy thing called thinking outside the box.

[EndGame 0]

Have you tried having kids at home 100% of the time for a good long while? I used to say exactly what you just said but not anymore. I love my kids but my daughter would drive anyone nuts. She enjoys her part-time daycare now because she's making friends and the educator is really great. It's also great for her because she has a real problem with wanting to control everything and everyone and the lesson seems to be sinking in much better at daycare than it was at home.

I was laid off from my job early in February 2005. I haven't worked full time outside the home since then. We do have a great support network, however, so I guess it's not the same situation.

 

 

Uh, you mean having something other than to focus on the kids, the pride of owning your own business, the pride of generating your own income, the flexibility to run errands and take care of other household needs, the reduced stress of making ends meet to pay for daycare - yeah none of those things could contribute to saving this womans sanity right?

 

Lots of people in this thread have outlined one of the basic problems - his wife has a career that has, on the average, low wages compared to what it would cost to put the kids in daycare. Having your finances shot because you cannot afford daycare isn't going to help anyones sanity either.

 

Sorry for doing that crazy thing called thinking outside the box.

Uh, if she's trying to maintain sanity, I would think time outside the house would make more sense than trying to start a business at home while taking care of twins. Sorry for doing that crazy thing called "thinking straight."

[biscuitman357 0]

Lots of people in this thread have outlined one of the basic problems - his wife has a career that has, on the average, low wages compared to what it would cost to put the kids in daycare. Having your finances shot because you cannot afford daycare isn't going to help anyones sanity either.

[phillybear 365]

Well, that's one kid. And that's sixteen hours or so out of 48. Most stay at homes moms are in the house starting when the kids wake up, and ending when they go to bed. There is not "off" time for them. That's a lot, lot different. Add in not one 3 year old, but two, and it becomes even harder. My kids are up around 6 AM, and go to bed around 8 PM. That's 14 hours my wife puts in on most days, though she does get out at least one night a week, sometimes two.

 

 

I was just saying that I wouldn't mind being a stay at home dad. You keep hearing how difficult it is. Sure, it's not particularly easy, but I preferred it over going to the office 5 days a week. Granted, it was only one young kid, with a middle years kid thrown in, and an omnipresent young neighbor kid in the house at all times, but it was more pleasurable than the daily work grind.

 

And don't overlook the fact that I could afford to stay home because I married into money. Money cures a lot of ills.