That's the sound of the last few days of my maternity leave ticking away. Just as Clementine settles into a routine, just as I think I'm really getting the hang of it, I'm being yanked back to work.
Before having a kid of my own, I kind of resented the way people with families had an airtight excuse for not working late, taking extra holidays, getting special release time, etc. Now fate is smacking me in the ass for that. I'm devastated at the thought of turning over the best part of my day to my job and the best part of Clementine's to an outside caregiver. It seems so wrong, so counterproductive, and I still haven't figured out what I should do about it.
Nate is staying home for December so we don't have to fret just yet. I plan to propose to my boss an arrangement that allows me to work from home two days a week, but he has hinted that it isn't likely to fly very well. It seems most workplaces would rather lose moms entirely than be flexible enough to let them balance home life and work. I don't want to work fewer hours, I just want to work some of them from home and some of them in the evening when Clementine's dad can care for her. I want to put my family first but not have that sacrifice my commitment to my job. It seems possible to me if they are willing to be flexible and trusting, but how many workplaces are flexible and trusting?
1 comment:
Hi! I just bumped into your blog via Mama C-Ta's page. Here's a suggestion for your return to work: ask to work from home 2 days / week for 6 months. This is what I did and I think my boss (who is great, don't get me wrong) approved it because he knew there was an ending time. Now my 6 months of working from home twice / week is almost over and I'm hoping to re-negotiate for once / week. The boss has hinted *loudly* that he wants me to be back in the office full time. There are positives and negatives to working from home with your little one. I'm happy to give you stories about my experiences if you're interested.
Your daughter is adorable and so is her green swing! Can you believe that Austrians / Europeans can manage to raise children into adults even without 62 warning labels on each item they purchase?
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