Comments on: Just Say No: The Working Mom’s Mantra

By: Jamie

Jamie — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:36:52 +0000

Mindi:

Did you do 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. or 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.? Just curious!

I volunteer at my daughter’s school with another mom who works as a nurse. She does three 12-hour shifts and really likes it.

I honestly think more and more employers have to offer flex time, otherwise they risk losing talented parents who have a lot to offer, but just need a more flexible work arrangement.

By: mindi

mindi — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:27:23 +0000

My hubby is deployed and I work full time, so I had to quit flex time. But I was able to work 4 – 10′s last year and get Wednesdays off. It was great, I got in EARLY and left just a bit later than I do now.
Maybe when he gets back in December I can do it again – or joy of joys, go part time!!

By: Britni

Britni — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:03:00 +0000

I’m not actually a mom yet, but am a full-time working wife. Fitting everything in really is hard. I’ve had to cut back on some of my extra activities to make sure I can still take care of myself.

By: Preschool Mom Catherine

Preschool Mom Catherine — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:48:05 +0000

Your last tip is why I love those holidays when I don’t have to work, but my kids have school/child care. Bonus!!

I’ve also found that there are tons of different school volunteer jobs. One of the ones I do takes literally 20 min, 1x/week but is very helpful to the school. I miss very little of my workday but I still perform a valuable service.

By: Amy

Amy — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 16:13:03 +0000

I don’t do this and I need to do this. It is sad that I said that I did not have time to go to the doctor and ended up paying for a $50 fee to go to Medpoint. Note to self: taking time to address one’s bladder infection is important. Otherwise, it turns into a KIDNEY infection.

Ridiculous, I know.

By: Deb - Mom of 3 Girls

Deb - Mom of 3 Girls — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:16:37 +0000

When I moved to this department, I asked to be able to come in at 8:15 am instead of right at 8. It’s made a huge difference in our mornings and I no longer have to rely on a neighbor to get my older girls on the bus (which comes at 8am).

By: Jamie

Jamie — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 13:49:35 +0000

Angie:

That is awesome! My boss actually came up with my new schedule last year when I told her I didn’t want to put my daughter in after school care. She came up with a more flexible schedule than I had originally proposed! I think more and more employers are seeing the benefits of flex time for working parents.

By: Angie @ Many Little Blessings

Angie @ Many Little Blessings — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 13:47:28 +0000

Although my husband is not a “working Mom,” his recent experience of changing his work schedule came to mind when I read this article.

We had discussed quite a bit that we could have more family time and more flexibilty with our schedule if he could go into work an hour earlier and leave an hour earlier. He talked to his boss about it, and his boss had no problem at all with it. (Actually, his boss thought it was a good idea because although most everyone else worked the hours that my husband was working, his employees actually did work the schedule that he was proposing that he switch to.)

Although this means that my husband gets up way too early each morning, we have been enjoying more family time, and he says that is worth it.

Who knew that his boss would have been so receptive to the idea? Certainly my husband wouldn’t have known if he hadn’t have asked!