Wouldn't it be cool if neither of us had to work full-time? Wouldn't it be cool if our children knew both parents the same? But oh yeah, there's that whole medical insurance thing. We can't be responsible parents if we don't have insurance. Certainly our children's health should supersede being workplace mavericks. Right?
In an ideal world, I would wish us to work similar hours, maybe 8:30-3 with a half hour lunch. This way we could work as a team to get the children to school and then again as a team to provide a wholesome dinner and homework assistance. We'd each give our employer 30 in-office hours a week (if not more from home because of our work ethic) and to our children it would not be a luxury or treat to have more time with their daddy. You see, I'm only one person and value my husband's input tremendously. There have been so many times that I've been so frustrated with one child refusing to eat or another child refusing to sleep that I'm at my wit's end. The husband comes in from a long day of work and all it takes is one suggestion from a different perspective and boom. The situation is resolved and I am left wishing we could tag-team our way through parenting all the time. But isn't that the way it should be? It took a 50/50 effort to make them. Why should it be an 80/20, 70/30, or even a 60/40 effort in raising them? That, my friends, is a little screwy in my eyes.
You see, there is so much talk about the break down of family and marriage, but nothing in the lifestyle is done to alleviate family stress. Employees working in the midst of capitalism never balk at the demands of corporations because our society values the dollar more. More service to my employer means more workplace success; more workplace success means more more annual income; more annual income means an easier and less stressful existence, right? Don't get me wrong, I value a nice kitchen, a reliable car, and clothes that give me confidence. I'm simply saying we've lost grip on a healthy balance in life. Whether it is a family with two full-time working parents, one full-time working parent and one full-time homemaker, or a single parent juggling it all, it seems that parenting is a stressful situation and we are constantly driven to find a way to make ends meet. Those that are willing to "sell their souls" by taking on the extra hours, projects, duties, etc. are the ones that bring home the promotions and extra cash, but also the extra stress and extra fatigue. I'm not finger pointing at anyone, I just want to know how much we are going to continue to take before we demand a workplace revolution. Why don't we get more choices on hours? Why don't we allow non-full-time people to have healthcare? Why is it so crazy to think about two parents working part-time versus both full-time or one full-time and one no-time? Would anyone else out there dream of this type of workplace existence or is it just me and my little family? Just curious. . .
